…but there have been positive developments as well. At Gacuriro, a youth center in Kigali, 45 former child soldiers have successfully completed vocational courses and are poised to be reintegrated into their communities, or enter new ones. The government is actively working alongside NGOs to aid in the recovery of these children. The Rwanda Demobilisation and Reintegration Commission (RDRC) has recently begun a “sensitization campaign” to ease the process of reintegration for the children. In addition, as reported by IRIN, following the reintegration process another program is where, “the demobilised are given access to land where available in addition to receiving a grant of 100,000 RFW ($186) six months after demobilisation. A recognition of service allowance is also paid within three months after discharge to former soldiers.”

Unfortunately, there are certain harsh realities in Rwanda, adding further complexities to reintegration. Job opportunities are often scarce, and “few employment opportunities mean the former child soldiers sometimes lack food and shelter.”

Additional resources on former child soldiers in Rwanda:

* A Success Story for Former Child Soldiers: ASOLATE, the Association for Youth Literacy and Trades Education
* Children Soldiers- SOS Children Projects
* Rwanda | Child Soldiers Global Report 2008