Weekly Update 2: Facts about Uganda

Hello, good day,
yet another week has passed and I am super thankful for the funding which is already coming in. Thank you so much!
This week I want to share a few statistics about Africa and Uganda with you to give you an insight of the country, its needs and backgrounds.

Uganda was once a Britsh colony and through them setting boundaries many very different political systems and cultures were grouped together. This led to unstabilities and ultimately to war and the dying of approximately 300,000 people between 1971 and 1979 and another 100,000 people between 1980 and 1985.
Since the 1990s Uganda is a demoractic republic, yet problems have not been solved at all. Many guerilla groups were formed, one of them the LRA (Lord's Resistance Army) under the control of Joseph Kony.
In raging against the government and civilians they have abducted more than 20,000 children for the last 23 years. Not only are these children forced into being soldiers, but they are made addicted to drugs, they are raped and treated the most brutal way imaginable.
They often force 7 year old girls into forced marriages, but you can also simply call it raping girls. They often also cut off parts of the solidier's bodies as punishment, like noses, lips, hands, ears.
In 2005 the UNO called the LRA the most brutal rebell group of the world yet the news of the brutal acts often do not even reach our press releases.

An international warrant against Joseph Kony has been issued, but it is really hard to find him as until 2000 nobody even knew how Joseph Kony looked like as there were no pictures. Because of the power he has Ugandan army is even afraid of him.

In the northafrican town Gulu dozens of humanitarian organisations are stationed such as Watoto trying to help those who are rescued. They are so very important because the war in Uganda has been called the most neglected humanitarian emergency in the world today.

In addition to these problems come the problems of Aids and poverty in Uganda.
This is why we have to stand up and make a difference. This is why I chose to give dignity back to one of these girls rescued from the LRA. This is why we join our hands together and reach them out.

Be a part of something big, be a part of making a difference. If you are interested in giving, please contact me and I will send you all the necessary information.

xoxo

Ramona

More Information and links:
Hände und Köpfe abgehackt - article of the German newspaper Die Sueddeutsche (german only)
The World Factbook - facts and statistics about Uganda
UNICEF - information about Uganda
Invisible Children - The History of the War