Kony 2012 - Part II Beyond Famous

I don't want to say that much more, but today is April 20th.... so... watch part 2 of the campaign and decide for yourself what you are going to do about it!

xoxo

Ramona

Kony 2012 - One thing we can all agree on

Almost two years ago I fundraised money for my birthday in order to pay for surgery of disfigured women in Uganda. It was a time for me where I learned a lot but also was able to raise some sort of awareness here on this blog. I contributed my part to a larger whole. If you're interested in the whole journey you can read it here.

And now again I want to use this space of mine to raise awareness. Most of you might have already heard of or seen the new video by Invisible Children that goes with their Kony 2012 Campaign.

I know there has been some controversy on their approach and opionions are divided. I actually read a really good article about that on Relevant magazine. I do believe we always have to look at the complexity and the larger scale of such a problem.
At the same time I do believe that in order to raise awareness and in order to get that problem/issue across one has to find simple ways of telling, breaking it down to real basic understanding so that every single person can understand it.
And that is what this video does. Anyboy and everybody can understand the basic problem and realize that there has to be something that we can all do, that we have to stand up, join forces and change this world.

So... please watch the movie. But don't stop there. Inform yourself about the situation, read statistics, newspapers and reports.



And now... think for yourself, consider how and where you want to get involved. There are so many possibilites to get invovled in Uganda, may it be through Invisible Children or Watoto or through Compassion International. Or if resources are little, why don't you start praying. Pray for wisdom, pray for the governments, pray for the children, pray for the decision makers.
The most important thing is that you do something.

xoxo

Ramona

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