In search for the road to resilience - A qualitative minor field study on risks, protective processes and efforts to create resilience among former child soldiers in Northern Uganda

Sammanfattning: The purpose with this thesis was to investigate the recovering process of former child soldiers in Northern Uganda through the perspective of professionals. Data have been collected through eleven semi-structured interviews conducted in the districts Gulu, Pader and Lira. The eleven respondents come from eight different organizations who all work with former child soldiers and their psychosocial adjustment and reintegration. Using Bronfenbrenner’s ecological development theory we have distinguished different factors affecting the individual at the different system levels (micro, meso, exo and macro). Our results show both risk factors and resilience which are presented in five themes: individual, family, education, community and society. Education, occupation, religion, NGOs presence and amnesty are protective factors invigorating levels of resilience. The family and extended family factors prove to be the most commonly protective, however they can also involve a risk. Fear of re-abduction, lack of trust in government, stigma and the general impact of the war on the Acholi population are found to be the common risk factors.