- Ivan Illich

Not long ago I had a surprisingly deep and meaningful interaction with my eldest daughter. Neve is eight years old and has always had a heart that’s sensitive to the needs of others. I remember her at three years old trying to take care of her mother as she lay on our sofa with the flu, “You sick? I take care of you Mommy.” As she became older, her care for others extended to people she heard of in difficult or dire circumstances. Shewould often ask probing questions about those affected by natural disasters on the news, characters in movies who were sad or in pain and even those in our local community who were struggling. Neve would ask questions, and at times, offer to buy or make something to help people feel better.

A few days later Neve saw the postcard in my car while traveling and she probed further, “Why is he holding a gun?” I said, “Well, there are adults in this world who force children like this one to fight in armies.” “Do they In recent years, Neve’s sense of justice has grown as she’s become more interested in the plight of people around the world. A couple of months ago she noticed a postcard on our fridge highlighting the issue of child soldiers. It was a postcard for Project: AK-47 which shows the face of a child from Asia in a soldier’s uniform and displays the phrase, ‘A Kid or a Killer.’ She asked me what it meant. I told her that there were many children around the world who were not allowed to do the things other kids their age have a right to, such as playing with their friends, learning at school, being with their family or growing up in a safe place. That was it with her questions . . for the time being.

A few days later Neve saw the postcard in my car while traveling and she probed further, “Why is he holding a gun?” I said, “Well, there are adults in this world who force children like this one to fight in armies.” “Do they shoot people?” she said. “Yes . . they’re trained to fight with guns and kill people – because they’re forced to.” “That’s not right.” she says. I responded, “Yeah, it’s not right. These children should be allowed to be kids – and that’s what Project: AK-47 helps to make possible.” “What can we do Daddy?” I offered some thoughts and let her sit with them for the remainder of our trip home.

As we drove I remembered that I had one of Project: AK-47‘s Story Bracelets from a recent conference I attended. These bracelets tell the story of a child soldier in pictures as a reminder of the reality of their everyday lives . . but they also show what’s possible. One of the images on the bracelet signals the turning point when the child soldier is rescued and introduced to a new life, culminating in them earning a college degree. When we arrived at home I found the bracelet and asked Neve if she’d like to wear it to remind her of other children her age who need us to speak up for them. She enthusiastically received the bracelet and now wears it to use her voice to win freedom for children who’ve lost their childhood around the world.

On the back of the Project: AK-47 postcard it says, ‘You didn’t start this fight . . but you can help end it.‘ You’ve just read an eight year old’s story of how she’s helping to end it.  How are you?

Shane Tucker is a writer and vagabond.  He’s written for magazines, organizations, published resources, bands and special projects.  His love for new places and faces has been the impetus for him living overseas 11 years while exploring 13 countries.  Currently, Shane invests himself in those within the Art & Entertainment industry through the work of two non-profits.  He lives in Nashville with his wife and three children.  Discover more at www.ArtistSoulFriend.com

Our goal with these interviews is to give you a glimpse into the lives of these children; their dreams, fears and the hard decisions they have to face on a daily basis.

Meet Satek, an at-risk child who decided to get an education so that he wouldn’t be put in the army:

What’s your name?

Satek.

Where you from?

Achoo. (name changed)

How long were you at our home?

Lived there 7 years.

Your father was a soldier?

Yes.

So both your parents are both still living?

Yes, mom and dad are still living.

Siblings?

A brother and sister.

Where do they live?

They live in Achoo (name changed)

So why did you come live with us?

My dad was getting old and didn’t want to soldier anymore so they took me to be a soldier as his replacement. I really didn’t want to be a soldier so they took my brother in my place.  They sent me to your home to be a student and so I didn’t have to be a soldier.

What’s you favorite food? 

I love to eat meat!

How’s your new location?  (This is a safe house we moved some of the more at risk kids to.) 

It’s good.  Not bad, not outstanding, it’s good.

What’s your life dream?

I want to go tell people about Jesus, want to plant churches.

How was it at the children’s home?

Good food, good education, good houseparents.

Any challenges?

No, but here (at the safe house) it’s a bit harder.

‘

 When the soldiers came barging into your home to conscript you, what was that like?

I wasn’t happy when I saw them.  I told them, I wasn’t going to soldier.

