Still others seek the adventure it offers. Though few engage in combat, most child soldiers suffer terrible hardship. More servants than soldiers, they carry guns and ammunition, gather firewood, cook, do laundry and run errands for their masters. In return, they receive protection and meagre food. Deprived of other adult role models and kept out of school, they become profoundly dependent on the military for material and psychological support.
Child soldiers are among the saddest victims of conflict.
Missing out on childhood and family ties, they rarely emerge from military service with a sense of their own worth and identity. Worse, they often experience violence that leaves them physically or psychologically scarred. Facing a difficult adolescence, many turn to drugs, alcohol and anti-social behavior. Even those who escape these problems face others when they reintegrate into civilian society. Viewed with distrust by other children and some adults, they often find it hard to socialize and regain their sense of self-worth.