Photo by: Graphic www.invisiblechildren.com
The plight of millions of Ugandan children was documented Tuesday night in Lindsay Auditorium at a free screening of a rough cut of the film “Invisible Children.”
The film explores the crisis of child soldiers in Uganda and the civil war which has been ripping the country apart for the past 19 years. Three filmmakers traveled to Sudan in order to cover the Darfur genocides, but when they were told that many of the victims had escaped to Uganda, they traveled there. It was there that they found the amazing stories of the so-called invisible children.
Every night in Uganda, countless numbers of children flock to various safe havens in order to escape the fate of becoming a child soldier. This film is designed to bring awareness of this issue to the rest of the world. The entire film will hit theaters throughout the world in about a year.
The film had a huge impact on more than 200 viewers who packed into the auditorium Tuesday.
“It’s a hard truth which we have to come to realize,” said freshman Lawrence Poh. “It’s a shocking issue and it takes people by surprise.”
Freshman Chelsea Dauwalder added, “It’s a tough realization.”
This tough realization, however, has inspired many people to help the children. For example, the lobby of Sturm Hall was packed with people buying bracelets and T-shirts, profits from which would go towards helping the children.
Eric Mecca, a member of the organization which sponsors the Ugandan children, began his work with the group a few years ago.
His favorite band, Thrice, had sent out an e-mail to its fan base detailing the horrors that were going on in Uganda.
“I couldn’t believe what I read,” Mecca said. “I felt sick at first.”
Mecca watched the film and immediately started looking for ways to help.
“I feel terrible that they go through this while we have all sorts of comforts here,” he said, adding that we have a responsibility to help and protect the children.
Mecca began sponsoring the children and the group has been touring the United States from Feb. 1 and will be doing so until early May.
