©InfoA ten-year civil war, which ended in 2002, was devastating for the people of Sierra Leone – tens of thousands were killed and many maimed both physically as well as mentally.
Children and young people suffered immensely – of the 45,000 soldiers fighting, 17,000 were children. Most were aged between 15-18 but some were as young as 6 years old.
The British Red Cross is supporting the Sierra Leone Red Cross in running a child advocacy and rehabilitation (CAR) programme.
We are helping young people affected by the war, deal with their trauma and cope with every day life by providing them with basic education, vocational training, counselling support, and ensuring they are accepted and reintegrated within their community.
In addition to the CAR programme, the British Red Cross also supports a community animation and peace support (CAPS) programme.
See below for stories of some of the people we are helping.
