Invisible Children to show documentary at WKU Thursday

Tyler Prochazka

WKU students will be given an opportunity to see the realities of children in the conflict-stricken country of Uganda thanks to representatives from the Invisible Children organization.

Members of this organization have been traveling across the country and will make a stop at WKU on Thursday to show their documentary “Brown is for Tony.” The event begins at 7 p.m. in Gary Randsdell Hall Auditorium, 1074. It is a swipeable event and open to the public.

Christopher Ford, the Vice President of the WKU chapter of Invisible Children, said the fact that Uganda has experienced prolonged periods of unrest and children have been forced into a rebel army is not well known among the student population.

The WKU chapter of Invisible Children works to aid children in the war-torn country of Uganda by building schools and providing other basic necessities.

“The more people learn about what’s going on in Uganda, the more they want to help it,” he said.

The beginnings of Invisible Children started with a trip in 2003 by three individuals who traveled to Africa to find a potential documentary. They discovered children were being used as soldiers to fight the Ugandan government.

The latest documentary, which is being shown at WKU, features one of the children the filmmakers met eight years ago.

Rebecca Morgan, the WKU President of Invisible Children, said she had been looking for a place to “get involved” on campus. She ultimately decided that Invisible Children was the best choice for her because it related to her desire to work for medical missions in Africa.

“In Africa they have it so much more difficult than we could ever imagine,” she said.

Later this year, Invisible Children will hold several fundraisers and awareness campaigns including a book drive, with the majority of the proceeds from the sale of these books will go to funding the organization. 

The organization also aids local individuals with its Operation Christmas Child program, which helps give toys, toothpaste and other goods to area children.

Meetings take place on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. in DUC room 310A.

Morgan said that even if students cannot attend all of the meetings, she still wants as many students to come as possible.

“All we need is someone who is as passionate and dedicated as we are,” she said.

The documentary will be shown Thursday at 7 p.m. in Gary Randsdell Hall Auditorium, 1074. It is a swipeable event and open to the public.