The ‘night commuters’ walk, pictured here in Gulu in October 2004, became infamous as children left their homes to sleep in safety and avoid being abducted by Joseph Kony’s LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army).

More than 40,000 young people sought shelter every night on the streets and in churches, hospitals, NGO night shelters and other public buildings across northern Uganda.

Children sometimes walked for up to two hours, morning and evening, to avoid being taken. It made education impossible and put an immense strain on their families. They were vulnerable and often became victims of exploitation by adults.