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Invisible Children event raises awareness of crisis in Uganda
Alisha Green
Music education sophomore Emily Fox has a big task on her hands. The Invisible Children National Tour is coming to MSU April 10 through April 11 to raise awareness about the plight of the children in war-torn Uganda, and Fox is coordinating the event.
She first became aware of the organization two years ago through a friend. She also attended the screening of the documentary last year here at MSU and approached one of the volunteers wondering how she could become involved, leaving her name with them on a piece of paper and not really sure that she would hear anything back.
When Fox received a call asking her if she wanted to put on the Invisible Children screening event at MSU this year, she was surprised but happy to be involved.
Fox said, “MSU is so huge, so I was a little overwhelmed at first, but I got in touch with Residence Life and they’ve helped out a lot.”
The Residential College in Arts and Humanities has also lent their support by helping with posters for the event.
The first screening will be Thursday, April 10 at 7 p.m. in Wells Hall B106. On Friday, April 11 at 6 p.m. there will be another screening in Room 118 of the Psychology Building, with a $5 suggested donation.
"$5 may seem like a lot for college kids, but I hope they realize that they are making changes around the world," said Fox.
After the screening, the accapella groups Capital Green and Ladies First will perform in a benefit concert. The screenings take about two hours and include a showing of the documentary as well as volunteers talking about how the movement began, what has been accomplished so far and what people can do to become involved.
“Invisible Children is a documentary about the situation in Uganda, but it is also about a movement,” said Fox. “I can’t believe how much Invisible Children has done for the children of Uganda. I think the documentary really affects young people and opens their eyes up to the possibilities and how much they can do to change the world.”
Before being contacted to coordinate the screening, Fox got involved on her own and attended Displace Me, an event put on by the Invisible Children organization in which different cities across the nation were set up as stations for people to commute to and simulate the experience of the “night commuter” children in Uganda. In the war that has continued in that country for over 20 years, children have to walk to safe locations to sleep at night because they risk being captured and forced to join the rebel army if they stay in their villages.
"The only things you were allowed to bring were saltine crackers, bottled water and boxes," said Fox, recalling the event.
People attending Displace Me made temporary shelters for themselves out of the boxes. Simulating the situation in Uganda, the males had to go gather the food and the women had to get water for everyone, but they could only do so one bottle at a time so they could get a sense for the distance that the Ugandan women have to walk to retrieve water from far away wells. One thing that cannot be simulated, however, is the danger that the children in Uganda face every day.
The Invisible Children organization is working to raise awareness of the war so that a resolution can finally be reached, and in the meantime they are doing their best to aid the children.
“I think they’ve had an enormous impact,” said Fox. “Through a documentary they have accomplished so much, because they’re targeting high schools and colleges, and the video is powerful and so well-done. It’s not just like a documentary that you watch in history class. It really opens up people’s minds.”
To find out more about Invisible Children, the situation in Uganda and what you can do to help, click here.
Questions? Comments? Contact Alisha Green at greena11@msu.edu
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