spreading the word. (with a post edit)

I've been absorbing this for a bit. And I've decided, well, every person young or old or in-between should probably at least know about Kony 2012. Maybe you do know. If not, please watch this video. It is pretty bipartisan, I think. And appropriate for audiences of 13 or so and up (because of truly heart-breaking images).

KONY 2012 from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.

So much sadness. But also hope.

POST EDIT:

I've been looking a little bit closer at the organization "Invisible Children" and although I believe their intentions are good, I do think there is a lot more to learn before donating or promoting.

"There are several potential issues that would be backers and donors should be aware of prior to parting with hard earned funds or assisting in spreading their message.

Here are a couple of the allegations levied against Invisible Children:

  • Last year the organization raised $8,676,614 and only 32% of these funds went to direct services. It appears that a large majority of their funding went to pay staff salaries, transportation expenses and film production. Charity Navigator rates their accountability and transparency 2 out of 4 stars. This is due to the fact that the organization has not undergone an external audit of their funds.
  • Invisible Children supports direct military intervention, and their funding is said to support the Ugandan government and other military forces. The Ugandan army has been accused of rape and looting, but they are still defended by Invisible Children.

It is also important to note that Invisible Children did not provide requested material to the Better Business Bureau; therefore, the BBB cannot determine if IC meets their standards. One of the first things I do when solicited by a non-profit agency is to check their BBB report. This is a huge red in my opinion."

-Facebook's Internet Safety & Privacy page


I've found that Kony may be substantially weak now, even ill, defeated and seeking refuge. This wasn't depicted in the visual, which seems to be full of out-of-date information. But I still think he should be arrested, so I don't mind sharing the video to raise awareness. I share it with a caution, though. Really do some research before donating.

Comments

Unknown said…
amazing job and mission!
chelsey meyer said…
invisible children posted a blog addressing ALL of those issues yesterday. Including the spending and the BBB. really interesting, encourage you to hear them out.