Uganda Night Commuters

The following video from Invisible Children will tell the tale of Innocent, a Night Commuter in Northern Uganda. Read the information below the video to learn more and subscribe to Kimberly's RSS Feed. Kimberly will be monitoring the events happening in Uganda as well as with the Invisible Children Organization and other issues in Africa to keep you informed.

The Story of a Night Commuter named Innocent from Invisible Children

For the past 22 years, Northern Uganda has been at war. The Lord's Resistance Army has been at war with the Uganda government. The LRA is led by a man named Joseph Kony who claims to be possessed by the Holy Spirit. This group of rebels terrorizes the villages, kidnapping children, raping women and girls, and brutally beating or killing the village inhabitants before burning it to the ground.

Every day the children of the Acholi people of Northern Uganda leave their villages to make their way to town before nightfall. These children are known as the Night Commuters. The dangers to these children can be wild animals, LRA forces, and even the soldiers of the government. Children of all ages are forced to fight for the LRA and are often put on the front lines of the shooting against the government soldiers. Their only hope is to get to camps in town where they can be locked in for safety at night when the LRA typically raids villages.

Many of the kidnapped children are forced to do terrible things such as beat another child to death or kill their own siblings. Some children have been forced to eat the charred flesh of their parents. Attempted escape brings with it the consequence of being beaten to death by the other children. These beatings are forced by the LRA leaders and the children do not want to participate.

The Acholi community often fears the children who have escaped from LRA captivity. It is important to them to know whether a child has killed another if they begin having nightmares of flashbacks. The Acholi are concerned about spiritual pollution. Many of the children who escape refuse to tell about what they did while being held by the LRA. They find it shameful and are afraid of revenge and rejection. Some children are brought to witch doctors by their parents looking for a ceremony to heal the child.

The LRA has its main camp in the Sudan where they have received weapons and money from the Sudanese government in the past. The Sudan has been suffering from their own form of civil unrest and the government had previously called upon the LRA to assist them with their rebel situation. South Sudan has taken the position of mediator between the Uganda government and the LRA promoting talks of peace between them. In April, Joseph Kony was to sign a peace agreement but he did not show up to sign for fear for his safety. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has demanded the arrest of top LRA leaders including Joseph Kony to try them for war crimes. The LRA has turned their tactics on the South Sudan which has reported attacks, abductions, looting and killings. Southern Sudan feels that the LRA has "abused their hospitality" and will not be promoting any more peace talks between the LRA and the Uganda government.

The plight of the Acholi and the Night Commuters is an often overlooked area that needs aid and assistance. Many children are in need of good education, food, clean water, and medical care as are their families. There are many orphans that have suffered far more than we could imagine. Children that manage to escape from the clutches of the LRA are not readily accepted back into their villages and need care to help them cope with the things they have done and/or seen.

Please visit the following links to learn what you can do to help these children or subscribe to Kimberly's RSS Feed where she will be updating any new information on events occurring in northern Uganda or related to the Night Commuters:

Invisible Children Organization - Learn about the Night Commuters and see how you can help bring education to children in Northern Uganda

Uganda Rising - This site will show you a video which tells about what is happening in Northern Uganda
WARNING: Uganda Rising contains graphic images and video that may be disturbing to some individuals.

Poverty

When many Americans think of poverty they often think of standing in soup lines, homeless on the streets, or people living in cardboard boxes. If the millions of people in Africa suffering from extreme poverty could only be so fortunate as to have access to our soup lines, the kindness of a stranger dropping by a pack of crackers and a soda pop, or a nice fluffy mattress to lay their head on.

Many countries within the Horn of Africa have seen their crops die out due to drought over the past few years. Their food supply has diminished and millions of people are in need of assistance.


Picture of slums in Kenya. Photo taken by ellenokelley is available on WebShots

malnutrition, starvation, and a lack of water are a growing problem and are already claiming the lives of thousands of children.

