A Child Soldier in Sudan
In 2009,/Seya found herself in Sudan/with a mission to launch a new project/to support vulnerable youths,/including child soldiers. She knew/that she must earn the trust of these children/and of the communities/to which they would return. Trust plays an important part in DDR.
Seya met a boy named Michael,/who had been a soldier in the civil war/for five years. When the war ended,/he had been transferred to the police force. Now he wanted to go back to school. But he couldn’t figure out/how to proceed. Seya offered to help him,/but he didn’t trust her. Too many people had made promises/that they did not keep. First,/Seya had to gain Michael’s trust. Then she had to persuade Michael’s senior officers/to allow him to return to school. She succeeded in both tasks.
Michael’s future would be difficult and uncertain. He would have to learn to trust other people. He would have to learn to trust himself.
Seya told him/that he was now on his own. “This is your life,/not mine,”/she said. “You must think for yourself from now on.” Michael answered,/“Now I know what I’m going to do. This is my life.” One small success for Seya Rumiko.