David visits child soldiers in Columbia

The kids are kept in these safe houses for up to six weeks before they are integrated back into schools. Most of them haven’t been to school and can’t read or write so they immediately start classes. They also take part in art therapy activities to help them try and come to terms with what they have been through and to set positive goals to start their lives afresh with.
They have never experienced such security before and I was amazed by their enthusiasm and ambition. Within a couple of weeks the children adjust to their new surroundings with strict routines, meals and courses to help them reintegrate back into society.

The Mercy Corps team are remarkable, dedicated, passionate and so enthusiastic about their work and all the young people seemed to really appreciate our visit from overseas. Knowing people from another country cared so much seemed to make an enormous difference. We also shared the Artemis Quadrathlon DVD and my seven life skills before moving onto the Don Bosco School where the young people go after the initial transitional period.

There were 40 young people at the Don Bosco School where they integrate into a school population of 600 children. There other children are not aware of their child soldiering past. Our first task was to sit down with the children and they drew us three pictures of their past, current and future lives. Inevitably the past lives consisted of the child carrying an AK47 with sad, depressed faces, machetes, helicopters and general war images.

The current images were happier children enjoying learning at school, taking part in group activities, metal work, mechanics, woodwork, fashion design, future business and life skill planning, making friends and generally enjoying life. The future pictures were ones of hope with happy faces, happy families, cars, homes and a passion for their work.

We interacted with the kids as much as possible and were set various team command tasks which included a couple of long football matches, (one of which was played in a kilt and brogues and thick socks in 32 degrees) a meditation session and future life planning assistance. We also listened to a couple of inspiring presentations from two girls about their goals, life plans and how they intended to achieve their aims.

The young people I met all said the project was changing their lives and that it gave them confidence to think that there other people who want to help them. It is hard to imagine what they have been through. They all long to be with their parents but many will never be able to return as their homes are based in the FARC territories. Our final evening was spent teaching the young people Scottish reeling and they in turn gave us some Salsa dancing skills before emotional goodbyes and ongoing commitments for the future of the great and dynamic Mercy Corps project.