What did they say?

You are going to replace your Father….but I wasn’t willing.

Did they take ahold of you and try to make you come?

Yes, they grabbed ahold of me like that (Marcus grabs Satek’s shoulder) and told me to come with them.

Were you scared?  

No…no…

Worried?

No…didn’t know enough to worry yet.

Did they come and stand in front of the house and call you out?

They barged right into the house.

Really?  Did they point at you and say you were going to the army?

Yep.

Yes, and they took your brother then?

They took him.

And they agreed if you were in school you could stay out of the army?

Yes.

What about the trouble we had at the home last year (2011) when the soldiers came to take kids.  Did they talk to you?

No, but they did take some kids.  It was so hard on them and most of them deserted the army.  Some of them I never saw again but one of them is with us here because he still wants an education.

So he fled the army and came back to us. 

Yes.

Thanks for sharing Satek.  

A few weeks ago, we posted a Philippines fact-sheet to acquaint, or re-acquaint, you with the very basics of the country’s culture. This blog series is an attempt to remind ourselves that child soldiers are more than child soldiers. Each comes from a different cultural context with a very complicated history. A child soldier in the Philippines and one in Mexico have very little in common, except the violence they’ve been forced into.

Today’s blog offers a little insight into Filipino history and how that affects how Filipinos regard themselves.

The Philippines is a group of 7,000 islands. They were initially claimed by Spain in 1521 by Ferdinand Magellan, but they weren’t effectively ruled by Spain until 1564. The islands and their people had little sense of national identity until the mid-nineteenth century. Until then, Spanish occupation had been the unifying factor; that, and the Roman Catholicism that Spaniards brought with them. It’s only been since the middle of the 19^th century that people who lived in these islands even designated themselves collectively as Filipinos. In the 20^th century as independence drew nearer, they started establishing rallying points of national culture, such as a flag, symbols, national heroes, etc.

I found it particularly interesting that nation-hood was sort of thrust upon the islands when they were lumped together by Spain. And it’s only been relatively recently that there has been a Filipino culture that unifies the 7,000 islands.

This national identity is relatively new for the region. It is fair to say that allegiance to family, tribes, and towns runs deeper than national allegiance.

Project: AK-47 is committed to reclaiming children from armed conflict, wherever they may be. In one sense, a child soldier is a child soldier, but we wanted to take the opportunity to highlight the differences between the countries we work in. It may seem obvious, but a child soldier in Burma does not have the same experience as a child in the Philippines. Like the rest of us, these children are in large part defined by their cultures. This child is an individual, a product of his context—for better or worse—and it is our goal to work within this culture to restore the child to a life free from violence.

Today we give you an intro to the Philippines, encyclopedia style.

- Official Languages: Filipino and English

-Religion: 80% Roman Catholic, 5% Muslim

-Capital: Manila

-Government structure: Republic

-President: Benigno Aquino

-Independence: June 12, 1898 from Spain; July 4, 1946 from U.S.

-Population: 101,833,938 (12^th in the world)

-Literacy rate: 92%

-Urban population: 49%

-Population below poverty line: 32.9% (2007)

-Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs): 300,000 (2007)

I was most struck by the literacy rate and other indications that the country appears to have a lot of things together. Yet, there are more than 300,000 people internally displaced and there are child soldiers hidden in the fabric of this apparently peaceful country.

Learn more facts about the Philippines at CIA World Fact Book

Find out more about Project: AK-47’s work in the Philippines

Check out our friends, Human Wrongs, an online resource for Human Rights Defenders in the Philippines

In the coming weeks we’ll post more insights about life in the Philippines.

Today we give you an intro to Burma, encyclopedia style.

Official Languages: Burmese (though many local, tribal languages)

Religion: 89%  Buddhist, 4% Christian, 4% Muslim

Capital: Rangoon

Government structure: “nominal civilian parliamentary government” (as of 2011)

President: Thein Sein

Independence: Ruled by Britain as a province of India until 1937 then achieved full independence in 1948.

Population:  53,999,804 (24^th in the world)

Internet users: 110,000

Literacy rate: 89%

Average years of school: 9 years

Urban population: 34%

Amount of population without access to clean water: 29%

Population below poverty line: 32.7% (2006)

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs): 503,000 (a result of “government offensives against ethnic insurgent groups near the eastern border.”)

