Br. Bruno Menici, s.x.

Among the Child Soldiers

Br. Bruno Menici - from Missionari Saveriani

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Brother Bruno Menici, working with Child Soldiers

After the war, and the rebuilding efforts, Sierra Leone is struggling to return to a life without rebel activities, violence and killings. The United Nations and delegates of neighboring countries are organizing public meetings and ceremonies declaring the country “free from arms”.

During such rituals, arms are destroyed and burned. With some 10,000 soldiers, the United Nations are trying to guarantee peace during the country’s transition to normal political and social life. 

But as the internal fighting has come to an end, there are still many house destroyed, and thousands of child soldiers who were forced into joining the rebel groups, taken away from their natural families. Most of them are slowly going back to their families, but we can imagine how difficult is this passage. At times, parents refuse to receive their children back, because of their violent past.

Unicef has started a campaign of providing plastic surgery to these children: many were tattooed RUF in their skin, some lost their arms, some others have still deeper scars to deal with. They need to get back to the realities they once knew.

Brother Bruno Menici, Xaverian who has served in Sierra Leone for quite a few years, works in this context. He has received some money for the construction of a new hospital, which has already started its operation. Another center is in the making for helping young child soldiers reenter society and their home families.

The project will include a school for learning of skills in carpentry, construction work, welding, sowing and home economics. Br. Bruno is responsible for the salaries of the teachers and the material needed for the school. Besides a certificate of completion of the courses, students will receive the starting tools needed for their newfound trades in society.

This is a way to help these former child soldiers on the way to recovery and re-insertion into their families and society at large. This initiative includes any other child who is orphan of parents (lost to the violence of the war) and street children at risk. 

Brother Bruno Menici (from Missionari Saveriani - Mission monthly from Italy) » More