Blog Updates and inspiration

One year ago this month, a group of Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) fighters released 12 women and children, handing them over to one of our local partners in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The LRA group also passed along a message that they would release more captives if the 12 women and children were […]

In the last decade, hundreds of individuals have escaped or been released from captivity in Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). Some have been women and children, released in large groups by LRA commanders. Many were held captive for a few days, forced to porter goods looted from their own homes. Hundreds were held captive […]

In January, after eight years in captivity, a brave young mother named Hannah* escaped the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) with her children. The hope and courage she displayed and which enabled her escape are truly incredible; but they’re not unique among mothers in central Africa. Every mother wants safety and freedom for her children. You can help […]

Over the weekend, former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, made a surprise appearance at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York. Clinton joined a discussion panel following the premiere of  The Protectors: Walk in the Rangers’ Shoes, a Virtual Reality film by Kathryn Bigelow and Imraan Ismail, which offers a glimpse into the realities of […]

On March 5, 2012, we launched the KONY 2012 campaign. Many recognize KONY 2012 as a YouTube video that became an overnight viral sensation. With over 100 million views in just a few days, our 30-minute film about a relatively unknown rebel conflict in central Africa became the most viral video of all time (that […]

The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) was responsible for 14 attacks in January 2017 in which they abducted 59 civilians, the highest monthly abduction total since September 2016. However, the 59 abductions in January 2017 was a sharp reduction compared to January 2016, when LRA forces abducted 171 civilians. Nearly all of the LRA’s January 2017 abductions took place in northern […]

On February 9th, a Congolese matriarch and hero, Bernadette Wilimangu, passed away. Bernadette, who had come to be known by her community as Mama Koko (which means great grandmother in Lingala) was a remarkably courageous and compassionate woman who helped carry her family and community in DR Congo through unimaginable violence at the hands of Joseph Kony’s LRA. Her life has inspired thousands around the world, including our Invisible Children team, to remain committed to ending the violence of armed groups like the LRA in central Africa.

A project of Invisible Children and The Resolve LRA Crisis Initiative + ICC trial of former LRA commander Dominic Ongwen resumes this week + New research examines dramatic events surrounding Ongwen’s 2014 defection, which spurred creation of splinter LRA group operating independently of LRA leader Joseph Kony + Fracturing of LRA since 2014 has undermined […]

Overview Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) forces abducted 25 civilians in 10 attacks in November, with a significant majority of abductions occurring in eastern Central African Republic (CAR). A series of clashes involving ex-Séléka factions in and near Bria, CAR, left at least 14 civilians dead in late November. Armed groups continued to be active in northern Democratic Republic of […]

For communities in central Africa, strong connections to the world around them are vital to their safety. In this remote and isolated corner of the world, where families don’t have access to reliable communication tools, whole communities face the constant threat of armed groups that can tear families apart through violent attacks and abductions. This […]