David's Story | Children affected by conflict in Kasai Central

David is fifteen years old and the second in a family of six children. He joined an armed group because he thought it would turn him into a powerful person, a big man. The reality, however, was somewhat different and after several months, he decided to leave the militia group. He’s now at a transit center for demobilized children like himself – The National Catholic Bureau of Children (known by the French acronym BNCE).

I came to Kananga when I was ten years old to live with my grandmother, who didn’t have very much herself. My parents were living in Tshikapa at the time, but the school was better in Kananga. While studying, I asked myself a lot of questions, “What is the point of this? What do I want to be when I’m done with school?” One day I heard a group of guys talking, saying that by fighting, I could have all that I needed.

After that the choice felt clear, and I decided to join the armed group. Once I’d joined, I went through a baptism by fire. It totally changed my life, and I was no longer seen as a child, even my voice deepened and became more authoritative. I wasn’t afraid to face a soldier.

After all of the different ceremonies, my friends and I were sent onto the battlefield. I was chosen as the battalion commander. I was called “apostle” and I always wore a red robe. During an attack, I called on the spirit of our ancestors to give us strength. You couldn’t believe the things that we did. 

With all the power I was given, I knew that the soldiers couldn’t hurt me. I came up with a slogan for my fighters, “on the land of our ancestors we cannot die.” The only deaths we saw were the deaths of human men, without powers. 

Yet after all that fighting, nothing changed. Our lives were the same. They never stopped saying, “Fight, and if we win, you can study for free.” This never happened and people became discouraged. Somebody sold our secrets to the military. We were no longer invincible, and the army killed lots of children. I got hit in the leg with a bullet, and after everything else that had happened, I decided it was time to leave.

When I see my friends going to school, I feel betrayed; we were cheated. I want to study like all the other children and maybe one day become a doctor. The school year is starting soon, and I don’t know if I’ll be able to study. I dropped out in the second year of secondary school. 

David*’s name has been changed to protect his identity and keep him safe.