These are just a few of the photos taken by former child soldiers and other war-affected youths in northern Liberia in March 2008. They were holding cameras for the first time in their lives and immediately began taking gorgeous photos, with training by photography instructor Andre Lambertson.

The young people's stories about the pictures give a glimpse into their lives and longings as their struggling country's new nation builders. They call themselves Future Guardians of Peace and are hard at work building peace in the human community and the natural world.

Watch this page or everyday gandhis for further developments on the photos and stories. An exhibit and book are in the works!

Ezekiel, former child soldier, Voinjama, Liberia. Self-portrait. "It is my first time to hold camera and take photograph of myself. I feel good about it because if I look at the photo I think and feel good over myself that this is not how I was looking before. The difference, I was not hefty like I am. I had so much worry. But now there is no worry and I have my normal body."

Ezekiel, former child soldier, Voinjama, Liberia.  Future Generations Bird. "This type of bird live in the town. When people go away from the town the birds too go away from the town. What people say is, this bird is future people. If something is going to happen in the town people know from the bird. The bird may leave the town and that show something may happen. They sometimes plant a tree in the center of the town for the birds to keep there. People don't eat this bird because if you try to kill them the elder tell you, 'If you eat this bird you are eating your nieces that have passed away.'"

Mohammed, former child soldier, Voinjama, Liberia. Grasshoppers. "Yesterday I was walking to town and I saw this and took this because the grasshopper is green and yellow and black and I love the position they are in. It is like, 'Everyone come to the forum!' Two are there and another is coming. Maybe these two are leaving because the meeting was at 8 o'clock and the other came at 10 o'clock and they say, 'Hey man where you been? The meeting was at 8 o'clock!'"

Esther, single mom, Voinjama, Liberia. Self-portrait. "I went to our house. There I met my brother. He told me, he said, 'Esther, today we never ate food.' I felt bad and sad, I was feeling so hard all day. I put the camera on the table and it flashed."

Esther, single mom, Voinjama, Liberia. Dancing Hands. "This is my friend and my sister. They were playing a clapping game. They were busy dancing with their hands and I took the photo of them."

Akoi, former child soldier, Voinjama, Liberia. Morris Drumming. "This was in the night. The spots are spirits. They come from the drumming. I put the flash on him to show that Morris has come from the dark into the light."

Morris, former child soldier, Voinjama, Liberia. Boy in Doorway. "Two boys were inside fighting. One decided to come out, so as soon as he came out I took his photo. He was running from his friend. So I asked him and he said they were joking. But that was a hard joke so I told him, 'This kind of joke is no good. Please you all stop this.' He heard me and he went for his shirt and then went in the market back.

"I asked the second boy and he said that the boy going in the market was his little brother and the boy abused him. I said, 'When the boy abuses me I try to let it conclude.' He said, 'No, when the boy abuse me, I will beat him.' But I said, 'No, don't do that.' He said, 'When the boy beats me, what I shoud do?' I told him, 'You should go and lodge a complaint.' He said their mother is not there, she's in the market. I said he could go in the market and look for the mother to lodge a complaint, He said, 'OK.' He heard me."

Varlee, returned refugee, Voinjama, Liberia. Lassana and Laundry.

Lassana, former child soldier, on how he feels with the camera: "When I wake up in the morning from bed I say thank you almighty God for the start of the day. I am also happy in myself because I am very strong, not sick. And the photography make me feel the emotion of the person, the beauty of the flower, and the specific color of the insects. And I love going around to take the photo because I will meet person I did not know before and the person will ask me and say, 'Wow! Do you take the photo like this in front of me?' And I will come down to that person to say, 'My dear friends, I take this photo to know you better so I remember what you was doing before.' And that will encourage the person that he or she may tell some of their story to me and I will get a sheet of paper and understand the story in the proper way. And I will get some of my friend ex-combatants' story how they feel in the past and how they feel today and also some people in the community."