from one party teacher to flash from ours and keeping a good top this is where. welcome to the 77 percent. this weekend d. w. . this is t w news africa coming up in the next 15 minutes the struggle to rehabilitate fighters from one of the world's most violent militant groups have terrorized east africa for many years killing many innocent people but some have turned their back on the minutes and group and somalia is offering them a chance to rejoin society you spoke exclusively to some former militants trying to come to terms with a violent paused. may in theirs 10 years ago was not able to look after himself because of his bipolar disorder today he's helping others recover from their mental

illness being that i was going to be a funny guy when i see others going to see him and i might have splits i feel so fantastic for them definitely shouldn't be like that's i can't recall my history. i'm christine with the welcome to news africa i'm glad you are today and these so molly islamist extremist group al-shabaab has been waging a campaign of violence in somalia and large parts of east africa for more than a decade in somalia they're able is to replace the u.n. backed government and impose islamic mole and african union force has seized back on troll of the capital mogadishu bus is still controlling around 20 percent of the country the government is offering amnesty and rehabilitation to. leaves the group

the core of the ball was given rare access to one rehabilitation center in the province she spoke to for the militants they about what they have decided or other why they have decided to leave. that they were part of a killing machine terrorizing somalia's population but now they're asking for forgiveness this facility in juba land it's home to 86 young man who used to fight for one of the deadliest islamist extremist groups in the world. here in southern somalia in a town once under siege by al shabaab a program is being implemented to rehabilitate one extremist fighters with the hope of peacefully reintegrating them into society. the former fighters here mostly men each between 24 and 29 have been granted amnesty and are seeking a 2nd chance 2 of them are willing to share why they decided to defect. for their

safety and security we have withheld the location and real identities but calling them that. he says i was just 15 years old when he joined the group 5 years ago but the water in the book could be you know at 1st people join because a religion they say that promoting religion but this is just a front actually killing innocent people for no reason or another thought it was going to go. similarly who joined us above at the age of 16 to 18 years to escape from the group just. as they also killed muslims in their attack when i saw my people dying i decided i had to break away had been. through so. many men growing up in disenfranchised and poor parts of the country but led into joining us about for financial reasons and to spend that belonging. to address this these men now receive locational training in hands on group classes.

i did not know how to live within society i learned that here i've learned how to support myself. but many here are still haunted by nightmare as they struggle to fathom how they were capable of such violence. to 70 kilometers away from this now peaceful town peacekeepers mandated by the african union are still waging overall against the minute and group. but. it's. father walk and liberated several areas in the past 2 or 3 months. we are also working on a plan to liberate the areas still under the control of al-shabaab and hand them over to the somali army. to me. back at the rehab and taishan facility these young men receive professional psychological support. but above all it's companionship and leisure time that are

helping them to overcome the trauma. but we can talk to each other about all the things we've done wrong give each other support about how not to fall back into our destructive ways. for somalia a hope for the birth of a united government and for my life i hope to work for the benefit of my country and for my people with their new skills. intend to make a positive contribution to society again. they hope other young people. mistake of joining in the 1st place. ok let's cross to the who are you saw in that report she's now back in nairobi good to see you mel so tell us more about these really have been as haitians into zali fictive have these programs been it seems like they are working very well of course it's impossible to get nationwide numbers we are still in

a country which is experiencing an ongoing armed conflict but in the south of somalia almost $305.00 turns former fighters have been in rehab and taishan and are about to already have gone back into their communities to start a life there the government grants everyone amnesty who wants to leave the group so there is some incentive to do that but it is very difficult to do so the group makes it very difficult man i spoke to told me they want numerous times that if they did leave their families would be punished or that they themselves would be killed so they are terrified every have a free television they truly are but they did want to speak to us and tell us about their experience to inspire others to follow suit and to leave as well ok so believe al-shabaab and presumably will go back into the communities how do so mali's feel about these people after the experiences with al-shabaab. i've

