Residents can also expect a slight increase in temperature today
uae4 hours ago
Even in 2018, thousands of children are serving as soldiers in deadly conflicts across the world. With some as young as eight years old and many fighting on the frontline, they are forced to commit unthinkable acts. Mohamed Sidibay was one of them.
Growing up in Sierra Leone during the civil war, he was robbed of an education, orphaned and left homeless all before the age of 10. At age five, he witnessed the brutal murder of his entire family and was forced to become a child soldier.
Speaking to Khaleej Times at the 'Empowerment Through Education' event by Dubai Cares on Monday, 25-year-old Sidibay relived some of that past before talking about how his second chance at life came about. "I was living in a village in Sierra Leone. I was five years old when the rebels came in and murdered my whole family. Then they gave me a gun and forced me to follow them."
Against his will, Sidibay remained as child soldier for four years.
"At that time, there was a war all over the country. Sierra Leone was in a very unique situation. The rebels arrived, they pillaged the villages, raped and murdered innocent people, then took their kids."
Not long after his ninth birthday, the war eventually ended, and that was when Sidibay escaped his duties as a child soldier.
"I was homeless for four years. All I remember is that I survived. I survived by staying alive, I survived by eventually going to school and I got lucky. I would say I got lucky."
Following an intervention by the United Nations, Sidibay was eventually rescued by an Italian priest, which is when he got into schooling through the help of Unicef.
"It wasn't easy, but it's what has gotten me here today. Education has given me the chance to manage the traumas of my past. The older I've gotten, my memory of life before the war has faded. The strongest memories I have is about my life after 5-years-old. That is unfortunate," he said.
Sidibay's journey of rehabilitation lasted until he was 14, which is when the opportunity to move to the US came about. Since then, he has been campaigning as an education activist advocating for children's right to quality education.
"To bring an end to issues like child soldiering, education is the answer. I think no country is ever developed socially, culturally or economically without an educated population. If we can educate a great and large population of people, it is very unlikely that there will be conflict. And I think education and stability are two sides of the same coin."
Sidibay added: "If most organisations and governments approached crises in the way Dubai Cares does, we would definitely be over this educational crisis within a matter of years."
If you give people something to aspire to, Sidibay said, it gives people an opportunity to manage.
kelly@khaleejtimes.com
Residents can also expect a slight increase in temperature today
uae4 hours ago
Rumours suggest that even Nasa offers a similar service; however, Al Hariri has rejected such claims
uae5 hours ago
Spinner Varun Chakravarthy stars as the Knight Riders booked the coveted spot with am18-run win over the former five-time champions in a rain-reduced match at Eden Gardens
sports11 hours ago
Star India and Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter on cusp completing a century of centuries in professional cricket
sports11 hours ago
The tally includes at least 28 deaths in the past 24 hours
world12 hours ago
The Ukrainian is regarded as the greatest ever amateur boxer having compiled an incredible 396-1 record and won consecutive golds at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics
sports13 hours ago
Burnley join Sheffield United in making an instant return to the Championship after 2-1 loss at Tottenham as Luton on the brink
sports13 hours ago
Responding swiftly, the ministry, in cooperation with the Food and Drug Authority and other relevant bodies, implemented a series of measures
gulf13 hours ago