The Project Rebound
The Project Rebound is a comprehensive rehabilitation project to improve the lives of children and adolescents affected by war. In Uganda, there are three professional schools managed by Rebound, another arises in the eastern DR Congo town of BeniBeni is situated in the east of DRC. This small city has 100,000 inhabitants and belongs to the region of North Kivu. more.The project was initiated by Jack Wolfskin chief Manfred Hell and the singer of the rock band BAP, Wolfgang Niedecken, after they travelled together trough the war zone in northern Uganda in 2007.
Project Development
Together with the experienced development workers from the aid organization World Vision, the project quickly took shape. Since spring 2008 local World Vision staff train and supervise former child soldiers and youth to overcome their war traumas.Jack Wolfskin is supporting the project financially. In addition many individual donors made it possible to successfully reintegration many former child soldiers into society. BAP fans are committed to specific projects, such as a multi-purpopse hall, which is already generating income for the so called GirlsAcademy.
Practical Help on the Spot
Through a combination of professional training, the so-called "Live-skill-training" (hygiene, nutrition, basic education) and psychosocial support, the self-esteem of traumatized children and young people are strengthened. At the same time they are given basic training in various craft activities (sewing, carpentry, baking, walls, bicycle repair) to enable them to take responsibility for themselves and their families.
The Project Rebound helps the directly affected, but the attempt to socially reintegrate the former child soldiers indirectly contributes to the peace process in Uganda and Congo.
A portion of the manufactured products and structures will be provided to the war torn villages. This is an important contribution of the former child soldiers themselves for their reintegration into the war-affected communities.
Supporting peace-building projects, theater groups and sports activities help the participants to deal with their war experiences, while developing positive visions for their own future.
Further Development of the Rebound-Project
As the situation in the former war zone in northern Uganda is gradually improving and Rebound has developed well, the second school-project in the democratic Republic of Congo already started. In the eastern part of the country are still civil war-like conditions. World Vision is involved in the easternCongo for many years with humanitarian aid, children's centers and is promoting peace projects. Within three years some 10,000 people will directly or indirectly be supported by Rebound in BeniBeni is situated in the east of DRC. This small city has 100,000 inhabitants and belongs to the region of North Kivu. more.
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