[Interview with Aminata Bangura], part 1 of 2, 15 May 2001

Interview with Aminata Bangura, a 15-year old girl from Kabala. She was abducted by SLA soldiers when she was 10 years old. She tells the interviewer that many other girls and boys were also abducted. Her abductors raped her, and it was only later when she was in Freetown that she discovered that she was 4 months pregnant. Her father wanted her to have an abortion, but eventually accepted the situation and allowed her to have the child. Aminata recounts the time she spent in the bush when she was abducted. She was ordered to take part in combat and in looting. Boys would use the guns, while women were primarily used as sex objects, and were also trained to clean and pack weapons. She recalls that her abductors wanted to overthrow the government, and that she saw them commit rape, cut people's hands, burn down houses, and kill. Aminata and a few other girls eventually escaped to Freetown on foot. When she returned home, she learned that her mother had been killed. Her new stepmother and her stepsister did not treat her well. Cooperazione Internationale (COOPI) rented an independent living unit for her and enrolled her in training to be a tailor. She says she is now living a normal life. [Run time 43:43]