The latest viral fauxtivist (faux activist) ad sweeping the interwebs is the Kony 2012 appeal by InvisibleChildren Inc. An extremely shady American nonprofit organisation aiming to wipe LRA leader Joseph Kony from the face of the earth.
IC has received widespread criticism from academics and press alike. The group currently has a low two out of four star rating from Charity Navigator (an international organisation that rates charities) as they won't let their finances be independently audited. Of the money that IC receive from donations, just 31% (by their own admission) goes directly towards helping those displaced by LRA operations across Central Africa. The IC advocate direct military intervention against the LRA through increased American aid for Ugandan armed forces. (President Obama has recently agreed to send 100 special-ops troops into Uganda to hunt down Kony.) The problem with this is that the Ugandan army itself has a poor record in terms of human rights abuses over the last 30 years.
Most shocking of all, perhaps, is a photograph of IC founders posing with weapons and personnel from the Sudan People's Liberation Army.
InvisibleChildren Inc have released a statement of retaliation on their blog - worth a read.
That is not to say that the LRA are not an evil, genocidal organisation and Kony a war criminal. However, it is important to remember to research your causes thoroughly - before being swept away in the media/twitter/facebook hysteria (take that Rhianna).
DO NOT DONATE TO INVISIBLE CHILDREN AND THEIR KONY2012 CAMPAIGN.
ReplyDeleteInvisible Children Inc is a scam. Their Campaign project 'Stop kony 2012' is a scam too. Many Ugandans are very upset at how Invisible Children Inc has been using the Joseph Kony Saga to cause sensationalism, so as to create a way for them to collect more money in donations and enrich themselves.
The more money they collect, the more these Invisible Children executives pay themselves hefty bonuses. Base salary for Invisible Children exec is about $85, 0000. When allowances and bonuses are added, these guys make over $160,000 a year. Just think what this money they lavish themselves with, could do for the people in Africa for whom they claim to be collecting donations from and protecting from Joseph Kony.
For the last 2 years less than 10% of funds collected by Invisible Children are sent to the Ground in Uganda to help the Ugandan Children. Previous to that, less than 30% of the money they collected was sent to Uganda to help the Ugandan People. A survey of all projects and activity on the Ground in Uganda to help the Uganda Children does not even total up to $1.5 Million of the $13 Million they have collected in donations so far.
The Executives of Invisible Children have used the 'Invisible Children Inc' Charity to farther their own Careers in Media, Film and Music. Before Invisible Children Inc started, the Executive directors of Invisible Children where Media arts students who went to Africa to look for project to farther their careers. They first went to Southern Sudan on a hit and miss venture and by chance they stumbled upon the conflict in Northern Uganda. Since then they have capitalized on the Uganda -Joseph Kony War to spear head their media and Film careers. They have also become stinky rich and drive in fancy cars and live in fancy houses with your donation money.
Now Invisible Children has created this STOP Kony2012 viral video campaign to collect fundraising to help catch Joseph Kony? Considering the LRA war ended over 3 years ago. Joseph Kony has Not been or Sited in person for the last two years and is actually believed to be dead. How is the Money you donate going to be used help catch Joseph Kony? How is this going to help the Poor people in Uganda and Central Africa?
The USA has sent 100 combat marines to Uganda and Central Africa to Catch Joseph Kony. These Marines are co-coordinating their efforts with the armies of Uganda, Congo, South Sudan, and Central African Republic in an effort to Catch Kony. Is the Money you donate to Invisible Children and Kony2012 being given to the United States Government? Off course Not. Will the Money be sent to Africa to Help the African Poor People? Yes only only less than 10%. So what will Invisible Children do with the rest of the 90% of your money? Yes Think About it!!!
Beside the viral Video of kony2012 contains recycled materials that are outdated by six years ago. The Ugandan kids you see in those Videos are already over 21 years and are struggling in Uganda to continue with their lives while, Invisible Children is here Sensationalizing them for their own personal gains. The information in the kony2012 Viral video is half untrue, misleading completely and out dated. You are better of donating your money to a Charity directly in Uganda.
The Video does not focus on helping Ugandan children but rather on showcasing the media skills of the video maker. If you want to participate in a forum discussion on this topic you can Check out the forum at http://www.kony2012-is-a-scam.org