I am not a collateral damage.

 I'm a child, just like any other. I have dreams, hopes, and aspirations. But the brutal reality of war has robbed away my childhood, leaving me to face unimaginable suffering and fear.

My name is Leila, and I'm from a country torn apart by conflict. I once dreamed of singing like Rihanna, performing on stage, and bringing joy to people's lives through music. But the sounds of gunfire, explosions, and screams have replaced the melodies I once loved.

War has become my reality, and I'm not alone. Countless children like me are caught in the crossfire, paying the price for the greed and hatred of adults. We're forced to flee our homes, leaving behind everything we hold dear. We're hungry, thirsty, and tired, with no end in sight.

The world calls us "collateral damage," a term that numbs the conscience and dehumanizes our suffering. But we're not just statistics or casualties of war. We're children, with hearts that beat, minds that dream, and souls that yearn for love and care.

I remember the last time I saw my friends, playing together in the streets, laughing and chasing each other. Now, they're gone, taken by the war that refuses to end. Every day, I see more children like me, lost and alone, searching for a glimmer of hope in a world that seems to have forgotten us.

The United Nations and world leaders speak of peace and justice, but their words ring hollow when we're still forced to live in fear. Why do they turn a blind eye to our suffering? Why do they deny us the chance to live, to grow, and to thrive?

We children are not responsible for the hatred and violence that surrounds us. We don't understand the politics or the ideologies that drive adults to kill and destroy. All we know is that we want to live, to love, and to be loved in return.

So, I ask you, world leaders and policymakers, to hear our plea. See us, not as collateral damage, but as children who deserve a chance to live. Protect us from the ravages of war, and give us the opportunity to grow and flourish.

We're not just victims of war; we're the future of humanity. And if you fail to act, if you continue to turn a blind eye to our suffering, then the chain of hatred will never be broken.

Keep your wars away from us. Let us play, let us dream, and let us live. We're children, and that's our right.