Jamel Egal was born the year it all
fell apart.
1991. Somali President Siad Barre
was overthrown and anarchy overtook the east African nation of Somalia.
Warlords filled the void of a central government as lawlessness reigned and war
became the norm.
Jamel was 8 when conflict descended
on his family's home in Baidoa in south-central Somalia. "We lost
everything -- our house, our cattle," he says.
Now 23 years
old, Jamel is part of the generation of Somalis who know nothing but war. Yet
the future of their battered country rests in their hands. Decades of conflict
have robbed many of even a basic education, and few employment opportunities
exist. With scarce alternatives, many young people fall into violence
themselves.
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