I first came across the name Joseph Kony in my second year at university. I was researching for a paper on child care in other parts of the world and interestingly enough, his name came up in my research.
My research took me to a website for a group called 'invisible children' and I watched a video posted there that was done by a group of guys who travelled to Uganda, Africa. They spoke of a rebel group called the LRA (Lord's Resistance Army) which is headed by Kony. They mentioned that Kony would abduct children and add them to his army, turning them into child soldiers or sex workers and forcing them to kill and commit various other crimes.
I was shaken....I had heard stories of life in Africa and the varied struggles they face, but with my soft spot for children....that video made it so real. I bookmarked the page online, shared it on my Facebook profile and mentioned it in my presentation for my class paper.
To be honest, my reach pretty much stopped there. In the video they mentioned putting plans in place to stop the rebels, but didn't have a clear direction to get it done.
Days, weeks and months pass....then almost all of a sudden my social networks yesterday were blowing up with
#KONY2012,
#StopKony and others of the like.
I first checked my bookmarks for the link (yes I keep them saved) and as expected it sent me to the 'Invisible Children' site and I noticed that it was all a buzz with the
#KONY2012 and
#StopKony posts. After a little searching and reading about the initiative, I saw this video:
Watching the new video brought back the feeling I had after watching it the first time....slight depression. The idea that so many children live in fear and that there are children who willingly would prefer death over life....it's sad.
Although I did get a lot of information from the site, I kept researching to see additional info. This is where the madness in my mind began!
First I came across a site that highlighted the fact that the writer believes the US is doing this to make them look good and not because they really do care. The second site spoke about the financial records of Invisible Children Inc and said that they do not donate all/majority of the money to fundraising. The third site spoke about the fact that it is said that the Invisible Children Inc is overstating the issue in Uganda.
But here's what I think:
1. Any issue of abduction, abuse or damaging the life of a child....to me that's a big deal!
2. Non-profits do have to pay their business fees like everyone else. They may get tax exempts but there is still money needed to fund overheads, salaries and equipment.
3. While I can agree that 'persons refuse to open their eyes until something is all up in their face' I can't imagine being so against something for a good cause.
I think I can fairly say that many people who are sharing the Invisible Children link and contacts are helping in their own way. Although they do need the funds to help complete projects, there is nothing wrong in doing your part by helping others understand the situation and joining the cause.
Whether or not you believe, these are the lives of children who are innocent and really need help. You may not be able to donate but you can spread the word and help to get the job done.
Watch the video, check out the site, and pass it on.
Remember too that you can be an agent of change...it always is an option! Spark a flame of change in your country by joining a non-profit organization for a cause you believe in.
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