Janet's Case Study, Lira, July 2008
Just a few years back 18-year old Janet was on the brink of suicide – today she is part of a youth group, working with children and young people traumatised by the 20 years of conflict between the Lord’s Resistance Army and the Ugandan Government.
At the age of nine, Janet suffered the same inconceivable fate as hundreds of other children in the area, when she was abducted by LRA rebels and taken to Sudan. Today, she calmly recounts the terror of the seven years she spent in Sudan, detailing incidents simply too horrific to repeat in writing. Suffice it to say it is a wonder of human strength and survival instinct that Janet is here today, overcoming what she has been trough.
A few years back, when the rebels went into the camps in Sudan to loot for food, Janet managed to escape and sought refuge with an LC in the Pader district who initially took her in. But his intentions quickly turned out to be anything but honourable, when he started sexually assaulting her, and in May 2007, Janet escaped another devastating situation for the second time in her young life, but this time a woman working for a local NGO took her to a rehabilitation centre. Whilst here, Janet was sending letters back home, trying to track down her parents, but nobody came for her and eventually she returned to her village where more shattering news awaited her.
Both parents had been killed by the rebels, news that left Janet with no strength remaining, her only thought to commit suicide to end the suffering and follow her parents. Janet’s salvation came in the form of a local youth group working at community level, offering emotional support to the many children and youths in the area whose lives have been wrecked by the conflict.
Members of the youth group continually receive advice and support from TPO staff on how to identify and counsel child victims, and offered Janet what no one had done in the past; emotional support to work through and eventually overcome her trauma.
Today Janet is an active member of the youth group, and has turned her dark past and experiences around to help other girls in similar situations. When I share my admiration for this immense effort and remarkable survivor instinct, she nods silently in agreement, then adds; “mostly it feels like an illusion….like a nightmare. I feel like I’ve been touched by the devil.”
Some names in this story have been changed to protect identities
At the age of nine, Janet suffered the same inconceivable fate as hundreds of other children in the area, when she was abducted by LRA rebels and taken to Sudan. Today, she calmly recounts the terror of the seven years she spent in Sudan, detailing incidents simply too horrific to repeat in writing. Suffice it to say it is a wonder of human strength and survival instinct that Janet is here today, overcoming what she has been trough.
A few years back, when the rebels went into the camps in Sudan to loot for food, Janet managed to escape and sought refuge with an LC in the Pader district who initially took her in. But his intentions quickly turned out to be anything but honourable, when he started sexually assaulting her, and in May 2007, Janet escaped another devastating situation for the second time in her young life, but this time a woman working for a local NGO took her to a rehabilitation centre. Whilst here, Janet was sending letters back home, trying to track down her parents, but nobody came for her and eventually she returned to her village where more shattering news awaited her.
Both parents had been killed by the rebels, news that left Janet with no strength remaining, her only thought to commit suicide to end the suffering and follow her parents. Janet’s salvation came in the form of a local youth group working at community level, offering emotional support to the many children and youths in the area whose lives have been wrecked by the conflict.
Members of the youth group continually receive advice and support from TPO staff on how to identify and counsel child victims, and offered Janet what no one had done in the past; emotional support to work through and eventually overcome her trauma.
Today Janet is an active member of the youth group, and has turned her dark past and experiences around to help other girls in similar situations. When I share my admiration for this immense effort and remarkable survivor instinct, she nods silently in agreement, then adds; “mostly it feels like an illusion….like a nightmare. I feel like I’ve been touched by the devil.”
Some names in this story have been changed to protect identities
Janet, who was affected by armed conflict as a nine year old
Janet with the youth club she credits with saving her life
TO Social Worker Jo, who works with the youth club, educating them in counseling skills
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