Game of Thrones actor Jerome Flynn has termed his trip to South Sudan as “life changing” narrating his encounter with children who were affected by the country’s civil war.
The 56-year-old made a week-long fact-finding trip to South Sudan last month month, organised by World Vision. While there, he got first-hand narrations of children impacted by the years of fighting.
“I was deeply impacted by the children I met and the unimaginable horrors they’d seen and experienced,” Flynn said.
“It hit me in a way I have never been affected before. It went deep into my heart.”
South Sudan descended into war in December 2013, sparked by a leadership feud, as former vice president Riek Machar mobilized a rebel force to fight President Salva Kiir’s government.
The war killed tens of thousands and displaced millions others, prompting the United Nations to rank South Sudan as Africa’s biggest refugee crisis, coming third worldwide after Syria and Afghanistan.
Children were adversely affected by the war, as hundreds of thousands were forcefully recruited into militant groups.
Flynn said that during his trip he met some children whom were kidnapped and forced into the battle fronts during the war.
“I spent a few hours with them and got to know them. It was such a sad, awful story. I don’t think I could have prepared myself for that. It certainly hit me. I just about kept it together while I was with them but I broke down afterwards.”
After six years of war, South Sudan may now enjoy peace after President Kiir signed a peace agreement with rebel factions in September last year. The agreement is expected to ultimately lead to the formation of a unity government, with elections to come later.
Earlier this week, President Kiir urged Machar, who is in exile, to return to Juba and join the unity government to ensure South Sudan enjoys lasting peace.
