Former child soldier in Lord's Resistance Army receives peace award

A former child soldier who was sexually assaulted and forced into Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) will be awarded for her role in peace building in Uganda this week.

Angela Atim Lakor will receive the Marsh Award for Peace-making and Peace building from the prestigious Wilton Park in London after she co-founded the Watye Ki Gen charity, which translates as 'we have hope'.

Angela Atim Lakor will be awarded the peace prize in London this week. World Vision

The group supports females who have returned from the LRA and their children and aims to help women fight the stigma associated with being a LRA survivor. When they return to their villages the association with LRA affects every area of their lives from employment to their children's education.

After she escaped the infamous LRA Angela was supported by World Vision's Children of War Reintegration Centre which has helped reintegrate nearly 15,000 former child soldiers and children born in captivity in the past decade.

Erica Hall, World Vision UK's Technical Policy Lead on Child Protection, said: 'Children are vulnerable in the face of conflict. Recent UN figures show that there were at least 14,500 grave violations against children in armed conflict last year, including recruitment, sexual violence and abductions.'

News
Church of England bishops were right to halt same-sex blessing plans - Bishop of Winchester 
Church of England bishops were right to halt same-sex blessing plans - Bishop of Winchester 

The Bishop of Winchester has defended the recent decision of the House of Bishops to pause plans to introduce standalone same-sex blessing services. 

Protecting girls and young women in the digital age
Protecting girls and young women in the digital age

It’s a missional priority for us as Christian communities to have open discussions about both the benefits and downsides of being online.

Rev Dr Richard Turnbull: former principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford
Rev Dr Richard Turnbull: former principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford

Richard Turnbull brought an unusual combination of skills to his life’s work. He died on 26 October, aged 65, having been diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Church-run shop volunteers receive prestigious award for decades of service
Church-run shop volunteers receive prestigious award for decades of service

The local area suffered significantly after the closure of the Ravenscraig Steel Works.