Patric Omony:  16 years old - he was abducted by the LRA when he was 6 years old.  They took him and his brother - killed the father in front of his sons.  Patrick had to carry his father's head for a day. 

He remained with the LRA for some time as a child soldier - brainwashed, in fear, doing the bidding of his new masters.  All the while looking for a way of escape.

After some years of being in the Bush - Patric managed to escape and was taking to Pader Orphans Caring Project.

I am AKOT EVELYNE ODERO. I am 17 years old. in 2003 I was abducted by the rebels of the Lord Resistance army in northern Uganda. I was 9 years old. I was taken to the neighboring country Sudan on the way I was beaten unconscious and I was told to beat a child to death because his leg had swollen I had to do it because I was fearing to die.

In Sudan I received military training. I was taken to battle and I saw a lot of killing as soon as I came from the battle one commander took me as his wife. Life was not easy. the man was big and I was young so he could force me into sex.

When I escaped from the rebels I managed to reached Uganda in 2005 and now I am in Uganda I live in Pader Orphans Caring Project. it is orphanage for former child soldier and total orphans. The problem Here is now food is not enough and we can get education but have no fees.

I like to be educated and become a lawyer so that I can serve young children to be their voice to the world finished S.4 and no fees to go to S.5.

Adokorach Gladys

12 years old

Social history:  Both parent are not there. Both parents died of HIV/AIDS in 2003. She was living with one of the relatives which were mistreating her. She wants to continue going to school. With her relatives there was only house work. She was never happy  crying all of the time because of the mistreatment the relatives showed her.  She likes education and her best subject is math. She take first position in class every term. Her dream and hope is to become  nurse.

I am Oyo Kennedy. In 2003 when i was in primary four during holiday of second term we were abducted by rebels. My young brother and me, our parents were killed in front of us just because they said if we escaped we shall not find any one at home. We were take to Sudan on the way my young brother was killed because he could walk any longer the legs were swollen and I stood by helplessly. When we reached Sudan we were taken for training and I was given to carry landmine back to Uganda. One day we were attacked by the Ugandan Army and I had to throw away the landmine that I had. I was caned I thought I could die but God saved me. I like education.  My hope and dream is to become medical personnel.

Kamara  E.

3years

This child has no parents. His parents died of Hiv/aids. He was left in the hand of grandmother to take care of him but because she was very old and could take care of the child well. We decided to pick him and bring him to orphanage center where we have two nurses care for the young kids and other children at the orphanage.

He very good boy like playing around.

Ojok Elvis

5years

Social history:

Both parents are not there. Both parents died of HIV/AIDS in 2007. He was living with the grandmother. He hardly ate in a day because grandmother was not able to get food for him. He could starve and go picking food from dust bins to eat. I picked him up and brought him to orphanage. He likes praying. He is making beads all the time.

  LUBANGAKENE GEOFFREY

 AGE 12 YEARS

 At the age of 6, Geoffrey was abducted by rebels of the Lord’s Resistance Army. Geoffrey’s duty was to stand guard. He had to keep watch continuously to see when the government army was approaching.

One day, when he was standing guard in a tree, he had to go to the toilet. He climbed out of the tree and squatted on the grass. The rebels accused him of trying to escape. He was taken to the camp, with the commander decided that Geoffrey had to be killed, as an example to the other. The rebels hit him three times on the back of his head with an axe and left him for dead. Because it started raining that night, Geoffrey regained consciousness. He ran away while blood was covering his eyes. Some time later, he lost consciousness again.

The next morning, the rebels found him in a different place than where they had left him for dead. ‘Someone whose brains are exposed, can’t possibly still be alive’, they judged. They thought him to be a little sorcerer and were too frightened to kill him.

GEOFFREY was dragged back to the camp, when rebels gave him a little bit of water and food. They were very surprised to see he drank and ate. They left him without any medical care. When his wounds were fly infested and smelling of pus, they had to move him out of smelling distance.

After three weeks, the government army attacked the camp. Geoffrey was found by a soldier and was brought to hospital, where he stayed for a year. The Ugandan press called him ‘the boy who would not die’. Early in 2003, 

ALBERT PACOTO

AGE :    12 YEARS

Albert and his brother were abducted from church on 11th March 2004. albert was only 5.  When his brother tried to escape, he was axed down before Albert’s eyes. 

Albert was taken to neighboring country Sudan, where he stayed for more than a year.  He was given a number of "chores", like fetching water, gather firewood and growing crops. He also had to participate in looting and even combat. 

He was hungry and thirsty all the time. He had to survive on leaves and urine for a while. One day he was sent back to Uganda to fight the army. During a government army ambush he managed to escape. When he reached his home village he learned that his fatHim had died. A few months later the rebels attacked his village again. In retaliation for his escape the rebels brutally killed his mother

 OUMA

AGE 13 YEARS 

Ouma was abducted on New Year’s day in 2004.  During that night, the rebels raided his house, beat him up and tied him. They took Ouma and his father into the bush, whom they also tied up . They threw his father on the ground and ordered Ouma to beat his father to death. The boy started crying and said he could not kill is own father. So, the rebels untied his father and ordered him to kill his own son. Ouma had no other choice than to beat his father to death with a log of wood.

Ouma was taken on long foot marches. He was forced to carry heavy loads. Children that were exhausted or tried to escape were killed with sticks and machetes, stabbed to death or shot. The other children had to participate in these murders. Even Ouma was forced to kill three children (two girls and a boy).

Later, he received military training in one of the rebel camps near Kitgum. He learned how to march, shoot and attack. Afterwards, he was sent to loot villages, abduct other children and set houses on fire, sometimes with the inhabitants still inside. Once, they were under fire by the government army but Ouma remained miraculously unhurt.

After four months, he was taken to the neighboring country Sudan. Over there, he had to attack villages and loot food. Consequently, there were a lot of confrontations with the SPLA, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army. There is a lot of famine in Sudan. Ouma had to eat leaves and drink urine to survive. Many children died of diarrhea and cholera.

He escaped and found his way to the Pader Orphans Caring Project where he found safety - love and forgiveness.

Read about Richard Akena - who serves the children of Pader Orphans Caring Project Here

Africa's Children Struggling to Survive: Life anywhere can be a struggle - but here in Africa it is about survival.

A child's Survival of the Rwanda Genocide:  1 million people in 100 days were killed -one girl's story

Life in a Kampala Neighborhood: Life for the average Ugandan is simply tough.

A day in a School in Africa: Students in Africa have it very different than the West.

Child Sponsorship in Northern Uganda:  Giving a life to an orphaned child in Northern Uganda.

Children - Born into slums-The Solution=Education:ducation  The only doorway out of poverty is education.

Start a Library in Africa for Children: Most schools do not have a decent library in Uganda

The children of the LRA:  Kidnapped-brainwashed- turned into killers.