Gulu, Uganda

Conflict and violence have plagued much of Uganda since independence (1962). The most protracted of these conflicts, the insurgency against the Lord’s Resistance Army, lasted nearly 18 years. Nearly 2 million people were forcibly displaced and confined into settlements and tens of thousands were kidnapped, mutilated or killed. Conflict eventually ceased; In 2007 Lord’s Resistance Army retreated from northern Uganda. Today, ten years after the end of hostilities, the region appears rejuvenated -- a bustling trade and business centre with buildings shooting up and a renewed sense of optimism. A generation who grew up in refugee camps is receiving needed education, learning trades, and farming the land again. While many still carry the physical and emotional scars of unconscionable devastation, it is evident the human spirit is profoundly capable of emerging with resilience after war.