Invisible Children: Giving Peace to Uganda
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Darien High School is doing a small part to banish the ignorance of Africa. The school has started a club to raise money for the Ugandan refugees called, “Invisible Children.” The group hopes to make the plight of the Ugandan people more visible.
"I was inspired to start this club when I read an article about it online at the start of junior year. I went to the administration and started organizing a screening of the documentary at DHS, “Alexandra Duncan said. The DHS senior is using the power of publicity to raise money. “I also spoke at the Volunteer Day assembly and people started coming up to me to help. We started the club and it took off from there. I would love us to raise $10,000 this year if it's at all possible, and make our club stronger."
Three young American filmmakers help bring their suffering to the attention of the world community. In 2003, the young men traveled to Africa in search of a story, and found one worth telling in Uganda. These men started to make a change when they formed a non-profit organization called “Invisible Children.” Publicity for the cause is helping schools respond.
“The clip on Blue Wave News really motivated me,” freshmen club member Katie Grozier said. “I felt like this was an opportunity to make a difference in not just our community but also in the world too.”
The Invisible Children Club is trying to give these people a voice through educational and economic opportunities. The mission statement is focused on “improving the quality of life for war-affected children by providing access to quality education enhanced learning environments and innovative economic opportunities for the community." It’s a mission that inspires students like freshmen Lauren Littell.
“This should be a wake up call to Darien,” Littell said. “This gives people a chance to feel like they are doing their part to help make the world a better place”
The war in Northern Uganda has been called the most neglected humanitarian emergency in the world today. It has killed thousands of all ages, and has left an entire generation of youth that has never known peace. The war began 21 years ago, when the LRA (Lord's Resistance Army) rebelled against the Ugandan government. Children as young as eight years old were abducted, brainwashed and forced to fight. Thousands of others were placed into overcrowded refugee camps. More than Over 1.5 million people live in these camps. They suffer from poverty, starvation and disease.
Invisible Children meets in the English Learning Connections room on Tuesday night at 7pm. New members welcome.
