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An estimated 30,000 children fought during Sierra Leone’s
ten year civil war. They were taken from their villages, often
having been forced to partake in the maiming or murder of their
own parents; high on drugs they learned to use Kalashnikovs
or became sex, cooks and ammunition porters for the soldiers.
Not only the child soldiers were affected: for most of the country’s
children, education came to an end as rebels burnt, looted or
set up bases in their schools. During October 2002, a few months
after peace was declared in Sierra Leone, I visited the country
for UNICEF and documented the current situation of some of the
country’s children. They were now re-unifed with their
families, back in school or labouring for almost nothing in
diamond mines… Their situations varied; the glazed expression
of those worst affected did not. |
