By: Chelsea Lankes Issue date: 4/2/07
Texas A&M's organization Global Justice is aiming to raise awareness of humanitarian efforts by hosting screenings of the Invisible Children documentary Thursday through Saturday in the Memorial Student Center. Invisible Children is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness and money for bringing peace to the Northern Ugandan people.
The Invisible Children documentary was made by three young men who decided to travel to Africa in 2003. They were in search of a story and found it in Gulu, Uganda.Their film depicts the story of the children of the Acholi Tribe in Gulu. Many of these children were abducted by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), a force whose primary goal is to overthrow the Ugandan government. Also called the Rebel Army, the LRA then brainwashes the children to become killers and provides them with guns to inflict violence and murder wherever and whenever commanded.
Rebecca Fortson, a member of Global Justice, said she was inspired to participate in Invisible Children when she saw what the children in Gulu were going through.
"It ignited interest in me," said Fortson, a sophomore psychology major. "It takes you off guard because it's different than anything we've ever experienced. It's like a call to action, but also this feeling of helplessness."
Will Deaver, a sophomore kinesiology major, said the documentary opened his eyes and made him want to help out.
"After viewing this documentary, I felt not only an obligation to help the children and the people of Sudan, but to help this organization to bring awareness to other people," Deaver said. "I knew of the turmoil in Africa and of on-going civil wars, but nothing comparable to what this video has shown me."
The Invisible Children screenings are organized as tours throughout the United States. Thirteen teams in different regions of the country set up screenings for high schools, colleges and the public, said Jenna Strauffer, who travels with the tour.
"We focus a lot towards high schools and colleges. Different crowds will react differently," Strauffer said. "It's amazing to hear what people are willing to give up to make a difference."
The screenings raise awareness of the issues, as well as money to fund the efforts of the organization. The money provided goes toward the Invisible Children Bracelet Campaign, which provides jobs for men and women in Northern Uganda.
Strauffer said the reach of the program extends beyond the children abducted by the LRA. Invisible Children also assigns mentors to children in Northern Uganda. These mentors encourage the children academically and provide life counseling, aiming to slowly change culture and help end poverty by training the children that are the country's future.
"The people of Northern Uganda want their kids to be educated," Strauffer said. "It's not just a band-aid, but a lasting change."
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Click the link to watch the Video Clips of Students at work to support Children of Northern Uganda:
1. Invisible Children - GNC Atlanta
3. WARDANCETHEMOVIE
5.Latimes photographer Francine Orr reported from the troubled region in September 2003 and April of this year. These are her images from Uganda.
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