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SOUTH SUDAN / FORMER CHILD SOLDIERS
STORY: SOUTH SUDAN / FORMER CHILD SOLDIERS
TRT: 03:48
SOURCE: UNMISS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 01 NOVEMBER 2019, 27 FEBRUARY 2020, TOMBURA, SOUTH SUDAN / 07 FEBRUARY 2018, 28 APRIL 2020, YAMBIO, SOUTH SUDAN
28 APRIL 2020, YAMBIO, SOUTH SUDAN
1. Various shots, former child soldier performing carpentry tasks
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Malis (Not His Real Name), Former Child Soldier:
“When we were there in the bush, we were suffering so much. When the peace came into our county, we came out of the bush and we surrendered ourselves and also received training.”
07 FEBRUARY 2018, YAMBIO, SOUTH SUDAN
3. Various shots, former child soldiers during an official release ceremony
01 NOVEMBER 2019, TOMBURA, SOUTH SUDAN
4. Wide shot, Bishop Hiiboro Kusala
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Bishop Hiiboro Kusala, Catholic Diocese of Tombura and Yambio and Chair of an inter-faith group:
“We were able to face the people in the bush and then we managed to bring out of the bush over 10,000 young men who were there, ready to kill, ready to fight. And in fact, we were many times, I don’t want to talk about how many times we were humiliated by these boys in the bush, yet we kept on.”
27 FEBRUARY 2020, TOMBURA, SOUTH SUDAN
6. Various shots, graduation of former child soldiers from Tindoka vocational training center
28 APRIL 2020, YAMBIO, SOUTH SUDAN
7. Various shots, former child soldier performing carpentry tasks
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Malis (Not His Real Name), Former Child Soldier:
“I started to learn how they are measuring all these things and how to cut it and how to make some tunnels on it. I learned all those things there. Now I can make my tables, I can make my chairs, also I can make some beds. Then the people they put it in here people, then somebody, someone they ask me, we can discuss about it and the negotiation, and somebody may take it from me and give me something like money.”
9. Various shots, former child soldier performing carpentry tasks
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Malis (Not His Real Name), Former Child Soldier:
“I am training them with the knowledge, which I have it. They are acquiring it and are attentive to whatever I am saying.”
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Isaac (Not His Real Name), Carpentry Apprentice:
“He has taught me so many things. Now I can make so many things like beds, doors and drawers, and so many small small things.”
1 NOVEMBER 2019, TOMBURA, SOUTH SUDAN
12. Tracking shots, UNMISS on patrol
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Christopher Muchiri Murenga, Head of Field Office, UNMISS Yambio:
“We want to have a dialogue between the communities on what they have, what are the opportunities for development in the communities, what are the challenges they face, what are the threats that they think that they can overcome, and their strengths and weaknesses so that we can proactively drive communities towards building their own resilience as well as moving towards early recovery and development.”
14. Various shots, school children on the street.
Looking at Malis (not his real name) at work in his workshop in Yambio, one would think life has treated this young, 26-year-old man well. His eyes, though, tell a different story.
Abducted in his early teens by an armed group, Malis grew up with them in the wilderness of South Sudan’s Western Equatoria region.
SOUNDBITE (English) Malis (Not His Real Name), Former Child Soldier:
“When we were there in the bush, we were suffering so much. When the peace came into our county, we came out of the bush and we surrendered ourselves and also received training.”
In early 2018, Malis’s luck turned as he was released alongside others through local initiatives led by faith-based groups in partnership with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
SOUNDBITE (English) Bishop Hiiboro Kusala, Catholic Diocese of Tombura and Yambio and Chair of an inter-faith group:
“We were able to face the people in the bush and then we managed to bring out of the bush over 10,000 young men who were there, ready to kill, ready to fight. And in fac,t we were many times, I don’t want to talk about how many times we were humiliated by these boys in the bush, yet we kept on.”
Today, Malis is the proud holder of a certificate in carpentry after completing a six-month vocational training programme, supported by UNMISS and partners and implemented by World Vision International at the Tiindoka Vocational Training Center.
SOUNDBITE (English) Malis (Not His Real Name), Former Child Soldier:
“I started to learn how they are measuring all these things and how to cut it and how to make some tunnels on it. I learned all those things there. Now I can make my tables, I can make my chairs, also I can make some beds. Then the people they put it in here people, then somebody, someone they ask me, we can discuss about it and the negotiation, and somebody may take it from me and give me something like money.”
Malis started a carpentry workshop in Yambio where he uses his newfound talents to produce necessary items for the local community at affordable rates. He offers apprenticeship opportunities for young people as well.
SOUNDBITE (English) Malis (Not His Real Name), Former Child Soldier:
“I am training them with the knowledge, which I have it. They are acquiring it and are attentive to whatever I am saying.”
Isaac [not his real name], a young man who got a chance to apprentice in Malis’ workshop is grateful.
SOUNDBITE (English) Isaac (Not His Real Name), Carpentry Apprentice:
“He has taught me so many things. Now I can make so many things like beds, doors and drawers, and so many small, small things.”
Working with the people of South Sudan to build durable peace is a key part of the UNMISS mandate.
SOUNDBITE (English) Christopher Muchiri Murenga, Head of Field Office, UNMISS Yambio:
“We want to have a dialogue between the communities on what they have, what are the opportunities for development in the communities, what are the challenges they face, what are the threats that they think that they can overcome, and their strengths and weaknesses so that we can proactively drive communities towards building their own resilience as well as moving towards early recovery and development.”
According to UNICEF more than 3,000 children have been released from armed groups in South Sudan since conflict began, but thousands more continue to be used.
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