Sunday 18 January 2009

Hope North: Camp for Rescued Child Soldiers

In 2008, I travelled with a group of Capoeira teachers to a camp called Hope North, a refuge and school for rescued child soldiers in Northern Uganda.

This film documents our trip. See the text below for more information on the situation and the camp.



Uganda has rebounded from the abyss of civil war and economic catastrophe to become relatively peaceful, stable and prosperous but the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in the north remain blighted by one of Africa's most brutal rebellions. The failure of two years of tortuous peace negotiations in February this year dashed hopes that the 20-year war in could soon be over and the UN news network IRIN reports that children are once again being abducted.

Hope North Uganda was founded in 1996 by Sam Okello, a prominent Ugandan artist located near Bweyale, 100km south of Gulu in northern Uganda, to be a refuge for rescued child soldiers, often ostracized by their communities because of the crimes they committed. Home to 300 young people between the ages of 10 and 25, the camp offers secure accommodation, food, medication and a school and vocational centre to help them reintegrate back into society.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jas, this is perfect! It was like all the days in the camp and all the crazy dances and all the sadness and all the joy felt in one go... well done and thank you.

Matilda said...

This is so impressive! Keep up the good work!