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“When I was ten years old, they forced me to join an armed group.
[...] At night, I still remember what happened, it comes back to me in the form of a dream.
It is a very bad dream, in which people are killed.
I kill a child ”.
From the age of 10 this young woman became part of a death squad.
Luckily, those horror fantasies are far away and the former girl soldier can have a new life, together with her grandmother and weaving sandals.
First installment |
Former child soldier: "I dreamed that the armed group that kidnapped me forced me to kill innocents"
Second installment |
Former child soldier: "In my nightmares the group that kidnapped me asks me to kill my father"
Third installment |
Former girl soldier: "The commander sent us to torture and kidnap innocent people"
Mental health is very important to children's development, but it is often overlooked or neglected as fragile health systems struggle to meet the most basic needs.
After being released or escaping, ex-guerrillas often deal with disorders, obsessions and nightmares, aggressive behaviors, and anxiety.
In South Sudan, where the number of children used in armed conflicts is high (it is estimated that there are almost 20,000), there are only three psychiatrists, 23 psychologists and a room for minors with mental health problems where beds are limited, according to Unicef's count.
With the closure of schools due to COVID-19, another important space for psychosocial support has been lost, exacerbating an already difficult situation.
To warn of this situation, and on the occasion of the International Day Against the Use of Child Soldiers, which is celebrated every February 12, Unicef launched a series of videos entitled
When I close my eyes
, it delves into the terrible experiences of these former South Sudanese child soldiers and the psychological effects they suffer for years.
At Planeta Futuro we have since offered each chapter exclusively subtitled in Spanish.
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