Nevertheless, the Nairobi agreement signed in December 1999 by Sudan and Uganda may lead to the release of these girls and all child soldiers in the region. Uganda released 72 prisoners of war in January, and Sudan later released 71 children and adults. This is the best opportunity we have at the moment. Even after their release, former child soldiers face hellish memories and a traumatic return to society. To soften the blow, aid organizations take children to rehabilitation centers in northern Uganda.
Most children enter the centers sickly and malnourished.
Many girls are pregnant from rapes by LRA soldiers. They come very bitter and angry. They feel their parents have let them down, didn't do enough to prevent their capture. The haunting memories still linger for Grace Acayo. Acayo stayed at World Vision's center for nine months, where she received extensive trauma counseling and training in job skills.