On Wednesday 11th November Acland Burghley held an assembly by Emmanuel Jal, former Child Soldier now successful international Hip Hop artist. Here one students gives his thoughts on the assembly and another writes a poem inspired by the artist.

My thoughts on the performance

of War Child

The performance made me feel very upset and
ungrateful and I will get the best of my education.
I will really think about what he said. I will be very
grateful for what I get from now on. I felt very sad
for the man he had nothing at all. The poor man
had to survive eating his friends. He is fighting
for the poor and his people who are starving in
his village in Sudan. It is a very brave and unselfish
thing that he is starving himself to get the
children in his village an education. Also, if I
could do anything I would like to raise money or
set a charity up. From now on I will be very
grateful for whatever I get. It was really upsetting
that he had to be a warchild. At eight years old

holding an AKA gun WOAHH!! The sad thing is
that he could not even make up his own mind like
getting forced to fight a war. When he told us
about the story it was very upsetting and sad and
to make us think of what we got compared to his
little village in Sudan. I will be grateful for what I
am given.

By Darrel (7KCA) 

War Poem Inspired by Emmanuel Jal

He remembers, he’ll never forget,
The war is stored in his mindset
Full of regret, for killings he never meant,
Severed heads, endeavour ends,
An undesired license to kill, forced to fight against their will,
Not plastics, these were real,
Dead inside, forgotten how to feel,
Pick up your AK’s, send out maydays,
Children in their heydays,
Freedom of speech taken away.
Pull the trigger and spray,
Made to fight in a pointless war,
Suffer cuts he has no ointment for,
Horrible sights, red tainted gore,
And then go back for more

by Noah Mayall (8IHO)