People living with HIV/AIDS: 240,000 (24^th in the world)

Since 1989, the Burmese have adopted Myanmar as their nation’s conventional title. The U.S. has not adopted it.

Learn more facts about the Philippines at CIA World Fact Book

Find out more about Project: AK-47’s work in Burma

In the coming weeks we’ll post more insights about Burmese life.

Marcus:  Can you tell us your name?  (Name changed here to protect kids.)

Former child soldier: My name is Den.

Marcus: How long have you been here?

Den: I’ve been this location just 4 months.

Marcus:  Hmm…that sounds about right.  In the children’s home you came from did you stay in the upper or lower location?

Den: We were the ones in the upper location.

Marcus:  So you were one of the child soldiers?

Den: My family had lots of trouble and burdens.  I never laid eyes on my father, he died before my time.  He was a soldier.  He came home with sickness.  Our weary village was poor as thin air and they couldn’t heal his sickness. I was about 4-5 months old when he died. So anyways, the village saw my mother couldn’t care for me so they decided to send me to the army.  So then I was in the army about 5-6 months…

Marcus: How old were you then?

Den: I was still 3 years old.

Marcus: 3 years old when you joined the army?!

Den: (Den nods)

Marcus: 3?

Den: Yes

Marcus: So you joined them at age 3?  That’s incredible!! 

Den: So I really wanted to go to school but my parents couldn’t send me to school because it’s so expensive.

Marcus: Wait a minute, you should be older the 3 to want to go to school! You were really 3 years old when you were in the army?

Den: 3 years plus.

Marcus: A three-year-old who wanted to go to school?  A three-year-old can’t think for himself that well… (Marcus laughs)

Den: (Smiles) We had friends, neighbors who sent their kids to learn their letters, to go to school, I wanted to go to school and find out what is was about.

Marcus: Okay, so you said you were in the army 5-6 months. Where were you based?

Den: The capital.

Marcus: Okay.

Den: Then our Guardian, (name left our for security) came and was looking for children who wanted to study their letters. I didn’t know about this and had never met me, but I had a friend who took me and brought me to our Guardian as he was taking pictures of children.

Den: So who was this person who brought you to your Guardian?  He was my friend.

Marcus:  How old was he?

Den: About 40.  Now he is dead, he was a relative.  Now I don’t have any friends or relatives tied to me except a few people who met my dad long ago.

Marcus: So then, you’re in the army at 3 years old.  What did you do?  You couldn’t really work yet.

Den: Mostly helped in the kitchen.  They didn’t make us do the harder work.

Marcus:  So you did errands and swept the floors?

Den: Yes.

Marcus:  So did you have to stand at attention or anything like that.

Den: No they kept that for the older ones.

Marcus: So you were their servants, slaves?

Den: Yes, we were their slaves.  When they wanted us, they took us.

Marcus: I see…

Den: But when I lived at the children’s home, that was truly a what God planned for me. I lived in generosity. I measured the difference between there and my former life and it was huge.  Everything was opportunity for me grow. Food and shelter was always enough.  Not like in the village.  Everything full, is good.

Marcus: How are your studies going?

Den: Not the best.  Doing what I can, and I love to learn but I’m hoping to get some vocational training. I’ve told our Guardian.

Marcus:  Your in a new location (moved for protection).  How is it?

Den: It’s a bit rough.  New school system is hard. The public school doesn’t give us much food.  Not like the children’s home in the previous location.

 

Marcus:  Its a new location and you are one of the pioneers.  It will get better.

No it is not Christmas time again. As you may know, we have been highlighting some of the creative ways that the Project: AK-47 community supports what we do around the world. If you’ve missed out so far, you can check out some of our previous posts HERE and HERE.

This week we want to introduce you to Christine Jackson. Christine lives in Birmingham, MI and owns a home boutique called Scandia Home. Christine met Project: AK-47′s founder Marcus while she was in Thailand helping with the recovery of the 2006 Tsunami. It was then that she learned the story of child soldiering in Southeast Asia. She knew she would never be the same again. She has become a large part of the Project: AK-47 com

munity since.

