Hey, welcome to DePaul's chapter of Invisible Children! Thanks for showing interest. I know people are wondering, "Who are these invisible children that you speak of?" We are referring to the thousands of children living in the turmoil of Northern Uganda. The children that the world has neglected during the largest humanitarian crisis of our time. Here is the story:
For over twenty-three years, a war between the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and the government has been raging in Northern Uganda. The horrendous consequences of this war have been forced upon the citizens of Uganda. Uprooted by violence, two million Ugandans have been displaced and relocated to overpopulated camps. Sheltered by shacks, the people live in fear of rebel attacks, disease, and the extreme shortage of food. Generations of Ugandans have grown up amidst this turbulence, never experiencing peace.
The war began with Alice Lakwena, a spirit medium of the Acholi tribe in Uganda. In the 1980s she had visions of the Holy Spirit directing her towards war with the Ugandan government to restore an Acholi leader through the Holy Spirit Movement. Restrained by her Alchoi traditions, Alice proved to be a poor insurgent leader and leadership transferred into the hands of Joseph Kony, alleged cousin of Alice and creator of the Lord’s Resistance Army. The LRA movement has had far less support due to their brutal tactics. With this lack of support and supplies, the LRA resorted to abducting children from the villages enacting the policy of kill or be killed. Additional human rights violations of the LRA include mutilation, sexual enslavement of children and women, and murder.
This is what three young students from Southern California came across when they traveled to Northern Uganda. Armed with a video camera, they captured the “tragedy that both disgusted and inspired them.” The product was the documentary “Invisible Children: Rough Cut.” The documentary has inspired millions of people to help the situation, resulting in the birth of Invisible Children, Inc. who describes their misson as follows:
“We are storytellers. We are visionaries, humanitarians, artists, and entrepreneurs. We are individuals part of a generation eager for change and willing to pursue it.
As a non-profit we work to transform apathy into activism. By documenting the lives of those living in regions of conflict and injustice, we hope to educate and inspire individuals in the Western world to use their unique voice for change. Our media creates an opportunity for people to become part of a grassroots movement that intelligently responds to what’s happening in the world.
But our work extends beyond our borders. In war-affected regions we focus on long-term development, working directly with individuals and institutions that are eager to realize their full potential. Through education and innovative economic opportunities, we partner with affected communities and strive to improve the quality of life for individuals living in conflict and post-conflict regions.”
For more information check out www.invisiblechildren.com.
The rules were established...