Millions of people have been displaced in refugee camps across the continent due to war. These people are living in tents and temporary dwellings.

Women across the continent are in need of trade work education to help their families make a living. Many men have become disabled or killed due to civil war making it necessary for the women to learn a trade. Girls very rarely received an education in many areas in Africa in the past. Several organizations are working towards providing women and girls with education.

Some families in villages across Africa make less than the equivalent of 100 US Dollars per YEAR. Children are living on dirt floors in one room mud dwellings. This problem is real and it should not be overlooked or dismissed.

Please visit the following links to learn what you can do to help children and families suffering from extreme poverty in Africa or subscribe to Kimberly's RSS Feed where she will be updating any new information she receives about events, news, or ways you can help:

ONE.org - Use your voice to reach out to others and call Americans to action.

Christian Childrens Fund - See how you can help a child get an education, receive medical care for malnutrition and illness, and bring food or water relief to a village by sponsoring a child in need.



CARE

Hunger

Every night millions of people in Africa are going to bed hungry. Drought, war, and poverty have significantly reduced food supplies. Thousands of people have been displaced and living in refugee camps.


Children Suffering From malnutrition in Kenya - Photo taken by ellenokelly is available on WebShots

Some children are getting one meal a day or one meal every few days. malnutrition can lead to disease and can be fatal to children whose weakened immune system is unable to fight off disease. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can cause stunted growth, brain atrophy, and poor immune health. A child of ten may look like an American children of age 4 or 5 due to lack of nutrition.

To end hunger across the world it is important to not only provide people with food to eat, clean water to drink, and medical attention for malnutrition, but to provide communities with the tools and education they need to generate income and strengthen their food production.

Please visit the following links to learn what you can do to help end hunger in Africa or subscribe to Kimberly's RSS Feed where she will be updating any new information she receives about events, news, or ways you can help.

Bread for the World - Bread for the World works to end hunger by changing government policies.

Action Against Hunger - Action Against Hunger has programs to provide food, water, and food security. ACF is involved in helping victims of hunger with diseases from malnutrition and works as an advocate with governments on important hunger related issues.

Clean Water

An often overlooked area of concern in Africa is water. Combine drought, water-related diseases, and lack of access to clean water and you have a water crisis on your hands.


Women in Senegal Carrying Water on Head - Photo by ukifalcon available on Webshots

Africa Water Crisis Facts:

• 4,900 Children Die Every Day Due to a Lack of Clean Water
• 14,000 People Are Killed Daily Due to Water-Related Diseases
• 1.1 Billion People Do Not Have Access to Clean Water
• Nearly Half of the People Are Suffering From Water Diseases such as Diarrhea, Guinea Worm, Trachoma and Schistosomiasis at Any Given Time
• 40 Billion Hours a Year are Spent Collecting Water in Sub-Saharan Africa

Please visit the following links to learn what you can do to help children and families suffering from extreme poverty in Africa or subscribe to Kimberly's RSS Feed where she will be updating any new information she receives about events, news, or ways you can help:

H2O Africa Foundation - is working to raise awareness about the water crisis in Africa. They currently have six initiatives in Africa that could use your support. Please visit their page to learn more about how you can help provide clean water to people in need in Africa.

Education

If there are no other issues that you stand up and take notice of in Africa, Kimberly urges you to make providing children in developing countries education as important as providing your own children with a quality education. All across Africa there are children that have not been attending school. Many girls have never seen the inside of a classroom.

Education can build strong families and villages. Giving children the skills they need to to be a productive adult in their society is tremendously important towards the fight against poverty. Poverty and education have a direct link.


