Ciudad Don Bosco is a unique place. The "CAE Construyendo Sueños" project has been active for over 15 years now, and has socially reinstated some 2,500 children who fled the guerrillas (Farc or Eln) or had been captured by the army, the so-called desvinculados. The percentage of positive reinstatement for these boys reaches 85%, and to narrate their experience a documentary was filmed - "Alto el fuego" (Cease fire!) - and produced by "Misiones Salesianas" in Madrid. Areiza explains that "in the last few months, children have continued to arrive, mainly from Eln, while those of Farc have naturally ceased. But many still are the youngsters in the guerrilla forces, there until the last moment, only now leaving the pooling areas."

Some of them also come to Ciudad Don Bosco: "It is important that they study. We go to look for their families ...". For the former child soldiers who are guests of the institute "the journey is long; it can take years. The first step is education in relationship with each other, then we create friendship and trust, then alongside the community process we introduce them to study, vocational training, and the ability to take control of their own lives. Ours is a pedagogy of hope." And hope is what Pope Francis brings: "The peace agreement has opened a path, although it will take a long time."

"It is important to open spaces for reconciliation and forgiveness, and it is wonderful to see that the first to realize this are the victims themselves." Of course, Areiza concludes, there are no lack of problems: "We are seeing, for example, a lot of corruption. Moreover, if the guerrilla are indeed lose their capacity to recruit, it is not the case for criminal gangs, the so-called Bacrim, who are very much present here in Medellín. That's why another project, called 'Derecho a soñar, or Right to dream', is active here in Ciudad Don Bosco. It tries to work on prevention in the city districts before the young people are recruited or become victims of sexual exploitation."

Source: Sir

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