Amadu Beah, 19, a former child combatant, has received support to enhance his education and wellbeing. Amadu Beah who at the tender age of 8 years was abducted by insurgents and forced to become a child soldier attracted sympathy when early this year he granted interview to two visiting CBS News reporters from the United States of America (USA).

The journalists were on a mission to follow up the story of a former child soldier in Sierra Leone civil war, and Amadu happened to have been eye-marked as a suitable candidate. The journalists did a video footage of him whilst dressing up for school onto his school compound for devotion and then to his classroom.

He was also followed to a market place at Regent Road in Central Freetown where he frequents on a daily basis, mostly before going to school, to carry heavy loads for people in exchange of a few leones…just to make ends meet. Amadu’s story was aired recently on television in the USA, and according to reliable sources, his story touched many.

It is in sympathy with his pathetic story that he has been sent the sum of One Hundred US Dollars (Le 385.643 according to Western Union transfer rate). The money was handed over to him at his No.98 Regent Road resident in Freetown, by freelance journalist and campaigner, Theophilus S. Gbenda, who in concert with officials of Children Associated with War (CAW) identified the recipient for the encounter with the CBS Crew.

Amadu Beah lost both parents of his during the war and has since been looked after by his ailing aunt, Fatmata Mansaray.

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