The Rescue

The good news is that thousands of formerly-abducted children have managed to escape.

With the Ugandan Government offering full amnesty to any child-soldier or commander wishing to surrender, more and more former-rebels are coming out of the bush. However, without help to deal with their traumatic experiences, there are concerns that abused children suffering post-traumatic stress may grow up to participate in future generations of hostility – as the cycle of violence continues.

Since 2004, Dr. Robi Sonderegger of the Family Challenge Charitable Trust has been actively involved in helping these children of war, by training aid agency staff to provide evidence-based trauma rehabilitation.

To date, hundreds of counsellors, social workers, and aid agency staff (e.g., World Vision Children of War, Child Mothers, and Adults Reception Centres, Gulu; Childcare International, Kitgum; Rachelle Centre for Rehabilitation & Reintegration of Formerly Abducted Children, Lira) have received education on effective ways to help children overcome their grief and trauma, learn to forgive, and move on.

This unique evidence-based trauma rehabilitation training has been widely embraced throughout the region, and is now attracting considerable attention from Heads of State and other war-torn countries.

Currently in Northern Uganda, the greatest need is found in 120 Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) refugee camps spread throughout the war zone. Hence, the enormous challenge: to implement a structured culturally sensitive trauma rehabilitation program that is flexible enough to be facilitated by lay persons with minimal education (using a train-the-trainer model)

Cross-cultural child trauma specialist, Dr. Robi Sonderegger, has developed a rehabilitation program based on forgiveness, life-purpose, identity formation, and leadership to give young people affected by war a hope for the future.

In collaboration with other agencies, benefactors, and committed individuals, the project aims to reach more than one million victims of war. Yet how far the movement reaches, and how impacting the program will ultimately be, largely depends on YOU!

The world has been quiet about Northern Uganda for far too long, and most people still don't know about the situation which the United Nations refers to as "the world's worst unattended emergency" and "the most dangerous place on earth for children to live". No one seems willing or able to do anything about it... that is UNTIL NOW.

Feel like making some noise and becoming a voice for these children whose cries go unheard?

You can practically contribute to this project, make a difference in Northern Uganda, and tangibly help stop the war by joining the FRONTLINE movement.

In the words of E. Burke; "All it takes for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing".

Time to make a difference!

You have been called up for duty to use your own gifts and talents through practical innovation, prayer, fundraising, lobbying, or simply spreading the word.

Welcome to THE FRONTLINE!