Invisible Children

Today I was planning to write about the beginning of the school year and some fun activities my students and I did yesterday but this morning, while I was sipping a cup of tea, I came across a video. At first, I didn’t pay much attention to it but it kept appearing .Totally different blogs I frequently check (for example BubzBeauty, which focuses on make-up, and two apples a day, a blog on education) shared it. I was curious but it is a 30-minute film and the truth is I thought it was just another documentary describing problems in Africa. Was I right? No, not at all. When I finally decided to have a look at it I understood that I had seen nothing like that before. The video I’m sharing here is about how powerful one idea can be and how one person can change his life and…the world!

Let me summarize what you’ll see. In 2003, three young filmmakers from California travelled to Africa in search of a story but, in fact, the story found them. These boys discovered a tragedy that disgusted and inspired them, a tragedy where children are both the weapons and the victims. Joseph Kony, a Ugandan guerilla group leader, has been abducing and forcing at least 30,000 children to fight for his cause. Often these child soldiers have to burn and loot villages, mutilate other children or kill civilians —in some cases even their own families. To give these children a voice, the documentary you are about to see was filmed and “Invisible Children”, a non-profit organization, was created.

Why is watching this short film important? If we want Kony to be captured we need to show authorities we will not allow his crimes to pass unnoticed any more. In recent years, the International Criminal Court has formally accused Kony of crimes against humanity (chief prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo, a well-known Argentine  lawyer, is in charge of the case) and U.S. troops have been sent to central Africa to help in the efforts to catch him. Unfortunately, they haven’t been successful. Kony is still free.

 Do your part, take responsibility and spread the word. Technology is a wonderful tool we use every day to communicate with friends and family. Let’s use it now to make the world a better place.

KONY 2012 from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.