Ajedi-Ka/Projet Enfants
Soldats
Working to Rehabilitate
Child Soldiers in the DRC
Welcome to the website of the AJEDI-Ka/Projet Enfants Soldats, a local
organization based in Uvira, south-kivu province, in the eastern DRC
(Democratic Republic of Congo).  We are a small volunteer
organization dedicated to the identification, demobilization and
reintegration of child soldiers, as well as promotion of justice in their
cause.
Bienvenue au site de Ajedi-Ka/Projet Enfats Soldats, base a Uvira,
province du sud-Kivu, Est de la DRC. Nous travaillons dans l’
identification, la démobilisation, la réintégration et le suivi des enfants
soldats en territoires d’Uvira et de Fizi et la justice.














































Background

Since 1996, the ongoing war in the DRC has affected thousands of vulnerable people
in local communities, especially women and children. There have been over 3
millions deaths as a result of this humanitarian disaster.

Armed combatant groups, such as the rebels of RCD-Goma and the Mai-Mai
as well as foreign groups such as the rebel groups from Burundi the FDD and the
FNL, have recruited numerous children from this region--both boys and girls--who
are used on the frontlines of combat or in association with combat forces as child
soldiers.

The consequences to the children of their recruitment by armed forces are numerous
and disastrous. They are brutalized body and soul, violated and raped, often
contracting illnesses such as HIV/AIDS.  They are sent to massacre others and are
themselves massacred--those who survive have lost their childhood irredeemably.

The usage of child soldiers is a crime--a crime which must not only be denounced, but
which also must lead to the judgement and punishment of those responsible.

We at Ajedi-Ka/Projet Enfants Soldats devote our efforts to protecting the rights of
children and the promotion of justice in their cause. Since 1998 we have facilitated
the demobilization and reintegration of over 300 children, among them 46 girls. Our
efforts in these areas are described in greater detail in the following pages.

While we continue to hope for peace in our region,  we are not there as yet.  As the
situation stands, circumstances remain conducive to the recruitment of child soldiers,
and so we persist in our work to prevent this assault on the rights of children.

We welcome you to our website and hope that you will join us in our efforts!
Together we can continue to make an impact in the lives of the children and the
families affected by this catastrophic conflict, and lead the way forward into a future
of peace.
.

"...What is...important are the consequences of the presence of children within the
militia. One needs to understand that the effects of enlistment into armed groups go
beyond an individual scope. Mr Bukeni Beck, the Director of Association "des
jeunes pour le developpement integre -Kalundu" [Ajedi-Ka], and a director of a film
on child soldiers highlighted that, and I quote, "The recruitment of child soldiers is
not only a war crime; it has destroyed a generation." It could be added the
recruitment of children has destroyed a whole region. This phenomenon has taken
such a scope that the Security Council of the United Nations had to create a child
protection section within MONUC."

Testimony given at the Trial of Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, International Criminal
Court, November 9,2006
(full transcript available here)
Click on the above link to
view a clip from the video A
Duty to Protect: Justice for
Child Soldiers in the DRC.
Made in partnership with
Witness.
Home
Join us in our efforts!
We are currently seeking
interns with knowledge of  
human rights law and/or
psychology to come work
with us in the DRC. For
more information, please
contact us.
NEWS & LATEST UPDATES
Trial of Thomas Lubanga
The trial of Thomas Lubanga Dyilo is
provisionally scheduled
to recommence on January 26, 2009
in The Hague, after Trial Chamber I
decided to lift the stay of proceedings  
imposed last June. Read the full
press release here.
                                                                                                     Lubanga Dyilo/ ICC-CPI / Hans Hordijk
Senegalese Musician Youssou Nd'our Attends HIV/AIDS Advocacy
Event
In September 2008 Ajedi-Ka and
Witness held an advocacy event at
the Ministry of Health in Kinshasa.  
Seen here is Senegalese musician
Youssou Nd'our with Bukeni,
representing Witness, and Neuilly
representing Ajedi-Ka.  See more
pictures on our News & Events
page.
UPDATE: Please take a look at our most recent work in the area of Reintegration, working
to reintegrate children and also young women combattants through education and vocational
training.