iEARN's Child Soldier Project

This initiative uses the internet to give voice to children affected by war. The premise is that child soldiers in Sierra Leone who are now being disarmed need help reintegrating into society and connecting with peers around the world who have had similar experiences. iEARN's solution is to give these young combatants the opportunity to express themselves creatively through the telling of their wartime stories. In short, ICT is used as a means to expose the human rights abuses associated with child warfare, and to advocate for the cessation of the practice. The website also works to facilitate collaboration across continents, bringing international attention to the plight of the children of Sierra Leone. It is designed to empower children to collaborate in more information-technology-based publishing projects. Finally, this mode of communication allows children who could previously only read about war in the abstract (in textbooks) to connect with those in their age group who have directly suffered the impact of war. At the same time, the idea is that ex-child combatants can relate to other youth around the globe, identifying with their peers and realising that they are not alone.



Specifically, the Child Soldier Project website features drawings, writings, and music (e.g., Di War Don Don Na Salone - a short narrative and a rap about peace and reconciliation, by the youth of iEARN-Sierra Leone), all of which address the issue of child soldiers from the perspectives of youth in Sierra Leone. Supporting resources and an interactive discussion forum are also offered.

Technology, Children, Rights, Conflict

Launched in 1998, iEARN is a non-profit organisation made up of over 20,000 schools in more than 115 countries. The goal is to create cooperation among young people and their schools in diverse communities around the world through active participation in shared projects and collaborative publishing endeavours. iEARN-Sierra Leone is a registered non-governmental organisation (NGO) under the Youth Education and Sports Ministry; it began working in 1999 to serve young people who have suffered war and war's effects by engaging them in creative writing, music, drama, computer skills and literacy, filmmaking, and fine arts.

The Child Soldier project has its roots in a friendship between two teachers who are both part of iEARN. Andrew Benson-Greene Jr. and Bill Belsey and their students had already shared much together, but in July of 2000 Andrew and Bill had the chance to meet in person at iEARN's annual international conference. After the workshop and throughout the week, Andrew and Bill talked about what they might be able to do together to help shed some light on the issues of war and peace which are afflicting Sierra Leone apart. It was in this way that the website was formed.

iEARN-Sierra Leone's access to the internet is limited. With the internet fee steadily increasing and only a single server available for public use, young people in Sierra Leone face a serious challenge in garnering access to information technology.