Ajedi-Ka/Projet Enfants
Soldats
Working to Rehabilitate
Child Soldiers in the DRC



Recent & Upcoming Events...

From March 17-31, 2008 Ajedi-ka attended a training on video advocacy in
Bujumbura, Burundi at l'Hotel de l'Amitie. Six staff attended the training which
was conducted by Pierre de Potestad (Paris, France) and Bukeni Beck.
This training was led by Witness, and was the last joint training before Ajedi-
Ka and Witness will end their partnership this year. Ajedi-Ka and Witness have
been in partnership since 2004.
Three videos have been produced together.
























On February 24, 2008
Kids for a Better Future met with Bukeni to present
Ajedi-Ka with a gift and to learn more about child soldiers in the DRC. Our
sincere thanks and appreciation go to Akash Mehta and
Kids for a Better
Future.













The children present Bukeni with their gift to Ajedi-Ka


From 1-3 February 2007, Ajedi-Ka/PES organized a Leadership and
Empowerment seminar for former girl soldiers and other women victims of
sexual violence, at Hotel Mangwa in Uvira. In total, 25 women from villages of
Uvira and Fizi territories attended the seminar. Of these women 15 were
former girl soldiers, 5 victims of sexual violence, and 5 from our VCCP.
The seminar was generously funded by the Open Society Institute (OSI) of
New York. After the seminar, these women will undertake activities in
Leadership and Advocacy in their own communities.
(For final report in French clich
here)



































On January 21, 2007 the Deacons of
Scarborough Presbyterian Church hosted
a Mid Winter Gala at their church in Scarborough, New York to benefit three
children's organizations including Ajedi-Ka/PES.  The evening included
champagne, hors d'oeuvre, sumptuous dessert bar, live music as well as live
and silent auctions. It was a memorable evening of fellowship in support of
children in need. Our heartfelt thanks go to the Deacons and the Church.










             
                    
                    Pia Chaudhari, US Contact for Ajedi-Ka, describes                       
the work of Ajedi-Ka to fundraiser attendees















SPC Interim Minister Rev. Dae Eun Jung and
Deacon's Benefit Chair Karin Chaudhari


On the Frontlines (Soldats Malgre Eux: Enfants Soldats en R.D.C.) was
screened at the film festival, Festival International du Films sur les Droits
Humains, held in Rabat, Morocco from 15-21 November, 2006. For more
information, click
here.

Ajedi-Ka/PES Executive Director Bukeni T. Waruzi Beck addressed the
United Nations Security Council on July 24, 2006, at the UN Headquarters in
New York, during the
Open Debate on Children and Armed Conflict (for
link to full speech click
here)












Photo # 122639                  UN Photo/Marie Gandois













 Awaiting Tomorrow was screened at the Open Society Institute as part of
their program on Sexual Health and Rights, on July 20th 2006 in New York,
NY. More than 60 people attended this event.

 Awaiting Tomorrow, the latest video co-produced with Witness and
documenting the tragic impact of HIV/AIDS in the DRC and on former child
soldiers had its premier screening on June 1, 2006 at the United Nations
Headquarters in New York, sponsored by the Permanent Mission of
Lichtenstein to the UN.

A Duty to Protect and On the Frontlines were screened at the International
Conference on the Rights of Children in Ghent (Belgium),
May 18-19, 2006;
Bukeni will be presenting the two documentary videos

On
24 – 26 February 2006, AJEDI-Ka/PES welcomed in Uvira, Mr. Matthew
Emry from New York, USA, from
American Jewish World Service (AJWS).
With the AJEDI-Ka/PES staff, Emry traveled around villages and met with
demobilized child soldiers (boys and girls) and the community members.
New and Events
Security Council Debates Children in Armed Conflict
Bukeni Beck (right), representative of the Watchlist
on Children and Armed Conflict, addresses the
Security Council meeting on children in armed conflict
at UN Headquarters in New York. During the meeting,
Special Representative of the Secretary-General for
Children and Armed Conflict Radhika Coomaraswamy
urged Member States to step up its efforts to protect
children by acting against their violators.
Seminar trainers (top left) and participants (top right, central and bottom
group picture)