School Children in Uganda - Photo taken by kevinhosk4 is available on Webshots

Important Facts About Education in Africa:

• 33 Million Children in Africa Are NOT in school
• Most Families Cannot Afford to Send Their Children to School
• Literacy Rates in Africa Are Among the Lowest in the World
• Over 80% of Girls Who Do Not Attend School Around the World Are Girls Living in Sub Saharan Africa
• ONE.org reports "In low-income countries, a young woman's average earnings increase by 10%–20% with each additional year of education."
• A primary education has been shown to reduce the number of HIV cases in developing countries

These issues are only a few of the issues facing education in Africa. There are many more such as a lack of facilities, education materials, water, and sanitation to name just a few.

To bring about an end to poverty it is important to teach children in developing countries the necessary skills they will need to help lift their communities out of the state they are in. This is not an overnight process but supporting this initiative is one of the best investments that you can make to help African children.

Please visit the following links to learn what you can do to help children's education needs in Africa or subscribe to Kimberly's RSS Feed where she will be updating any new information she receives about events, news, or ways you can help:

Christian Children's Fund and Hope 4 Kids International are great ways to support children's needs. These organizations give you the opportunity to sponsor children around the world. This sponsorship can put a child into school and provide them with the school supplies they will as well as provide them with clean water, medical support, and food.

Orpah Winfrey has a passion for providing education to children around the world. The Oprah Angel Network has provided grants related to education in South Africa and Oprah has started the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls. Visit her website to learn more.

Children

Children in developing countries face many challenges and have seen war or other hardships that children in America could not even begin to imagine. All over the continent of Africa there are orphaned children who have lots their parents due to aids or other disease, civil wars, and sometimes due to rebel attacks.

Lack of food and clean water have led many children to malnutrition. Malnutrition is a serious condition that weakens the immune system making children and adults more susceptible to disease. This can lead to death in many children.

Children all over Africa are not attending school for a number of reasons. Sometimes the school is too far for the child to get to. Other children cannot afford to attend school or afford supplies needed for school. In some countries girls are not allowed to attend school because of their social standing as a female, young marriages, or sometimes due to religious beliefs.


Children in Uganda - Photo taken by kevinhosk4 is available on Webshots

These children desperately need our aid. There are many organizations that can provide aid to children around the world. At Christian Childrens Fund you can spend $24 a month to provide a child with education, good medical care, food, and other needs. Kimberly and her husband, Walter, personally sponsor two children through CCF. One child in Ethiopia and another in Sierra Leone. Both Kimberly and Walter urge you to take a moment and visit Christian Childrens Fund to learn about the opportunity you have to enrich the life of a child. You can even select the child you would like to sponsor and CCF will give you background information on that child's needs and their village. Kimberly and Walter have found the opportunity uniquely rewarding and hope you will too.

Please visit the following links to learn what you can do to help children and families suffering from extreme poverty in Africa or subscribe to Kimberly's RSS Feed where she will be updating any new information she receives about events, news, or ways you can help:

Christian Childrens Fund

Hope 4 Kids International is very similar to Christian Childrens Fund and provides you the ability to sponsor a child.

Refugees

The number of refugees across the continent of Africa is staggering. In Somalia alone there are approximately 400,000 internally displaced people. A reported 600,000 are refugees in Somalia's neighboring countries. The Democratic Republic of Congo has 400,000 refugees and 1.1 million internally displaced people. The list continues on in countries throughout the continent.

Refugees and IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) are in need of emergency relief from International sources. They need clean water, food, shelter, clothing and often need medical care. Some areas are strongly in need of peacekeeping efforts and protection for the safety of IDPs . IDPs face even greater hardships than those in refugee camps due to their inability to get food, water, medical care, and even education. These people are often subjected to violence due to armed conflicts in their countries.


Gulu Area Internally Displaced Persons camps - Photo taken by cocobijoux ia available on Webshots

Peacekeeping efforts are urgent to help end conflicts throughout Africa. After civil wars have ended many refugees and displaced people will need assistance returning to their homes and reintegrating back into society. Homes sometimes need to be rebuilt and often fields have been destroyed. Not only will these refugees and IDPs need safety returning to their homes but they will need the tools and resources to help them rebuild their homes and villages. They will need food and water as they rework their fields. Children will need children, safe schools, and may need medical care.

