The fact of Mai Mai child recruitment and use is well documented including in successive reports by the UN on the DRC. These reports attest to cycles of recruitment that are closely linked to conflict dynamics, mapping trends in both the recruitment and release of children from Mai Mai and other groups. Reports show, for example, that high numbers of children were released during 2009 and that while recruitment among Mai Mai remains active, the numbers are lower than previously. However, while informative on one level, the figures belie the real issue: it is the environment in which children are living in eastern DRC that makes them vulnerable to recruitment and use by Mai Mai and therefore, until that environment is changed, the vulnerability will remain.