Child Soldier – With Reference to African Nations

CHAPTER 01: INTRODUCTION

“Over 20 million children of conflict are out of school. Education is often forgotten.”

~ Angelina Jolie, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador

A child soldier is anyone under the age of eighteen who is part of any kind of regular or irregular armed force or armed group in any capacity. Child soldiers are boys and girls who fight in adult wars, missing out on the safe childhood that many of us take for granted, but to which every child is entitled according to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.^[1] 

According to the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers:  “Child soldiers perform a range of tasks including participation in combat, laying mines and explosives; scouting, spying, acting as decoys, couriers or guards; training, drill or other preparations; logistics and support functions, portering, cooking and domestic labor; and sexual slavery or other recruitment for sexual purposes.” ^[2] 

·       As of mid-2004, up to 100,000 children - some as young as nine - were actively involved in armed conflict in Africa.*

SOS Children's Villages, Shillong

Orientation Visit to
SOS CHILDREN'S VILLAGE, SHILLONG
P. O. Umiam, Ri-Bhoi District, Meghalaya – 793 103

 Orientation Date : 9th September 2011 (Friday)
 Time: 01.30 PM to 03.00 P.M.

SOS Children's Villages is active in 133 countries and territories. The variety of this international work is brought together by the umbrella organisation SOS Children's Villages International, which unites all of the autonomous national association. SOS Children's Villages was founded in Austria by Hermann Gmeiner; first SOS Children's Village built in Imst, Austria in 1949.

The Shillong SOS Village

It is no less than a developed and well maintain village.

SOS Children's Village Shillong was opened in 1999. It is situated about 12 km from the city of Shillong on a green hill covered with pine trees.

SOS Children's Village Shillong consists of twelve family houses, staff accommodation, a multi-purpose hall and the necessary administration and service area. It has its own playground where the children can romp around and have fun. The sick bay at the SOS Children's Village provides basic medical care for the inhabitants of the village. A building with a ground floor and 1st floor consists of several bed rooms with a huge kitchen and a common room.

San-Ker Academy & Research Centre, Shillong

Orientation Visit to
SAN-KER ACADEMIC & RESEARCH CENTRE
Mawroh, Shillong – 793008, Meghalaya

 Orientation Date : 9th September 2011 (Friday)
 Time: 10.30 AM to 12.00 Noon

About San-Ker

IGNOU Regional Centre Shillong has a network of 67 learner support centres all over the State of Meghalaya. Out of these 18 are Regular Study Centres, 37 Programme Study Centres and 12 Special Study Centres.1

There is only one Mental Health Facility in the private sector. This is SANKER Hospital situated at Mawroh, Shillong 793008, Meghalaya which is about 1km away from Shillong Golf Course and can be reached by vehicle as the pitched road reach up to the hospital. The hospital is beautifully situated in large area surrounded by pine trees in the very congenial condition.

The Founder Father of this hospital is Dr. Sandy Syiem who himself is a reputed Psychiatrist. He himself administrates and monitors the hospital passionately.

New Hope Centre, Shillong

Orientation Visit to
KJPA: NEW HOPE CENTRE
(Counselling Cum De-Addiction)
IGP, Central Ward, Shillong – 793 001, Meghalaya

 Orientation Date : 8th September 2011 (Thrusday)
 Time: 01.00PM to 03.00PM

Nature of Works:

Counselling, detoxification, therapy session, awareness, training, referrals, seminars, workshops etc

Brief History

The Foundation Stone of the New Hope Centre of Khasi Jiantia Presbyterian Assembly was laid by Dr. Dongkupar Roy, the then Hon’ble Chief Minister of Meghalaya on August 20, 2008. Mr Henry, the counsellor told us that this de-addiction centre was initially started as a counselling centre in 1994, They started accommodating inmates from December 1999.

Workers

Beside the centre co-ordinator, the New Hope Centre currently employ three counsellors, a nurse, one doctor, four yoga therapists and a residential counsellor.

Old Age Home: Sister of Charity, Shillong

Orientation Visit to
SISTERS OF CHARITY - MERCY HOME
(Home for the Aged)
Demthring – 793 021, Shillong , Meghalaya

• Orientation Date : 8th September 2011 (Thursday)
• Time: 10.00AM to 12.00Noon

Introduction: The Old Age Home was constructed by the Archdiocese of Shillong in the year 1973 and is under the direct administration of Sister of Charity, Shillong, having its headquarters in Guwahati – the provincial.

Mercy Home, which has transformed many lives, has grown to be the abode for numerous destitute and poor senior citizens of India who have no one to look after them. Though the total intake of the inmate was fixed at 60 numbers, at present, there are 46 inmates at home. It has showered them all the love and the care they deserve at this age. Many new friendships have been made among the inmates of this home and a close attachment has been established. They stay together and pass the valued moments of their lives with their fellow acquaintances. The ages of the inmates range from 65 to more than a hundred year old. The oldest inmate, Mrs Saina Narati (106), a lady from Nangdong in Ri bhoi District recounts that she has no other choice, but to spend the last part of her life in the Mercy Home as she has no children, no relatives who would look after her. The inmates are very happy with the food, the love and the care they get from the Mercy Home. They also said that they give helping hand to keep the environment clean. Some even said that they get motherly love and care from the people who are taking care of them.