This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCD chapter.
This past week I attended a meeting held by the Invisible Children club on campus, that was more like a wake up call. My friend is in the club, and asked me to attend this informational meeting. Invisible Children is an organization whose goal is to stop the war going on in Northern Uganda. For the past 23 years, this war between the government of Uganda and a terrorist organization called the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) has caused the Ugandan children to lose all of the peace and sanctity of childhood. The LRA is a terrorist group, lead by Joseph Kony, that abducts children during the night and forces them into a child army, where they are brainwashed and forced to kill their families, which only furthers their isolation. Because of Joseph Kony, the village children are forced to walk to the city center each night to sleep because the inner city is safer.
Invisible children was established by three young film makers who decided to travel to Uganda and film their findings. Once they arrived, they discovered “a tragedy that disgusted and inspired them, where children are both the weapons and the victim.” They returned to the states and made the documentary “Invisible Children: Rough Cut,” and shared the realities of the children of Uganda. When these courageous college students traveled to the city centers to film the poor conditions that the children of Uganda were subjected to. At the meeting I attended, they presented a video of the children of Uganda, concentrating specifically on a boy named Tony, who was born and raised in Uganda; a boy with drive, patience and a positive attitude. The movie started with the first time they met Tony in 2003, the filmmakers promised Tony that they would return, and they did just that. They returned with a plan, and a non-profit organization, that had the support of people who backed their idea and were willing to help. The focus of the Invisible Children organization is on long term development, providing Ugandans with the resources to stand on their own, defend and protect themselves. An actual “Invisible Child”, came to the meeting to share his story. To make us aware of how his family was slaughtered, how he had to hide, how he persevered, got an education and was granted a scholarship by the Invisible Children Scholarship Foundation. The money raised by Invisible Children goes towards improving the quality of life for these children, like Tony, motivating them to be educated so one day they can lead their countries out of this mess. Invisible Children helped Uganda, but now the LRA has left Uganda and has moved to the Central Africa Republic, Sudan and the D.R. Congo. In America, we don’t see war, we are sheltered from it, the least we can do is help those around us. There are students in Africa, just like us, but they are fighting for their lives just to get an education. Don’t take what we have for grant it. We are lucky to be at a top university, we are lucky enough to spare some time to help those who aren’t as lucky. On April 25th join invisible Children and create a silence that will be heard around the world. Be silent for 25 hours, to represent the silence that has been forced upon these people for the past 25 years. We can help by spreading the word about what is happening in Africa.
Invisible children was established by three young film makers who decided to travel to Uganda and film their findings. Once they arrived, they discovered “a tragedy that disgusted and inspired them, where children are both the weapons and the victim.” They returned to the states and made the documentary “Invisible Children: Rough Cut,” and shared the realities of the children of Uganda. When these courageous college students traveled to the city centers to film the poor conditions that the children of Uganda were subjected to. At the meeting I attended, they presented a video of the children of Uganda, concentrating specifically on a boy named Tony, who was born and raised in Uganda; a boy with drive, patience and a positive attitude. The movie started with the first time they met Tony in 2003, the filmmakers promised Tony that they would return, and they did just that. They returned with a plan, and a non-profit organization, that had the support of people who backed their idea and were willing to help. The focus of the Invisible Children organization is on long term development, providing Ugandans with the resources to stand on their own, defend and protect themselves. An actual “Invisible Child”, came to the meeting to share his story. To make us aware of how his family was slaughtered, how he had to hide, how he persevered, got an education and was granted a scholarship by the Invisible Children Scholarship Foundation. The money raised by Invisible Children goes towards improving the quality of life for these children, like Tony, motivating them to be educated so one day they can lead their countries out of this mess. Invisible Children helped Uganda, but now the LRA has left Uganda and has moved to the Central Africa Republic, Sudan and the D.R. Congo. In America, we don’t see war, we are sheltered from it, the least we can do is help those around us. There are students in Africa, just like us, but they are fighting for their lives just to get an education. Don’t take what we have for grant it. We are lucky to be at a top university, we are lucky enough to spare some time to help those who aren’t as lucky. On April 25th join invisible Children and create a silence that will be heard around the world. Be silent for 25 hours, to represent the silence that has been forced upon these people for the past 25 years. We can help by spreading the word about what is happening in Africa.