“This is a conversation that millions of young people around the United States would be very encouraged to know is happening in Washington, D. C. today.”
-Lisa Dougan
On Friday, September 19, our very own Lisa Dougan, Director of Central Africa Programs and Policy Advisor, gave her official testimony to Congress as part of a hearing called “Ending the Use of Child Soldiers: History, Impact and Evolution.” Kind of a big deal.
Our staff in San Diego proudly watched the live stream of her testimony, tissues in hand. If you missed it, check out our recap of her inspiring speech. Make sure to watch the entire video below.
Lisa started off with a brief background of the atrocities committed by the LRA and the progress we’ve made in reducing the number of killings and abductions over the past three years. Though acknowledging that much remains to be done, Lisa stated that she believes “the progress that has been made thus far deserves to be examined as a positive example of American leadership and how it can support the peaceful ambitions of people everywhere to put an end to the use of children as soldiers.” She implored Representative McGovern and other U.S. policy leaders to increase support for rehabilitation efforts in the communities most affected by LRA violence.
She concluded her testimony by telling the story of Opondo, who was just ten years old when he was abducted by the LRA in 1998. Fifteen years later, after listening to Invisible Children’s “Come Home” messaging on the radio for months, he finally mustered up the courage and fled. Clutching a defection flyer in one hand and a radio in the other, he escaped from the bush and was welcomed into a nearby community. He has since been happily reunited with his family in Gulu, Uganda.
On the same morning as Lisa’s testimony, Opondo was asked to be the keynote speaker at a ceremony welcoming home women and children who also recently fled the LRA. Lisa relayed a small part of Opondo’s remarks to Congress: “I want to thank the U.S. president for having committed their army to support counter-LRA efforts, and I want to appeal the U.S. government that this effort should be strengthened further so that those still trapped in captivity may be rescued.”
Lisa, you’re a rock star. We are so encouraged that our voices continue to be heard by those capable of enacting real and lasting change.
You can watch Lisa’s full testimony here. Trust us, it’s worth watching and sharing (wink, wink).
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