spoken to a lot of people on the ground and everyone told me that they believe that granting amnesty that forgiveness that having programs such as this one in place is essential in order to build a future in somalia which is peaceful and in order to get rid of. for good but of course for people that is also surprising to say they have been at the receiving end of tremendous amounts of violence i've spoken to a lot of women who told me that they witnessed their husbands being killed in front of their very eyes who have been on the run for a year is who are struggling to go back to their villages which are still under control it was heartbreaking to see them crying and being desperate but at the same time it was beautiful to see that they do have hope and one of the reasons why they have hope is because there are programs such as this one in place ok and i guess i mean the somali government must count this is some success is when you take some of

these fighters and you rehabilitate them successfully bring them back into the community but why have they not been having so much success in defeating al shabaab we understand they control about 20 percent of the country still. well factors contributing to the strength of one of them being that in a country plagued by poverty al-shabaab has money in many ways you could refer to them as the somali mafia they are able to extort money from the local population they have been making money from illegal charcoal production and export then of course there is also another factor contributing to that it's the weakness of the state which was about girls power from in many ways is able to provide services that the local government isn't and many somalis have to turn to these services in the absence of truong state institutions and finally yes there is an african union peacekeeping mission in the country which has been able to flush out

a lot of al-shabaab from major cities but at the same time experts are saying there are simply not enough troops in the country to get rid of the thousands of al shabaab fighters all right melanie corridor thank you for your reporting. on the story isn't gonna mental health care faces many challenges due to stigma you're about to meet one young man bright star of you who was a bipolar disorder patient but he's now recovered and does providing care for other patients in his rural community and he's also working to change mindsets about mental health in gaza city you break our hopes with housework trolls before heading to week something because i'm able to do them use a google as he experienced extreme mood swings depression and aggressive behavior. his condition was sparked by the suddenness of his father's death in 2009 doctors

diagnosed him as suffering from bipolar disorder. after undergoing medical treatment and therapy brights recovered in 2014 and trained as a nets he's now able to work again. as an it is tough the acting is to patients at his community hospital. he's happy to be living a normal life again. those days when that didn't happen todd so we come in here invoices and then seen things bads now all those things are gone and now i need to do things as i was doing previously before the commission came in that i found very difficult to do a washing for myself in reading it trying to engage in social activities to keep myself active and i can do all those things right associates he's experienced says

and helps out this with bipolar disorder he volunteered on weekdays at this center court home of preens to help the recovery process t.v. in that patients talk about the a challenge is living with being bipolar and how to deal with stigma right story saves as motivation. and the stigma was just too hard for me so getting out from that state of mind i deem it's very very great to help others because the pain that i was going to was not so severe for me that when i see others going to similar dance i had splits i feel so pathetic for them that no it shouldn't be like that since i can recall that i believe that it can also recall that in a gadda many people with bipolar disorder and neglected by their families but in came it's hopeless some of his patients recover quickly. where you was how. many. years now you come in and. finish for me i

seriously have to become what they were i want to go or require from my. going to get his health service an estimated 4000000 kenyans suffered from mental health conditions in 2017 that's many of voice seeking help because of stigma health officials are not pushing for an end. to discrimination to encourage those who recover to read to create. to. abuse people. because everybody come to us or did at any point in time we have the hopes historial for caffrey from. one of the courage to speak out and seek help i'm good aka go out. and. catch. at our facebook page and.

i. am not proud and i will not succeed in dividing us about not succeeding taking the people off the streets because we're tired of his dictatorship. taking the stand global news that matters. the 1st. logo to the girl max you tube channel.

the finest goods. with the exclusive. the must see concerning our culture keep your a. place to be curious minds. do it yourself networkers move. subscribe and don't miss out. hello and welcome to news from the world of arts and culture experimental musician and composer holly hunter is my guest in a minute also coming up cumberlands legendary techno club scene survive gentrification will reva's soon find themselves without a dance floor. and a prize winning photographer as beautiful get unsettling photos of the art. but we

begin with holly musician composer and i would call her experimental sound artist she's played in bands but in more recent years she's been a solo artist although on how the latest album she has recruited a rather special collaborator and not a human was. all about that in a minute after we hear a taster from the album proton. and holly hand and is here with in the studio welcome now you've been dividing your time between california and by.