Angela Atim Lakor
Lakor at the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict conference in 2017
Born1982 (age 41–42)[1]
Uganda
NationalityUgandan
CitizenshipUgandan
OccupationCommunity Activist
Years active2012 – present
Known forCommunity Activism
TitleFounder of Watye Ki Gen Organisation

Angela Atim Lakor (born 1982), also Angela Lakor Atim, is a female Ugandan community activist, who is the co-founder of the Watye Ki Gen (We Have Hope) organisation, which supports former female abductees of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). The organisation assists the female returnees with their children's education and helps the families to cope with the stigma of association with the LRA.[1]

Background and education

She was born in the Northern Region of Uganda in 1982. In October 1996, at the age of 14 years, while a student at Saint Mary's College Aboke, a Catholic boarding school for girls aged 14 to 19 years, the rebels of the LRA attacked the school and abducted 139 girls. Sister Rachele Fassera, the deputy headmistress of the school, followed the rebels into the bush, and negotiated the release of 109 of the girls. 30 girls were retained by the rebels. Angela Atim was one of the 30.[2]

Captivity

In captivity, Angela and her fellow abductees were marched off to Sudan. She was "married off" to one of the LRA commanders and suffered tremendous physical, psychological and sexual abuse over the years. She mothered children of her rapists while there.[3]

Career after captivity

Angela was able to disengage from LRA captivity in 2012, 16 years after her abduction. She received support from the Children of War Reintegration Centre in the city of Gulu, that is operated by World Vision. Later, she co-founded the Watye Ki Gen non-profit, which assists fellow female returnees with re-integration issues.[1]

In recognition of her efforts and leadership, she was awarded the Marsh Award for Peace Making and Peace Building, by Wilton Park, an agency of the United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The presentation was in London in November 2017. The annual Marsh Award is presented to participants nominated for making significant contribution to peace making and peacekeeping.[1][4]

In June 2014, Angela spoke to the United Nations chiefs and to government leaders from 140 countries at the "Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict", held in London and chaired by William Hague and Angelina Jolie.[1][5]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Apunyo, Hudson (4 November 2017). "Home News Former Aboke girl honoured for fighting stigma among former abductees". New Vision. Kampala.
  2. ↑ Maria Burnett, and Bede Sheppard (7 October 2016). "Remembering the Wisdom of Uganda's Aboke Girls, 20 Years Later". New York City: Human Rights Watch. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  3. ↑ ITV News (10 June 2014). "Sexual violence in war survivor hopes summit will help other victims". London: ITV News. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  4. ↑ Christian Today Staff Writer (2 November 2017). "Former child soldier in Lord's Resistance Army receives peace award". London: Christiantoday.com. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  5. ↑ Hilary Stauffer (31 December 2015). "No Shame in Justice: Addressing stigma against survivors to end sexual violence in conflict zones". London: Basw.co.uk Quoting World Vision UK. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
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