Stories of the missing // Lagen Alphonse
Abductions by Joseph Kony’s rebel army have contributed to thousands of missing children throughout East and central Africa. This is a story of one still missing. It was 11 years ago when Apio Juliet Okidi last saw her cousin Afany. 19-year-old Afany, also known as Langol Cyprian or Alphonse, was abducted one evening in 2002. […]
Uganda Photo Friday// Making (radio) waves
A flashback Friday to when installation began on the shortwave radio station sponsored by Invisible Children and Mega FM in northern Uganda. The project is generously funded by the Howard G. Buffett Foundation and will help “Come Home Messages” reach LRA-affected combatants still in the bush. Once the power sources are connected to the site, […]
2014 kicks off with two LRA escapees in CAR
Last week two individuals independently defected from Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in the Central African Republic. On January 6, a young Central African mother came out of the bush near her home community, Fodé, with her two sons who are just nine months and three years old. She was abducted by the LRA […]
A new beginning // Otim Charles
Every child abducted by Joseph Kony’s rebel army is robbed of his childhood and a normal life — until he escapes. This is the story of a new beginning. On an afternoon in 2003, Otim Charles was 16 as he ran for his life away from LRA rebels. They caught him and took him across […]
On the Radar: December 16 – 10-year-old boy escapes Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army
The Early Warning Radio Network gives communities in DR Congo and the Central African Republic the ability to report LRA activity to one another. Twice-daily security calls of LRA movement are made through high-frequency, two-way, long-range radios. Reports are transcribed, sent to our experts on the ground, the information is cross-checked, and the data is […]
More on the recent LRA ambush in Central African Republic
Last Friday, we shared the news that 14 LRA members were killed by the UPDF. Here is a breakdown of the events with information taken from the Daily Monitor, LRA expert Ledio Cajak, and our own Lisa Dougan. About the event: – At about 1:30 PM on Thursday, November 28th, Ugandan soldiers under the African Union Regional Task Force […]
UPDF kills top Kony commander in ambush
The following article is taken from the Daily Monitor. Our staff on the ground has verified the information stated in this article: UPDF soldiers hunting Joseph Kony in Central African Republic (CAR) have scored a huge battlefield victory after killing a top LRA commander with 13 fighters in an ambush on Thursday. The UPDF is part […]
“Let Him Return Home” // Messages from Mend
Why do we keep talking about “Come Home” messaging? Because it has proven to be the most successful tool in fostering defections from the Lord’s Resistance Army. 89% of recent LRA escapees have said that Come Home programs played a role in their peaceful surrender. Recently, some of the seamstresses at Mend mentioned the desire […]
Two people escape from Joseph Kony’s LRA
The following information was obtained through Invisible Children and on-the-ground partners. We are working to gather more information on these events and are sending members of our team to get the full story: + November 11th at Duru, DRC: A 15-year-old boy, who was abducted by the LRA five months ago from Aba, DRC, escaped. He […]
Joseph Kony’s LRA rebels reportedly attack South Sudan for first time in over two years
This morning, reports started coming in of attacks by Joseph Kony’s LRA rebels in South Sudan. The reports are preliminary and have yet to be officially confirmed. We are following up for more information. The following was obtained through Invisible Children and on-the-ground partners: Nov 5 – LRA forces attacked people in Nabaria, South Sudan […]