Can college students make a difference? A new campus group is answering this question with a resounding "yes."
Originally started by three college students, national non-profit organization Invisible Children aims to help the children of northern Uganda, where a violent civil war has raged for 23 years. These children have fallen victim to the war; they are either displaced from their homes and forced to live in refugee camps severely lacking in resources, or they are abducted and employed as child soldiers.
The three founders of the non-profit were moved by these stories and decided to film the plight of Ugandan children's in their documentary titled "Invisible Children: Rough Cut." Following the tremendous response to the film, the three created what is now the influential non-profit organization Invisible Children.
Currently, hundreds of high schools and universities nationwide are involved in raising money or contributing to the cause in some way. The organization has also attracted the support of a number of philanthropist groups and well-known businesses like Guess and Apple. Certain prominent artists, including Fall Out Boy and Switchfoot, have also helped to bring Invisible Children's cause to the attention of the public, as has exposure on CNN and "Oprah."
Most recently, Invisible Children has expanded to Europe, officially making it an international charity organization.
Some Jumbos can now count themselves among the thousands who have come together to help. Thanks to the work of sophomore Katie Welch, Invisible Children has added a Tufts University chapter this semester. Working as a sub-committee under the umbrella organization PANGEA, the campus chapter will participate in Invisible Children's "Schools for Schools" campaign.
"The idea is to pair schools on the East Coast with one school in Uganda," Welch said. "We're paired with the Atanga Secondary School."
Whatever funds Tufts students raise will go directly to the children of the Atanga Secondary School, providing them with books, supplies and whatever else they may need. Atanga is located in an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp, and the students who attend it are refugees.
Freshman Alexandra Duncan only joined the Invisible Children group at Tufts this past week, but she is already quite familiar with the program: She traveled to Uganda with Invisible Children in the summer of 2008 after starting a chapter at her high school two years ago.
"My high school was paired with the Atanga Secondary School as well, so I got to actually go there and see it," she said. "The children are refugees. They're living in an IDP camp and going to a school without classrooms or desks."
Welch's personal involvement with Invisible Children began in high school as well. She was attracted to the cause for several reasons.
"I really liked that college students had started [Invisible Children]," she said. "It shows you don't have to be an adult to start something. I also thought the whole kids-helping-kids thing was great. And I love the fact that they use really creative ideas to raise money and awareness."
Ideas such as the Invisible Children Bracelet Campaign and "The Rescue" represent the creative aspect of Invisible Children that Welch loves so much. The Invisible Children Bracelet Campaign sells bracelets in the U.S. made by children in Uganda and uses the profits to help the makers. Participants in "The Rescue" camped out in public spaces around the world only to be "rescued" by prominent political or media figures who made public statements concerning child soldiers.
Most importantly, these movements encourage youth participation and emphasize the organization's belief that every little bit can help.
Having been an active member in her high school's chapter, Welch came to Tufts last year with the hopes of continuing her participation in the organization.
"I was part of this at my high school and came here planning to join the club, but I realized there wasn't one [to join]," she said.
Welch's disappointment with this discovery, coupled with her desire to continue contributing to the organization, led her to create the Tufts chapter herself. She showed the documentary to some of her friends and, from there, managed to build a solid collection of approximately 25 students. The group's first meeting was held last Wednesday.
Sophomore Kavitha Narra, a member of PANGEA's Executive Board, is also excited about the new Invisible Children sub-committee.
"The group seems really together, so I think they'll do well," she said. "They seem really dedicated and passionate, and I'm interested to see what they're going to do this year. Invisible Children is also a national group, so having that support and those resources is really great."
Welch agrees that having the connection to the larger organization is a benefit. "At my high school, we took the money we made and gave it to the program that helped make wells in the area for clean water," she said. "And Invisible Children actually sent us pictures [of the well we funded]. They make sure to show you how [you]'re helping."
Welch and the group plan to start the year with their first big event: a screening of "Invisible Children: Rough Cut," the movie that started it all. The free viewing is on Oct. 5 in Barnum 008 at 9 p.m. A representative from the national organization will also be present to talk to the group after the screening. Regular weekly meetings will be held every Wednesday during open block in Braker 113.
