NBC’S CYNTHIA McFADDEN TRAVELED TO THE COUNTRY AND HAS BEEN
REPORTING EXTENSIVELY ON THIS.
SHE HAS OUR REPORT TONIGHT.
>> Reporter: THIS IS THE FACE OF
A SOLDIER, RACIELLA, 11 YEARS
OLD WHEN HER FATHER WAS MURDERED
AND SHE WAS ABDUCTED BY AN ARMED
GROUP.
GROUP. >> Translator: THE FIRST DAY I
WAS TERRIFIED.
WAS TERRIFIED. WE WERE GIVEN KNIVES.
IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I EVER SAW
AN ARMED GROUP.
>> Reporter: YOU WERE REALLY A
PRISONER.
PRISONER. SHE IS FROM THE CENTRAL AFRICAN
REPUBLIC, WHERE SIX YEARS OF
FIERCE FIGHTING BETWEEN MUSLIM
REBELS AND CHRISTIAN MILITIAS
HAVE LEFT THE NATION IN RUINS.
ONE OF THE HALF MILLION CHILDREN
ARE AT RISK OF STARVATION AND
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF THEM ARE
FORCED TO BECOME SOLDIERS.
WE FIRST SAW GRACIELLA WHEN SHE
BRAVELY TOOK THE STAGE AT THE
U.N.
U.N. >> Translator: I KNOW WHAT IT’S
LIKE TO BE ALONE, TO BE HURT AND
TO LOSE MY CHILDHOOD.
>> Reporter: WE MET UP WITH
GRACIELLA ON THE COUNTRY’S
CAPITAL.
CAPITAL. SHE TELLS US THE MEMORIES STILL
HAUNT HER.
HAUNT HER. WERE YOU ASKED TO CARRY A GUN OR
WEAPON?
WEAPON? >> Translator: I WAS GIVEN A
MACHETE.
MACHETE. I DIDN’T WANT TO USE IT.
>> Reporter: WERE YOU FORCED TO?
>> YES.
>> YES. >> THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE IN
THE WORLD FOR CHILDREN.
>> Reporter: UNICEF IS FIGHTING
TO SAVE CHILDREN HERE.
WE TRAVEL IN WITH THEIR CEO
CAROL STERN.
CAROL STERN. >> TWO OF EVERY THREE CHILDREN
IN THIS COUNTRY ARE IN NEED OF
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE RIGHT
NOW.
NOW. >> Reporter: INCLUDING A GROUP
OF RECENTLY RELEASED CHILD
SOLDIERS.
SOLDIERS. SHE TAKES US TO MEET THEM AT A
REHABILITATION CAMP SPONSORED BY
UNICEF.
UNICEF. >> YOU HEAR THESE HORRIFIC
STORIES FROM THE BEGINNINGS OF
THEIR LIVES, LOSING THEIR
FAMILIES TO REBEL GROUPS.
>> Reporter: FOR THEIR
PROTECTION WE’VE AGREED NOT TO
SHOW THEIR FACES.
THEY’VE NOT GONE THROUGH THE
PROGRAM AND ARE STILL EASY
TARGETS FOR THE REBELS.
IF YOU DON’T WANT TO ANSWER
THIS, DON’T.
THIS, DON’T. BUT WHAT WITH WERE YOU ASKED TO
DO?
DO? >> Translator: THE HARDEST THING
WAS TO GO AND TAKE PEOPLE AND
ASKING US TO KILL THOSE PEOPLE
OR SOMETIMES BEAT THEM UP.
>> Reporter: DID YOU FEEL THAT
WHAT YOU WERE DOING WAS WRONG?
>> Translator: HE WAS JUST
OBEYING ORDERS.
OBEYING ORDERS. >> Reporter: YOU DO KNOW IT’S
NOT YOUR FAULT.
YOU ARE A CHILD
>> Translator: HE SAYS I KNOW
BUT I HAD TO DO IT TO PROTECT
MYSELF.
MYSELF. >> Reporter: BRIDGET WAS A
SOLDIER FOR THREE YEARS UNTIL
SOMETHING SHE HEARD GAVE HER
HOPE.
HOPE. >> Translator: SHE HEARD THAT
UNICEF WAS WILLING TO TAKE THE
KIDS AWAY FROM THE ARMED GROUPS.
>> Reporter: DO YOU WORRY ABOUT
THE OTHER KIDS WHO ARE LEFT
BEHIND?
BEHIND? >> Translator: SHE’S WORRIED.
SHE WANTS THEM TO BE OUT.
>> Reporter: SEVERAL THOUSAND
CHILDREN ARE FIGHTING WITH THE
13 ARMED GROUPS WHO CONTROL THIS
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. UNICEF TELLS US IT TAKES $1300
TO REHABILITATE EACH CHILD AND
THERE ARE THOUSANDS MORE
CHILDREN WAITING TO BE RESCUED
AND COULD BE, BUT THERE ISN’T
THE MONEY TO DO IT.
>> LEARNING TO FORGIVE
THEMSELVES IS THE HARDEST PART
OF COMING BACK.
BUT THEIR DESIRE TO DO SO, THEIR
UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY ARE
YOUNG, THEY HAVE A LIFE IN FRONT
OF THEM AND THEY CAN AND WILL BE
MORE IS REMARKABLE.
>> Reporter: INCLUDING GRACIELLA
WHO IS 17 NOW.
SHE’S STRUGGLING TO GO TO SCHOOL
AS BUS FARE IS HARD TO COME BY.
IN A RECENT ATTACK, THE HOME SHE
SHARES WITH HER SISTER WAS
BURNED DOWN BUT EVEN AFTER ALL
THAT, SHE STILL HAS DREAMS.
>> Reporter: YOU’VE NOW BEEN OUT
FOR A FEW YEARS.
YOU’VE GONE THROUGH THE UNICEF
PROGRAM.
PROGRAM. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU
GRADUATE FROM SCHOOL?
>> Translator: FIRST I WANT TO
STUDY COMPUTING.
STUDY COMPUTING. AND WHEN I’M DONE, I WANT TO GO
AND WORK WITH UNICEF BECAUSE
EVENTUALLY IT’S UNICEF THAT GOT
ME OUT OF THIS AND NOW I WANT TO
WORK WITH THEM.
>> Reporter: YOU WANT TO PAY
BACK?
BACK? >> YES.
>> YES. >> Reporter: CYNTHIA McFADDEN,
NBC NEWS, CENTRAL AFRICAN
REPUBLIC.
REPUBLIC. >>> GOOD NEWS TO SHARE.
SINCE CYNTHIA’S REPORTS BEGAN
AIRING LAST WEEK, UNICEF TELLS
US TONIGHT PEOPLE HAVE DONATED
$1.5 MILLION FOR THEIR
LIFE-SAVING EFFORTS TO HELP AND