Please visit the following links to learn what you can do to help children and families suffering from extreme poverty in Africa or subscribe to Kimberly's RSS Feed where she will be updating any new information she receives about events, news, or ways you can help:

Refugees International is an organization dedicated to helping refugees and Internally Displaced Persons. This organization works in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. Some of the issues they work on are:

• Building Local Capacity
• Disarmament & Demobilization
• Improving Peacekeeping Capacity
• Protection
• Resettlement
• Stateless People
• Children & Displacement
• Emergency Relief
• Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)
• Relief to Development
• Return & Reintegration
• Women & Displacement

The UN Refugee Agency is a great place for people to keep up with news and facts related to refugees around the world.

Angelina Jolie, UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, is known around the world for her movies and incredible acting. She has been an inspiration to Kimberly with her intense drive to help refugees around the world. Kimberly recommends her book, Notes From My Travels, for a unique look into refugee camps and the role of UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador.

Darfur

Kimberly choose this organization to be displayed among her Humanitarian issues list because the need for aid is so grave due to the conflict in Darfur. Over 2 million people from Darfur have left their homes and are living in refugee camps in Darfur, Chad, and the Central African Republic. Between 300,000 and 400,000 people have been killed in the genocide. Darfur has been in conflict for over five years now and refugee camps are running out of room for displaced persons.


Internally displaced Sudanese stand in their camp near El-Fasher - photo by waswc8a-17 available on Webshots

Humanitarian efforts have been met with many problems of their own. Relief workers have been attacked, arrested, kidnapped, sexually assault, and humanitarian convoys have been ambushed. There have even been some deaths. This has made it a very dangerous place for humanitarian relief workers to attempt to provide aid.

For a comprehensive briefing on the genocide, the conflicts, Darfuri refugees, and more read the briefing in PDF format from the Save Darfur organization by clicking here. This briefing with require Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Please visit the Save Darfur website or subscribe to Kimberly's RSS Feed where she will be updating any new information she receives about events, news, or ways you can help.

ONE.org



This is the organization that started it all for Kimberly. She was watching television one day with her husband when she saw their advertisement. After visiting the site to learn more she began to learn more and more about the various issues. Prior to visiting ONE.org she had been blissfully uninformed due to her busy lifestyle and career.

The ONE Campaign is trying to raise awareness about the issues of poverty, disease, and hunger, that are affecting countries around the world. They have been reaching out to people across America to use their "ONE voice" to raise awareness and support for United States relief towards helping these countries.

Their website has a wealth of information on both issues facing developing countries and organizations that are working towards the same humanitarian goals. Adding your signature to the ONE Declaration will keep you of advocacy efforts to provide aid and how you can help.

Please visit ONE to learn more and find out what you can do to help or subscribe to Kimberly's RSS Feed where she will be updating any new information she receives about events, news, or ways you can help:

African Elephants

You may be asking yourself "Why are Elephants on this humanitarian page?" The answer is simple, Elephant poaching is killing African elephants every day. These gentle giants have managed to wiggle their way into Kimberly's heart. Her love for African elephants is well known to those friends and family members that are close to her.

The two biggest dangers to African elephants are poaching and a lose of their habitats. Both the World Wildlife Fund, WWF, and the International Fund for Animal Welfare, IFAW, have been working to restore their habitat with local governments through the creation of conservation areas. The IFAW has been working to provide rangers in the fight against poaching.
African Elephants in Kenya - Photo taken by roger_beau is available on Webshots

African Elephants in Kenya - Photo taken by roger_beau is available on Webshots

There are three areas in which you could help to save the African elephants:

• DO NOT PURCHASE IVORY!
• Donate to IFAW or WWF
• Adopt an elephant through the African Wildlife Foundation

Subscribe to Kimberly's RSS Feed where she will be updating any new information she receives about events, news, or ways you can help: