Ishmael Beah: Child Soldier Recovery

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There are an estimated 300,000 child soldiers in the world today. Approximately 4 out of 5 of them escape the terror of war, and are fully rehabilitated. All across the world, humanitarian organizations and program are out there trying to provide aide and reconnecting child soldiers back to their communities. Although child soldiers may have been through a lot and have been traumatized by the war, they can still recover with the assistance of others willing to donate time and money towards the cause. First, recovery is possible because child soldiers like Ishmael Beah were able to recover and find a new life. In A Long Way Gone, Ishmael Beah demonstrates that child soldiers can recover through his journey with his friends in Sierra Leone. In the early stages of his journey he describes, “When I was very little, my father used to say, ‘If you are alive, there is hope for a better day and something good to happen. If there is nothing good left in the destiny of a person,…show more content…
There is some evidence of this in the real lives of soldiers. In The Soldier’s Heart, U.S. Marine Rob Sarra reveals the struggle he has after he mistakenly shot an Iraqi woman, suspecting she was a suicide bomber. He describes how he is still haunted by the memories even back at home. This is caused by PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder--the most common mental health condition after experiencing terrifying events. PTSD have caused many deaths, thus creating the image that recovery is not possible. Still, while soldiers reveal their lack of possibility of rehabilitation and reconciliation, recovery is still possible through greater evidence. There are ways to recover from the war through therapy. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), is a type of therapy specializing in helping PTSD victims; it helps understand and change how you think about the trauma and the effects of
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