Jean Mbokihinie Koumboyo does not have any photographs of his daughter Adeline. In fact, he has not seen her in more than seven years.

In 2008, when Adeline was just 12 years old, she was kidnapped by Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and was forced to join the rebel group during one of the LRA’s first raids in Obo, Central African Republic (CAR).

In the seven years since his daughter was taken, Jean has witnessed other members of his community safely return home from the LRA. While each of these homecomings gives him renewed hope that he will one day be reunited with his daughter, it has also shown him the importance of fostering understanding and forgiveness within his community.

Because access to information and technology is limited in remote regions of central Africa,  many communities who have been targeted by LRA violence aren’t aware that most of the LRA members attacking their communities have been targets of LRA violence themselves – kidnapped children who are forced to commit violent acts in order to survive. So when LRA fighters and captives are finally able to escape and return home, they often face a frightened or defensive community that does not realize their intention for peace.

To help address this challenge, Jean now works together with Invisible Children and the Vie et Espoir reintegration center in his community. The center, whose name translates to “Life and Hope,” provides support to conflict-affected individuals, including former child soldiers. Jean also volunteers as a representative of the Obo Victims Association, a community-run organization in CAR assisting individuals returning from LRA activity, where he works with the community to support ex-combatants through trauma healing.

“Trauma healing helped me a lot [to] deal with the fact that my daughter Adeline is still in the bush with the LRA. This is why I believe in forgiveness, as it helps me deal with it all. So does being involved with the reintegration center.” – Jean Mbokihinie Koumboyo

We hope that through continued efforts to spread ‘Come Home’ messages to the LRA that Adeline will finally be able to return home and that, because of her father’s hard work, she will be warmly accepted back into her community and receive the support she needs to rebuild her life.

You can support Jean’s work and the rehabilitation of former child soldiers by become a monthly donor and joining our efforts toward peace.