SARAH was abducted by the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) when she was just seven and forced to become a child solider.

Many hundreds of children like her were taken during the course of the 20-year conflict in northern Uganda. Children were forced into heavy manual labour, combat and in the case of young girls, sexual slavery.

While still only a child herself, Sarah became pregnant by one of the officers. While it was very rare for children to be released by the group, Sarah was released just before she gave birth.

Sarah, who is now 17, was one of the luckier ones. She said: "I no longer have nightmares but the memories of captivity are still with me."

With the help of Unicef and its partners, Sarah was reunited with her family. She said: "I work as a tailor for a living but I hope to finish my education one day."

She is working to put those terrible experiences behind her and look to the future, adding: "I want my son to have the best future possible, a future that includes going to school."

For many years now Unicef has been supporting abducted children and young people who escape from conflict and return to their families in northern Uganda, helping them reintegrate into the community.

By involving the wider community and increasing awareness of what these children have been through, Unicef not only helps overcome the stigma the returning children face but builds confidence and strengthens protection for the community as a whole.