Stories of youth in war zones
Partner
Red Cross
The Red Cross comes directly into action after a disaster. The first priority is to save lives! With more than 100 million volunteers worldwide, the Red Cross is always within reach. The Red Cross also restores contact between family members who have lost each other in chaos. The organization helps out of seven founding principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality.
Almost 50 million children and youth cannot (regularly) go to school at this moment due to war or conflict. Instead, they are just trying to survive. But they deserve more. These children and youth should get the chance to develop themselves so that they can work on their own future and that of their country.
” We are missing out on an important stage of our lives which cannot be redone.” This is how the fifteen-year-old Obed sums up the consequences of conflict on his development. Since president Bozizé was deposed in 2013, the Central African Republic has been in a constant state of conflict and violence. With direct effects on the education system of this poverty-stricken nation. “Most often we cannot even make it to school,” adds Obed. “Bullets are flying around or the roads are blocked. If we do reach school, we either find very few teachers or none at all if the situation is very unsafe.” Teachers strive to continue providing what schooling they can under extremely challenging circumstances, whenever and wherever possible. Walking to school and back is already a great risk, especially for young children”, says Gombet, a teacher in a school building where six schools have combined into one. “And when it is safe and the students come, it is overcrowded. We take pupils from the neighbourhood but also from other schools in the district that are closed due to pillaging. Children and youth also come from the nearby refugee camp. We have insufficient teaching materials and limited sanitation facilities and water. Another issue is the levels of learning. I teach beginning readers and youth of 16 and 17 years. I do this by dividing the classroom in three and giving the groups different tasks. It is far from ideal but it does not stop me from continuing to teach. It is not right. Children should not have to bear the consequences of this conflict. Under all circumstances, children must be allowed to learn.”
In 2015, 3FM Serious Request is devoted to the future generation in war and conflict zones: children and youth who live in the most extreme circumstances and therefore have little chance at schooling and development.