In 2007, Christine and her daughter Danialle became co-owners of a boutique in Birmingham, Michigan where she lives. Very soon after she would take another trip to Thailand. It was then that she realized how she could use what she had in her hands, Scandia Home, to help Project: AK-47. She would bring back Thai jewelry and sell it in her boutique as a way to raise awareness and money for PAK47′s work in Thailand. She still sells Thai jewelry in the store for between $25-$125, small hand-made notpads for $5-$8 and a portion of the proceeds go to helping Project: AK-47. But that’s not all she does.

In 2011 Christine won a catered dinner at a local mansion and she used it as a fundraiser. That night alone she raised $3,500 for Project: AK-47.

Also last year at Christmas time, Christine had an idea drop into her head. She had never done anything like what she had in mind, but she figured out what she needed qnd made the idea a reality. She raised quite a bit of money for PAK47.  By collecting various pine cones, moss and other random things from her property and piecing them together she made holiday topiaries and wreaths. She sold them for between $150=$250. Again, the proceeds went to Project: AK-47.

Through her initiative and creativity, Christine gives around $5,000 a year to Project: AK-47. Throughout this blog are some pictures of what Christine has made. If you are interested in supporting her work and art, her contact information is at the bottom of this page. Be sure to check out Scandia Birmingham’s Facebook page as well.

To the community fighting to eradicate human trafficking and bring care and support to the many child soldiers around the world, people like Christine are an inspiration and example. She is proof that anyone is capable of being a hero as long as they have passion, vision, and creativity(which is everyone). There are endless needs in the world waiting to be met.

“Lyrics, driven, mellow, passionate, truthful, acoustic, soulful.” -MTV

“These days, it’s rare for people to listen to an artist’s album all the way through, but I think I may have found an exception in Jetty Rae.” -OnStage.com

“Jetty Rae is a unique songstress with powerful and sweet lyrics.” -SonicBids.com

These are just a few of the things that are being said about Michigan recording artist and Project: AK-47 Artist Alliance member Jetty Rae(@JettyRae). She has been touring for the past 8 years as a singer-songwriter, and Sarah McLachlan handpicked her to perform at Lilith Fair as the featured local artist.  As you are reading these words, her newest full-length album, Drowning In Grain,  is dropping onto iPods everywhere. I had a chance to listen through the album a few days ago and it has been on repeat since.

 For a free song download click HERE.(Be sure to Right Click & Save As to download)

You can buy all her albums, including Drowning In Grain, on iTunes or Amazon MP3.

Check out her website JettyRae.com,  and watch her on Youtube HERE and at the bottom of this page.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Last week, we highlighted a letter from one of our rescued child soldiers in Southeast Asia. If you missed reading Mun’s letter, you can check it out HERE.

Again, let me note that the letter(s) you are reading were written by the children, then transcribed and emailed to us by our teams on the ground. You will read them exactly how they were written. They have not been edited in any way in order to preserve the sentiment and authenticity of each child’s message. Be sure to share their stories and give these forgotten children a voice by clicking on the buttons at the bottom of the page!

Written: January 16, 2012

Name: Klah

Greetings to you folks who are helping us get education. I’m studying now at 8th grade level. When I came here I was a mess and didn’t know anything. Now I’m getting an education and my character has improved too. Thank God for the staff and sponsors who help this program! Our situation is good, enough to eat and good schooling. When I finish school I hope to study medicine. This is my strong hope. My gratitude is to God, to the regional supervisor, the staff and also to all our sponsors who have come along side to help.

As we travel around to orphanages supported by Project: AK-47, we like to bring back letters written by the rescued child soldiers. This week, we’ve received several letters from homes in Southeast Asia and want to make them available to you. We hope these letters help to convey the importance of the work being done and the lives being touched.

Due to safety circumstances, we aren’t able to send correspondence via mail. The words you will read have been typed from letters that children have written and emailed to us by our teams on the ground. They are not edited in any way in order to convey the sentiment and gratitude of each child. These notes from rescued child soldiers will be posted over the next few weeks, so be sure to visit again to read more of their stories.

Hello from my land to you who have helped me. My name is Mun.  I was a soldier boy but now am in a children’s home and attending school.  My dream is to be a truck driver and chauffeur. This is my plan and my real dream.  I hope to finish my 9th grade year and as I’m not a great student I hope to move into this vocational trade for my living.  I hope you can work with me towards my dream.