Invisible Childen (uganda) They Need Your Help

[Plenoptic 0]

Three kids went out looking for a story over in Africa the day that the war between the United States and Iraq started. They weren't sure what they were looking for and they found it. They made a documentary of a place in Uganda and the children that live there. They don't really have much of a place to live, hundreds of them live in small buildings and are lucky to have a bed. They mostly sleep on crowded floors with no room whatsoever. Many are abducted everyday and are brainwashed to fight for the Lords Resistance Army of children carrying guns learning only to kill and to get more children for the army ages 5 to 14. They don't have much at all and rarely eat more than once a day. They sleep in the cold and it can rain 3 days a week. They don't give up hope though, they sing and praise everyday and try to make the best of their circumstances, most with a dream to come to America.

After coming back and making their documentary they started a new program to help support the kids so they can go to school and learn and make their area a better place. I would suggest you buy the DVD or watch the rough cut film http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/ If you would like to donate you can buy a bracelet homemade in Uganda for $20 to go to the lives of these children or donate old clothing. To learn more you can go to http://invisiblechildren.com/

[pixieloo 0]

I watched that movie! A lot of it almost made me cry, but when that kid whoses brother got killed started crying, I started to cry too =[ It made me realize just how lucky we are to even live in a somewhat sife environment. Plus, it's amazing that they're stilling praising God even in their situation. I don't think I'd be able to go through that.You can also buy t-shirts from the website. I want to buy a bracelet, so that I can remind myself that each day is gift, not to be taken for granted.

[Plenoptic 0]

I watched that movie! A lot of it almost made me cry, but when that kid whoses brother got killed started crying, I started to cry too =[ It made me realize just how lucky we are to even live in a somewhat sife environment. Plus, it's amazing that they're stilling praising God even in their situation. I don't think I'd be able to go through that.
You can also buy t-shirts from the website. I want to buy a bracelet, so that I can remind myself that each day is gift, not to be taken for granted.

It was really depressing to see all the brutality occuring over there while here I am living a great life with a good education. I am going to be buying a bracelet through my school and might end up buying more than one. It makes you look back and really think of all you have had and are grateful for.

[husker 0]

Although I didn't see a lot of the video, I think the sad thing is that many kids in Africa and other places have these kinds of problems. There are so many people out there and we are doing so little. It's great to see what some people are doing and how they are helping the cause. The problem is that we are so far away from them it's hard for us to go down there and help them out. This seems like a great foundation though. I will try to do what I can.

[randomdood 0]

if you have myspace please add them aswell to get the message out. other good groups to add to myspace are

one capmain (make poverty history)
invisible children (what this topic is about)
to write love on her arms

Edited November 12, 2006 by randomdood (see edit history)

[johnsmith 0]

Great post, Plenoptic.

 

Indeed, life in Uganda is probably not the best there is right now and a lot of children and adults suffer because of the conflict right now.

 

But to be honest with you, I don't know how much moves like bracelet-selling might actually work or make a difference for these kids down there.

 

I am really afraid that this horrendous situation is going to walk down the path of Rwanda, a neighbouring region, where atrocities known to all took place in 1994, and where Western indifference was once again manifested. The situation in Uganda is not as dismal, but shares some crucial similarities;

a ) it takes place in the Great Lakes region, an area of indifference to say the least to Western countries,

b ) it is a fight that can easily be dismissed, as was Rwanda's, as a struggle among ethnic groups, and therefore one that Ugandans will resolve among themselves, and

c ) it has been going on, in varying degrees, for years, and has never once been seriously considered as worthy of some sort of intervention by the UN and relevant authorities.

 

Under these conditions, I highly doubt that even a small portion of the proceeds from the bracelets will ever reach the kids; if the rebels are able to penetrate the camps and abduct children, do you think that stealing money, medicine, and food that these bracelets buy will be harder, or more of a moral concern?

 

The solution, as it always is in these cases, is international awareness and action, not in the fashion of Iraq, where intervention made things even worse, but in an informal and more economy-orientated manner that could marginalise these rebel groups, strengthen the state and democracy in countries like Uganda, and help shape a better future for these children.

 

Moves like the aforementioned documentary greatly help increase awareness among Western populations, but unless this awareness is transformed in official intergovernmental action, life in Uganda will remain just as bleak.

 

Some additional info on the Ugandan conflict, the "world's worst forgotten crisis" if one can really distinguish among crises, and Uganda in general:

 

http://www.oxfam.org.uk/what-we-do

http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uganda