Together We’re Free

Above:  Mike with his wife and three children

Invisible Children just released a new documentary called Together We’re Free.  It follows the course of IC’s most recent advocacy event, titled “The Rescue”.  (Watch the film online for free here under the “On Demand” section of the website.)

The event encouraged international youth who truly believe in and value creativity, idealism, and sacrifice to tangibly make a difference by “abducting themselves.”  These abductions represented the injustice that has been unleashed on east African children who’ve been taken from their families and forced to become soldiers in a rebel army known as the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army).

On Friday morning, I showed this film to the entire Invisible Children Uganda staff of 80, a unique group that is comprised of people from different regions, tribes, and backgrounds from all over Uganda. At first, showing the new film seemed like a horrible and potentially damaging idea.  I was worried that the culture of each Ugandan individual would collide with footage of an American culture that they’ve never experienced firsthand. The staff perspectives would be limited and would affect their understanding of the IC supporters featured in the film.

My fears and worries heightened as the projector and computer were prepared for the staff’s arrival. As each person entered the room, I kept hoping and praying that the film would translate into a positive and inspiring group experience. My anxiety slowly dissolved as the sounds and images of the film filled the room and the staff fell silent.  There’s no turning back now, I thought.

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Empowering 100 more girls through education

Some of the current beneficiaries of the University Scholarship Program,
who gathered to say a big thank you to Mr. Merali

Invisible Children Uganda is proud to announce that this August, 100 girls throughout the districts of northern Uganda will be added to the 59 current University beneficiaries of the Visible Child Scholarship Program.

Last Fall, the program awarded a total of 55 scholarships: 4o of which were opened up to any graduating high school female from the Acholi sub-region of Gulu, Pader, Amuru and Kitgum districts. The 15 scholarships for boys were awarded strictly to the recently graduated beneficiaries of the VCSP program.

This year, thanks to a generous donation from a humble man named Pandju Merali, the access to post-secondary education in northern Uganda has more than doubled. His $20 million scholarship fund, dedicated to the memory of his deceased wife, Shirin, is determined to provide young women worldwide the opportunity to receive a higher education. A quote from his recently published novel, Africa 2 America, best describes his reasoning behind why he offers scholarships soley to females:

…I believe that an educated woman can have an enormous impact on both the children and the males in her life. In many developing countries, men are traditionally seen as superior to women and often receive the bulk of educational training and scholarships. By committing to educate women, particularly in higher education, I knew I could help them advance in opportunity, realize more equality within their communities, and ultimately bring about positive change in the region.

Pandju Merali shares his scholarship grant between four organizations, all dedicated to enhancing educational opportunities for those who need it most: Global Giving, UNDP, The Masomo Foundation, and of course, Invisible Children. Over the past year, his funding has provided 463 scholarships to girls in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Guatemala, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda Kenya, and Somalia. His goal this year: to fund higher education—even to the post-graduate level—for over 5,000 girls worldwide.

IC Uganda is so proud and fortunate to be a beneficiary of such an amazing benefactor. The VCSP staff on the ground are currently hard at work evaluating applications and interviewing select candidates.

Check back on the IC Blog in August for more about the University Scholarship awards…

Education: A Priority in Northern Uganda

Above:  Different local leaders in front of the new peace monument in Gulu, Uganda.  From left to right:  the LC5 of Amuru district, the mayor of Gulu, the Dutch Ambassador to Uganda, Archbishop Odama, and IC Country Director Jolly Grace Okot

Invisible Children isn’t the only organization in northern Uganda concerned about improving education.  More than a dozen NGOs and a large group of government officials recently met in Gulu to celebrate the educational progress taking place in the area.  To commemorate education’s importance in ensuring peace, The Dutch Embassy commissioned a sculpture—two children reading from a pillar of books—that now stands in the center of one of Gulu’s main intersections.  After speaking at length about education’s role in a post-conflict environment, the Dutch Ambassador, Jeroen Verheul, celebrated the sculpture’s unveiling by hosting a lunch for local community leaders.

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Schools 4 Schools: Summer Trip 2009

Above:  S4S trip winners on their last day in Uganda

Above:  Students watch as villagers come together to save and loan money at a weekly savings group meeting

Now I know what type of student collects 30,000 books.  I understand what sort of teenager is able to mobilize a community to donate $25,000 toward a cause.  The profile of such a student looks something like this:   mature beyond one’s age, impressively personable, intelligent, able to problem-solve with a certain type of hyperactive creativity, driven, and—this one is almost more important than the other traits combined—a belief in one’s potential to change the world.

When 20 students from the top fundraising schools in IC’s Schools for Schools (S4S) program arrived at our house in Gulu at the end of June, we sat everyone down for a chat.  After reminding everyone to wear bug spray at dusk, and once we had explained how the pit latrine can save you if the water’s out, we talked about something a bit more meaty—the point of the trip.

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Pete Wentz Tweets for 1 Million

After recieving 1 million followers on Twitter, Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz decided to use his internet fame to benefit Invisible Children. Wentz is encouraging Twitter followers to donate one single dollar on behalf of IC. He has also autographed ten Invisible Children bracelets and will choose ten lucky donors to recieve them.

The twitter-a-thon will continue until the end of July. Follow Pete, donate, and make a live changing difference!

You can read Pete’s official post here: http://petewentz.com/post/140798299/the-million-tweet

and donate here: tinyurl.com/icpete

Faces of IC Update: Innocent

Innocent

19-years-old

Busoga College, Jinja

The younger kids were too small to jump across the ravine.  Afternoon rains had turned it into a turbulent moat separating them from their destination:  a large building that would provide shelter to hundreds of children for the night.  Innocent, barely 12-years-old at the time, said he did what anyone would do-he leant his hand.

One by one, children crossed the stream with his help.  When time came to distribute blankets and organize kids for the night, he and some of the other older boys helped orchestrate things.  Months rolled by, and night after night Innocent helped tired kids get settled in for sleep.  The one adult overseeing the place eventually decided that electing a head boy from the scores of night commuting kids would help things run more smoothly.  One night, he ordered seven or eight boys to stand in front of the rest; Innocent was called forward.

“The man told all of the children to stand behind the boy they wanted to represent them as head boy,” Innocent recounted.

In small groups, kids stood and slowly made their way over to Innocent.  Seconds later, a long line of children snaked away from him, raising the hair on the back of his neck in disbelief.  This single event, this response from hundreds of kids Innocent barely knew, pushed him down a new life path, one lined with opportunity.

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Rockstar Mayhem Festival

 

Rockstar Mayhem Festival book drive benefits Invisible Children

You can help Invisible Children by bringing gently-used books with you to the Rockstar Mayhem Festival in San Bernardino, California on July 12th!  These books will be sent directly to Africa or sold to raise money for programs that will benefit people on the ground in Uganda. You can check out this short video to get you motivated and informed: http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=QYkmNbG0PPw

Please bring books with you on July 12th, to drop off at the Invisible Children tent, located near the Jagermeister Stage. Each person 21+, who brings a book to the show, will be allowed first access into the Jagermeister meet and greet area… to meet Kerry King, God Forbid, Black Dahlia Murder, and Behemoth!

You can catch your favorite bands at Mayhem including:

Marilyn Manson

Slayer

Killswitch Engage

Bullet for My Valentine

Mushroomhead

Trivium

All That Remains

God Forbid

Jägermeister Battle of the Bands winner

Cannibal Corpse

Behemoth

Job For A Cowboy

The Black Dahlia Murder

Whitechapel