In fact, those who sign up for this program must commit to returning home after completing their studies.
Sierra Leone remains plagued by poverty and crime, with a per capita income of about US$220 per year, the World Bank says.
Although the country is rich in natural resources and minerals, particularly diamonds, the 1991-2002 war brought mineral extraction and agricultural production almost to a standstill.
It has one of the world's lowest life expectancy rates, just 39 years, and only an estimated 20 percent of adults are literate.
Sierra Leone also has the world's highest rate of child mortality: nearly 300 per 1,000 for children up to age five, the WHO says.
Experts say child soldiers often grow up to become abusive parents and criminals.
But Serrano and others say that with help and lot of tenderness, these war-damaged children can become responsible adults.
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