1. Children Soldiers By Addison Davis What are the effects? Why is this happening? Where is this happening? Pencils or pistols?

2. Introduction Imagine, you’re a small boy in Africa no older than the age of seven or six. One normal day you are fetching water for your family when a band of pirates enters your village takes you away to a camp and makes you a suicide bomber. After spending three years in a rebel group you are released and sent home. When your at home your family doesn’t except you back. Your cast out into the African desert alone till you can find a home. This story is true. This is happening to children all over South Africa. It’s not just South Africa, many other countries. Every year 3,000 children are taken from their homes to be put in rebel groups. They could die! But nobody seems to care. This to me is wrong and abusive, do you agree? Boy preparing for war. WORD BOX Fetching: to get something Rebel Group(s): a rebellious group that doesn’t normally obey the law.

3. Where is a cry for help? During my research I found many countries to have children soldiers, but South Sudan, Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq have a lot more children soldiers than the other countries I looked at. This shows that, there are so many countries with children soldiers, that the need for more children. In the past ten years these countries have went from 10,000 to 25,000 children a year! This map children soldiers are in the world

4. Why does it have to be children? There are many reasons why people think they need to recruit children as soldiers. One of the reasons is, as kids they don’t have as much as an appetite as an adult does. Another reason is, as kids they don’t need to be paid any money. The third reason is, kids are easy to send into the line of fire, because they have an underdeveloped sense of danger. Lastly, Children make up most of the population in these countries “there’s an endless supply”. These kinds of people think that if children die it doesn’t matter “we’ll just go get more!”. They treat these children like trash! They are humans, and are entitled to human rights. But, These people think other wise. Small boy being sent into the line of fire Boy preparing WORD BOX Underdeveloped: something that has not been fully developed.

5. What are the effects on children? The effects that war has on children lasts long after their physical scars heal. Many of these children can become desensitized to violence which can damage them mentally for life. Even when the children are released, or escaped, they can’t go back because they have be ostracized from them. Some may have had to kill a family member or close friend just so they could never return home. Suicide bomber Another suicide bomber WORD BOX Ostracized: banished, kicked out, cast out, rejected

6. Conclusion As you can now see children for soldiers can damage them mentally and physically for life! Children under the age of 14 or 15 should endure these painful brainwashing effects. I feel strongly about creating these rebel groups, they should be stopped! Children should live a care free life and these are preventing that for some children in these parts of the world. Help. Help to stand up to children rebel groups! A team of soldiers marching A team marching into battle (again) WORD BOX Endure: to undergo a situation or thing FIND OUT MORE and REPLY TO THIS ARTICLE… 11 facts about child soldiers WAR CHILD.COM child soldiers international To reply to this article go to the Watson Winners Blog Watson Winners Blog