KONY 2012

The world is becoming increasingly connected, thanks to the Internet, cell-phones and other forms of technology. The non-profit organization, Invisible Children Inc., seeks to use this connectivity to shed a light on the plight of child soldiers in Africa.

For 26 years, Joseph Kony and the L.R.A. (Lord’s Resistance Army) have abducted children, given them guns, and forced them to kill others. He is not backed by any government and there is no primary principle behind his movement. But many people around the world have no idea who Kony is. Invisible Children Inc. hopes to change that.

Volunteers for the organization, called “roadies”, travel around the country showing a documentary created by co-founder of Invisible Children Inc., Jason Russell. On March 12, several Midwest roadies set up in room C101 to show the documentary to interested students. The documentary spoke of the urgency to act now because U.S. military advisers are currently deployed in central Africa, but may be pulled out if the public  doesn’t show interest in their involvement.

“This is not just me...So many people disfigured and so many people killed,” said Jane Oyella, a beneficiary of Invisible Children. Oyella goes to school in northern Uganda where she is studying Quantum Economics. She told a heartbreaking tale of how L.R.A. rebels attacked her village and the villagers fled to the jungle. Her uncle didn’t know the rebels were coming and when she returned to the village, she found her uncle lying in a pool of blood with his legs chopped off. The L.R.A. has left Uganda and now bordering countries face child abduction and murder. “Together we can give the people in Congo and central Africa the peace I have in northern Uganda,” added Oyella.

Invisible Children hopes to compel the country to stand behind the Kony 2012 movement. You can join the movement by signing the pledge at Kony2012.com and spreading the news to work towards making the capture of Joseph Kony a national interest.