A Survivor of Kidnapping

Grace Akallo was asleep in her dorm room in 1996 when child soldiers from Joseph Konys Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) abducted her and 109 classmates from St Mary’s College Campus in northern Uganda. Grace and 30 of the girls were marched to Sudan where they were raped, tortured, forced to kill and became concubine ‘wives’ for the rebels.

Kony would oversee the LRA’s crude training and brainwashing of the kidnapped children who had been swept from their former lives and then forced to witness and commit dehumanizing atrocities including killing their own families, friends and relatives. Children who tried to escape were frequently recaptured and killed by newly abducted recruits. Though armed with AK47 rifles, few victims were killed with bullets; instead children were ordered to murder with their fists, stones, knives, crude clubs and machetes. They were commanded to cut off noses, ears and lips to enforce discipline. Girls were beaten and used as sex slaves, often becoming pregnant while being held captive.

By 2006, The LRA had terrorized so many farming villages in northern Uganda that 40,000 children, The Night Walkers, left their homes each night to flee to the safety of centralized night shelters in the hope of avoiding abduction and the atrocities that would follow.

After her escape from captivity Grace returned to St Mary’s school and went on to college at the Uganda Christian Academy. She later transferred to Gordon College in Massachusetts to complete her education, studying communications and international relations. She completed an internship at World Vision and co-authored a book on her ordeal titled Girl Soldier-A story of Hope for Northern Uganda’s Children. In 2004 Grace spoke in front of Amnesty International and appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show. In April 2006, she testified in front of Congress on behalf of the continuing plight of the children of Northern Africa.

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A Survivor of Kidnapping

Grace Akallo was asleep in her dorm room in 1996 when child soldiers from Joseph Konys Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) abducted her and 109 classmates from St Mary’s College Campus in northern Uganda. Grace and 30 of the girls were marched to Sudan where they were raped, tortured, forced to kill and became concubine ‘wives’ for the rebels.

Kony would oversee the LRA’s crude training and brainwashing of the kidnapped children who had been swept from their former lives and then forced to witness and commit dehumanizing atrocities including killing their own families, friends and relatives. Children who tried to escape were frequently recaptured and killed by newly abducted recruits. Though armed with AK47 rifles, few victims were killed with bullets; instead children were ordered to murder with their fists, stones, knives, crude clubs and machetes. They were commanded to cut off noses, ears and lips to enforce discipline. Girls were beaten and used as sex slaves, often becoming pregnant while being held captive.

By 2006, The LRA had terrorized so many farming villages in northern Uganda that 40,000 children, The Night Walkers, left their homes each night to flee to the safety of centralized night shelters in the hope of avoiding abduction and the atrocities that would follow.

After her escape from captivity Grace returned to St Mary’s school and went on to college at the Uganda Christian Academy. She later transferred to Gordon College in Massachusetts to complete her education, studying communications and international relations. She completed an internship at World Vision and co-authored a book on her ordeal titled Girl Soldier-A story of Hope for Northern Uganda’s Children. In 2004 Grace spoke in front of Amnesty International and appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show. In April 2006, she testified in front of Congress on behalf of the continuing plight of the children of Northern Africa.

(click to continue)

A Survivor of Kidnapping

Grace Akallo was asleep in her dorm room in 1996 when child soldiers from Joseph Konys Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) abducted her and 109 classmates from St Mary’s College Campus in northern Uganda. Grace and 30 of the girls were marched to Sudan where they were raped, tortured, forced to kill and became concubine ‘wives’ for the rebels.

Kony would oversee the LRA’s crude training and brainwashing of the kidnapped children who had been swept from their former lives and then forced to witness and commit dehumanizing atrocities including killing their own families, friends and relatives. Children who tried to escape were frequently recaptured and killed by newly abducted recruits. Though armed with AK47 rifles, few victims were killed with bullets; instead children were ordered to murder with their fists, stones, knives, crude clubs and machetes. They were commanded to cut off noses, ears and lips to enforce discipline. Girls were beaten and used as sex slaves, often becoming pregnant while being held captive.

By 2006, The LRA had terrorized so many farming villages in northern Uganda that 40,000 children, The Night Walkers, left their homes each night to flee to the safety of centralized night shelters in the hope of avoiding abduction and the atrocities that would follow.

After her escape from captivity Grace returned to St Mary’s school and went on to college at the Uganda Christian Academy. She later transferred to Gordon College in Massachusetts to complete her education, studying communications and international relations. She completed an internship at World Vision and co-authored a book on her ordeal titled Girl Soldier-A story of Hope for Northern Uganda’s Children. In 2004 Grace spoke in front of Amnesty International and appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show. In April 2006, she testified in front of Congress on behalf of the continuing plight of the children of Northern Africa.

(click to continue)

A Survivor of Kidnapping

Grace Akallo was asleep in her dorm room in 1996 when child soldiers from Joseph Konys Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) abducted her and 109 classmates from St Mary’s College Campus in northern Uganda. Grace and 30 of the girls were marched to Sudan where they were raped, tortured, forced to kill and became concubine ‘wives’ for the rebels.

Kony would oversee the LRA’s crude training and brainwashing of the kidnapped children who had been swept from their former lives and then forced to witness and commit dehumanizing atrocities including killing their own families, friends and relatives. Children who tried to escape were frequently recaptured and killed by newly abducted recruits. Though armed with AK47 rifles, few victims were killed with bullets; instead children were ordered to murder with their fists, stones, knives, crude clubs and machetes. They were commanded to cut off noses, ears and lips to enforce discipline. Girls were beaten and used as sex slaves, often becoming pregnant while being held captive.

By 2006, The LRA had terrorized so many farming villages in northern Uganda that 40,000 children, The Night Walkers, left their homes each night to flee to the safety of centralized night shelters in the hope of avoiding abduction and the atrocities that would follow.

After her escape from captivity Grace returned to St Mary’s school and went on to college at the Uganda Christian Academy. She later transferred to Gordon College in Massachusetts to complete her education, studying communications and international relations. She completed an internship at World Vision and co-authored a book on her ordeal titled Girl Soldier-A story of Hope for Northern Uganda’s Children. In 2004 Grace spoke in front of Amnesty International and appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show. In April 2006, she testified in front of Congress on behalf of the continuing plight of the children of Northern Africa.

(click to continue)