Six schools join effort to support Invisible Children

Intermountain Catholic

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SALT LAKE CITY/DRAPER — What began last year a one school’s experience in philanthropy during Catholic Schools Week, has this year expanded to six of the Diocese of Salt Lake City’s Catholic schools, who this year alone have raised more than $27,000 for Invisible Children, an international non-profit organization that supports child and adult victims of the 21-year long war in Uganda. Focused primarily on children, especially those who face being forced to become child soldiers, Invisible Children raises funds by selling hand-made bracelets, each representing a Ugandan child, sweatshirts, and other items.

Last year, students at Juan Diego Catholic High School saw a film, "Invisible Children: Rough Cut," and were so taken by the children in the film they set about raising funds for them. Not only did they raise $35,000 for the organization, said Molly Gorman Dumas, director of institutional advancement/public information at Juan Diego Catholic High School, but two seniors, Amanda Cupido and Claire Cushing, traveled to Uganda to see the situation for themselves.

This year, Judge Memorial Catholic High School, Kearns-St. Ann Elementary School, St. Francis Xavier Regional School, St. John the Baptist Elementary and Middle Schools, and St. Vincent de Paul Elementary School joined in the effort, and the six schools have raised $27,500 for a Schools to Schools Campaign.

The six schools have been partnered with a school in Uganda’s Gulu district in association with Invisible Children’s Schools to Schools project.

"It has been such a pleasure to collaborate with Juan Diego Catholic High School on this project," said Judge Memorial Campus Minister Kate Adams. "So often we are portrayed in competition with each other."

Adams said she is immensely proud of the $7,200 Judge Memorial has raised. "We’re still taking orders for bracelets, so that isn’t our final total. We raised some of the money on days when student’s could give us a couple of dollars and then wear jeans to school instead of their uniform pants."

Adams said the decision to join the Invisible Children effort came from Judge Memorial’s peer ministry program. "Every student in the school saw a film about Invisible Children when they went to religion class the week before Catholic Schools Week. The students were really touched by the stories of the children in Uganda, what they are going through, and how they are forced to live. Our students were excited to help.

The bracelets from Invisible Children are each handmade in Uganda from reed and recycled wire. Once made, each bracelet is packaged in the United States and sold with a short film that tells the story of a child who has been affected by the war. There are eight stories in all, each one tied to a different color used in the bracelet.

"In doing this our goal isn’t simply to offer a product, but rather a new perspective, a better understanding of the impact the war has had on the lives of millions," an Invisible Children brochure explained. "Through including the story and raising awareness across the world, we believe greater aid and more permanent change will be seen in Uganda."

The brochure further explains that all Bracelet Campaign beneficiaries are chosen on the bases of vulnerability. "Invisible Children staff work together with community leaders to identify the most vulnerable people in a chosen camp, assessing their personal condition and history along with their family and home situation. Those chosen as employees are trained in bracelet making and supplied weekly with the necessary materials. Currently, 180 Ugandans are employed through the Bracelet Campaign."

Adams said the Judge Memorial students were moved to find out that in Uganda, members of the rebel army have been kidnapping children as young as five years old and conscripting them as child soldiers and concubines. "Children have been sleeping in the cities (instead of their villages) for safety. In Gula they are known as night commuters, and most have had siblings and friends who have been kidnapped. It is very impressive to receive a bracelet with a compact disk that tells that kind of story."

Dumas said the two students, Cupido and Cushing, who went to Africa last year have taken the Bracelet Campaign to their respective colleges. Cupido is a freshman at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Ore., and Cushing is a student at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo. Cupido, Cushing, and current Juan Diego Catholic High School Senior Jessa Brocklebank have been nominated for the Invisible Children International Hero Award. Brocklebank and Cupido were selected two of the top 25 heroes, and Cushing was named a gold hero..

In addition to the Bracelet Campaign, Dumas said, Juan Diego Catholic High School held a Guitar Hero competition, which had students challenging teachers to learn pieces of music on computerized guitars.

"We had people lined up for that competition," she said. "We are continuing our Bracelet Campaign and other fund raisers through March and April."

Dumas said Judge Memorial and Juan Diego will join forces in April to bring Invisible Children speakers to their campuses. "Last year we sent students to Denver to learn more about the Invisible Children, the Bracelet Campaign, and Schools to Schools."

A Bracelet Campaign brochure reveals that the entire area of northern Uganda has been ravaged by the 21-year-long war. "Roughly 95 percent of the people in the northern Ugandan district were forced to evacuate their homes" and are now living in absolute poverty.