Saucon Valley Students Helping Uganda's 'Invisible Children'

On Oct. 4, the Invisible Children Club at welcomed roadies from the Front Line Tour to the school for a special awareness-raising event. The Front Line Tour uses film, creativity and social action to help bring home child soldiers abducted by guerrilla leader Joseph Kony during his ongoing rebel war in Uganda.

The goal of the Front Line Tour is to bring awareness to schools and communities in order to raise funds to continue the work begun by three young filmmakers from Southern California almost a decade ago. In 2003, Jason Russell, Bobby Bailey and Laren Poole traveled to Africa in search of a story. What they found--and ultimately documented in their film "Invisble Children" (2003)--was a tragedy involving children from Northern Uganda who were being abducted by rebels and turned into child soldiers.

The story of this tragedy has led to a partnership between volunteers throughout the United States and Ugandans. These groups are continuing to work together to end the violence, to rebuild Uganda's war-torn communities, and to restore them to a place of peace and prosperity.

The program at Saucon Valley High School began with an informative film called "The Rescue." Watching this film, students learned that in Uganda children are still being abducted by the thousands and forced to fight as child soldiers. They are called the "invisible children" because no records are kept as to how many children are abducted or how old they were when they were taken. The children simply vanish from their homes and towns.

The Front Line Tour has made several visits to the and every trip raises awareness, increases club membership and boosts fundraising efforts. One new member, Bethany, explained that she joined the club as soon as she heard about it because “the fact (is) that...we are so comfortable here. No one knows about this. It is so big and nothing is happening.”

Stephanie, a senior member who has been involved in the club since middle school, said she found the plight of Uganda's children "so moving."

"I was adopted," she explained. "To know I could have had a hard life, I empathize with them. To think kids two years younger than me are shooting each other.”

Saucon Valley's Invisible Children Club currently has about 30 members.

Throughout the day students were encouraged to stop by and talk with the roadies from the Front Line Tour and learn more about the tragedy in Uganda and ways they can help. A table filled with materials promoting the cause was set up for students to browse and make purchases from. The products sold by the tour all benefit a protection plan to help the people of Uganda, and even the shirts that are sold are made from cotton grown in Uganda, thereby helping to create sustainable jobs for the country's citizens.

Students also had the opportunity to talk with Geoffrey, a young man who was abducted at age 16 from Northern Uganda. Geoffrey is one of the lucky ones, because he was rescued and was able to get his life back, ultimately attending college. His goal is to become a social studies and economics teacher, but right now he is traveling with the Front Line team to help bring his story directly to students.

Currently, Invisible Children clubs around the country are being encouraged to help raise funds for Uganda with a challenge that runs through Dec. 14, 2011.

Saucon Valley's club has a fundraising goal of $2,500, with $773 raised as of mid-October. The club also has an impressive team ranking of 35 out of 1600 teams.

If you wish to donate and help the invisible children of Uganda you can make a donation through the Saucon Valley High School Invisible Children Club's team fundraising page.

For more information about the invisible children and the mission of the organizers and volunteers, visit www.invisiblechildren.com.