Tag: reintegration

by Jimmie Briggs, Goldin Institute Board of Advisors For nearly three decades starting in the late 1980’s, over 60,000 girls and boys in Northern Uganda were forcibly conscripted into fighting a guerilla war against their government, under the brutal domination of the Lord’s Resistance Army. In war that displaced 1.5 million people mainly of the… Continue reading Former Child Soldiers in Uganda take the Lead

August 27th Update: I am pleased to announce that YOLRED, the first platform for Child soldier reintegration and rehabilitation in Africa that is owned and run by the former combatants themselves, is officially launched and up and running. Our work with the YOLRED team in Uganda ended with a public gathering to celebrate the official… Continue reading Follow Along as Former Child Soldiers Launch Reintegration Organization

In the discussions about disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of children used as soldiers in the conflict in Northern Uganda, the voices and perspectives of former child soldiers themselves have too often and too long been ignored. To restore these voices to the discussion and to improve the services for former combatants, the Goldin Institute and… Continue reading Alone and Frightened: A Summary of our Report

In our own efforts to try and get the word out about the plight of child soldiers, and the progress that is being made towards former young combatants we work with in returning to civil society – we’re always interested in new ways to connect with those who wish to help. Visiting our website, you… Continue reading Poignant Child Soldier Stories Connect with Wider Audience

In the tradition of the Goldin Institute’s Forgiveness and Reconciliation Project, and utilizing the ESPERE methodology developed with our colleagues in Colombia, our efforts towards building child soldier reintegration continues throughout Northern Uganda.  As our Global Associate on the ground in Uganda (Denis Okello) recently reported to us in this summary paper, both Kitgum and… Continue reading Colombia Brings Reconciliation Methods to Uganda

A recent study published in Pediatrics points to the long-lasting payoffs to treating depression and anxiety in former child soldiers and other youth impacted by the civil war in Sierra Leone.  Lead author and director of the Research Program of Global Health and Population at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Health, Theresa Betancourt, commented… Continue reading Study Shows Benefits of Child-Soldier Reintegration

Partnership with Arigatou International Continues Effective Peacebuilding   Because we remain committed to the issue of child soldier prevention and reintegration, our project work often exposes us to the disturbing reality of youth participation in militant violence. East Africa in particular has suffered from a growing problem of terrorist groups focusing their recruitment efforts on the… Continue reading Partners in East Africa Build Community Strategies to Fight Violence

This June, Institute co-founders Diane Goldin and Travis Rejman returned to Uganda to participate in our first ever cross-continental Child Soldier Reintegration and Reconciliation Training Workshops. Because of her work in developing and using the ESPERE methodology in her native Colombia, our Global Associate Lissette Mateus Roa was the natural candidate to lead the training in Uganda.… Continue reading Goldin Institute Successfully Returns to Uganda

Spring is making its way slowly toward the Goldin Institute’s headquarters in Chicago. While seasonal change is in the air locally, systemic social change is underway at our global offices abroad. In this issue of the e-newsletter, we document the important work of our Global Associates. We are pleased to share these success stories from… Continue reading Spring 2014 Newsletter

Building on Two Years of Partnership Planning: An update to the National Platform for child soldier prevention and re-integration in Uganda This past June, co-founders of the Goldin Institute, Diane Goldin and Travis Rejman spent two weeks in Africa to coordinate and take part in the official launch of the National Platform for Child Soldier… Continue reading Uganda Update