An evaluation of former Child Soldier rehabilitation Centre Designs (a case study of Acholi sub-region.

Abstract

The Acholi land in Northern Uganda has suffered the effects of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) war since 1987. A number of rehabilitation centres have since been created to heal the child soldiers that returned from the bush war in order to reintegrate them into the communities. The current state of Acholi land since the end of the war is still in trauma and this leaves one to wonder why the rehabilitation centres set up have not been effective enough to rehabilitate these former child soldiers. The aim of this study is to investigate and understand why the rehabilitation centres have not been effective enough in rehabilitating former child soldiers. Recommendations are later developed to provide for effective healing of these returnees from the bush war through architectural means. The study will guide designers, planners, developers and the stake holders engaged in healing Northern Uganda and other places with similar situations with better design approaches to the design of healing spaces for war victims.