Trusting the Kony Campaign

The Kony Campaign has become a huge movement as many young adults and teens have become interested in helping the Invisible Children. The filmmaking used to create this YouTube video and new style of promoting the campaign deserves much of the credit for the attention it has received. I fully support the campaign's goal of stopping a militant group that has been terrorizing others. However, it's still important to question the goals and actions of the Kony Campaign, and not follow blindly. There is a lot of controversy over the use of donations by the campaign. There are tons of varying statistics online about how much money is actually going towards the Ugandan people, and how much is going towards filmmaking and staff salaries. Some reports say that the amount of money going towards the Ugandan people isn't enough.


The Kony Campaign is a great example of how media can be such a powerful tool. The video captured the American public instantly, and it's very likely that many people did little or no research before donating. The location of Kony's militant group, The LRA, is an example of how research into the subject creates more questions. The LRA have not been in Uganda since 2006. If the LRA are not currently in Uganda, will Ugandan forces be able to move through other countries to arrest Kony? Of course we all hope that they will be able to, but it's important for us to know if they actually can. If they can't then the donations could be put to better use by going directly to the Ugandans that are struggling, instead of the U.S. advisors and Uganda military force.

It's our duty to research the campaign and Uganda to see how we can be most helpful to those in need. Does this mean giving money to the Kony Campaign? Does this mean giving money directly to the people of Uganda? There might be other better ways to help the situation in Uganda, but stopping Kony might be the best. I can't say I know the answer, but it's important for all of us to try and find out.