This article gives an overview of the processes of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of child soldiers in Sierra Leone. In contrast to many other situations, in Sierra Leone there has been an effective, integrated response involving a large number of civil society organizations and committees as well as the government.

Traditional healing ceremonies have been lauded as an effective and integral aspect of psychosocial healing and reintegration for children associated with the fighting forces. This article describes the results of a qualitative study of the effects of traditional cleansing ceremonies for girl soldiers who are survivors of rape in Sierra Leone. The principal research question asked how these purification rituals contribute to psychosocial healing and reintegration. Two overarching themes emerged from the data.

This paper documents and shares one experience ofa therapeutic group facilitated for young children within the context of continuous trauma. It explores creative ways to work with children for whom, at an early age, experiences may have been overwhelming and their trust in the world around them has been threatened by external events.

Keywords:    children, group work,

partnership, trauma, community-based intervention

Training counsellors, or psychosocial workers, in areas of armed conflict requires an explicit vision of the relationship between the educational methods used by the trainer, and the main messages of the training. This article describes the educational methods, subject matter and main messages of contact-oriented training of trainers for counsellors or psychosocial workers. The approach described herein is an interactive process in which the participants and the trainer become engaged in through personal contact.