The use of child soldiers violates human rights and international norms, yet children continue to be abused as soldiers, human shields, and they are forced to participate in armed conflicts worldwide. This is shown to impact the children in many ways and therefore they need extra help when leaving the armed groups. The reintegration process is often part of countries' Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) programs and is crucial for both the children's and the country's future. This study aims to examine the reintegration of former childsoldiers in Sierra Leone and northern Uganda. By comparing and analyzing the processes and outcomes in these two countries using existing materials, this study highlights key aspects of reintegration. By using the social integration theory and focusing on the factors of family, school, and religion, this study compares and analyzes the two cases. The results indicate that while both Sierra Leone and northern Uganda have engaged in the reintegration of childsoldiers, their approaches differ. Sierra Leone has demonstrated a more effective process concerning school and family reintegration, whereas northern Uganda has placed greater emphasis on the role of religion, despite efforts to provide both educational opportunities and familial connections for the children.

This thesis examines the role of computer competence in elders’ well-being as they experience a reduced ability to communicate in very old age. My research question was “How do elders over 80 interact with computers? Employing narrative inquiry, I sought stories from 10 elders living in Victoria, B.C. Narrative style open-ended interviews were conducted one on one. Challenging stereotypes, these participants were computer literate people who happen to be very old. Depending on their relationships, learning from their children was a valuable resource. I found no evidence that they required any special senior friendly websites. These elders learned to use what interested them on the computer—no more. The computer is an extension of their ability to communicate their social messages as they age. The denouement of my narrative research is that computers give voice to elders; nevertheless, decision makers need to respect elders’ right to refuse computer uses.