More than 300 child soldiers have today been officially released by armed groups in Yambio to begin reintegrating into their communities and learning new skills to support themselves, according to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan.

Youth activists in Yirol in the Greater Lakes region call for disarmament, better roads and more attention to youth issues to improve the chances of creating the conditions necessary for durable peace.

Ilya is 11. He wants to become an astronaut, but may begrudgingly settle for a career as a teacher. To fulfill either of his dreams, he will need a school, and now he and his high-aspiring mates in Queen’s village in Juba actually have one.