Something well worth watching

And here, at the end of this Kony 2012 craze, I give you a video well worth watching.  Something to inspire, to open your eyes, to make you think a bit more about the global family that we are. 

There are too many good quotes, you just have to watch the whole thing.

http://www.ted.com/talks/bryan_stevenson_we_need_to_talk_about_an_injustice.html

Kony 2012, part 3: The Heart of the Matter

I am glad that I waited to post this last segment. 

I am praying for Jason Russell, his family and all who work with Invisible Children.  If you have not heard, Jason Russell (the co founder of Invisible Children) had a break down in public this week. (source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-17409934, http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/jason-russell-san-diego-invisible-children-kony-2012-142970255.html)

Invisible Children released a statement... “Jason Russell was unfortunately hospitalized yesterday suffering from exhaustion, dehydration, and malnutrition. He is now receiving medical care and is focused on getting better. The past two weeks have taken a severe emotional toll on all of us, Jason especially, and that toll manifested itself in an unfortunate incident yesterday. Jason’s passion and his work have done so much to help so many, and we are devastated to see him dealing with this personal health issue. We will always love and support Jason, and we ask that you give his entire family privacy during this difficult time.

Source: Invisible Children Co-Founder Detained: SDPD | NBC San Diego

So what are my final thoughts on Kony 2012?

I think it goes something like this.

Kony 2012 has hit a nerve with millions of people around the world, helping people to suddenly feel a part of something greater than themselves.  This is something which we all long for.

I believe in advocacy.  I believe that lobbying in government, calling your congress person, writing letters, signing petitions, is important and a part of our civil responsibility.  

I just feel sorry for the US government as people respond to Kony 2012 in those ways... what can they say?  They are already doing something!  I suppose they can promise they won't stop.  

Advocacy is important.  Making the world aware of what is going on outside of their back yard is crucial.  

 

You need to know what's happening in the world, so you can make informed decisions.

But if you are going to get involved, don't just do it because of a fade, and a 30 minutes really well produced video.  Do your research.  Figure out what's going on in the bigger picture.  

Ask questions of the organizations you give money to.  (Ask me questions)

 

Read the international news.  Learn about issues beyond your boarders.

If you really want to stop wars, care for the environment, end poverty, and be a person of justice, You can.  But is is painful, and not a fad...It just won't be comfortable, or easy.  It's a lot of hard choices... and it's expensive... buy organic, and fair trade... buy cars that consume less fuel, be disciplined enough to recycles and compost, be simple enough to grow your own garden, eat less meals out, and still have to buy things that cost more because you are (more) confident they weren't made by children in factories. And be actually, honestly, informed.

You can seek to make informed choices, or you can just be inspired by a 30 minute video and go on living as though there isn't poverty in 2/3rds of the world.  

Don't live out of guilt.  Live in a way that is thoughtful and purposeful.   There are thousands of ways to do this.

Invisible Children made a ton of money off of this film.  But what was accomplished?  I am sadly, unsure.

How about we start ....

Telling the US government to untie aid, have better accountability of US governmental employees working abroad, to start finding creative ways to deal with poverty in our own back yard.

 

Let's protest the fact we have spent trillions of dollars on WAR what what the world needs is PEACE.  

 

Let's raise our voices against all forms of injustice, because we can, because it is our birth right.  As humans, as people of integrity.  Let's mobilize.  

Invisible Children has mobilized.  And it is impressive.  I just wish it was around something that people could actually make a real impact on. 

 

 Perhaps they have shown us that we can change the world, that there is a way to unite us all in a common vision... a vision of a better future. 

I am proud to have lived in these years.  In this age, when governments have fallen, when the people have risen.  I was so inspired by the Arab spring, and other events like it around the world.  

 

Kony 2012 is another effort to tell the world about injustice.  

I will let it be that.  Kony needs to be stopped.  

But let us hope that our eyes are not just opened to Joseph Kony and his horrid attrocities, but to the fact of a divided world ... a world full of injustice, in which, with intentional living, awareness, prayer, peace, and joy...

You can make a difference in your world. 

So as Gandhi would say... Be the change you want to see in (your) the world.

Do something great with your life.  

 

Don't start another NGO, don't move to Africa... just open your eyes, and ask "Where can I make a difference"... then give while you can, seek to be balances and live with joy.  Challenge yourself.  

So that the next time you see an inspiring video, you don't wish you were "doing more to help". 

Because there is a lot of need out there, and if we all join hands we can find justice for the widow and the orphan, the oppressed and the downtroadend.  

 

This is why I am in Africa, because I know this is my call, and I know it is to thee people.  

But you don't have to be in Africa.  There is a need everywhere. 

While you may, honestly, not be able to do much to catch Kony... there are other people around you who need you more than the fight on Kony does. 

 

Go boldly therefore...

     Live with purpose....

        Never wonder "what if"....

            Be inspired, make a chance,

               Give, without asking in return.

Another perspective... a acquaintance here in Kampala, Jame Pearson, wrote clearly and simply on his thoughts on Kony 2012:  http://jamesapearson.com/2012/03/criticism-and-support-for-kony-2012/

Kony 2012: part 2 of 3... this is where it gets awkward for everyone

Please note:  The numbers in this blog posts are estimates, trying to illustrate a point.  I am very willing to be corrected if I missed information or misused the Invisible Children financial report.  I just wanted to give you a picture of my thoughts on their financial practices.  Please let me know if I am seriously wrong on any of these points.  I will make amends if I have missed something.  

So where to next?  Let’s go to where most of you readers really want to go…

“Noelle, you live in Uganda… what do you think of Invisible Children?“

In all honesty, I am not a fan.  I’ve met a few people who work with them, and they are nice human beings who have hearts to help people… but the organization, not a fan.  Why?

[Side note:  Considering the work that IC says they are doing, I have actually seen very little of them around Kampala.  I have only ever met 4 people in total who are working in any affiliation with IC, and I have never seen their cars or anything around Kampala.  Maybe I am just in the wrong place and the wrong time for my Invisible Children spotting… or maybe they are invisible.  Sorry, I just had to say it]

When you live here, you hear a lot of things.  One of the things I have heard/been told by several people is that Invisible Children is somewhat of a suitcase NGO… meaning that there is a lot of cash being carried around and passed out, photos being taken, videos shot…but that the work being done is not being done to the extent it is claimed to be.  Basically the money is not all going in the right pots.

I did some research for someone who asked me about Invisible Children before Kony 2012.  When I looked at their website and did a bit of digging I was shocked by one thing…. The AMOUNTS of money.  Before Kony 2012, the Invisible Children web site was all about how much money they were raising to rehabilitate schools and such… but the numbers didn’t make sense to me, who lives here in Uganda for almost 2 years.

Something to keep in mind is that Uganda is, on different levels of society, corrupt.  There is a saying (which Ugandans say regularly) that Uganda is 85% Christian and 90% corrupt… no those are not real stats, but the saying is to make a point.  NGOs are often taken advantage of, the quality of work is often very poor, 

and materials for building and other work can be taken for “other projects”, if you get me.  

[Note:  Here is an article by Michael Deibert about the current, political status of Uganda, in response to Kony 2012:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-deibert/how-invisible-childrens-k_b_1334410.html?ref=world&ir=World  … worth a read to get some information about the political system and oppression here.  Let’s remember, things all over the world are NEVER simple. ] 

In the halls of politics, bribes are a way to get things done.  Once you start paying bribes, it is hard to stop.  It is easier just to pay someone off to do something faster than to go through the right channels, and wait a long time for things to get through the bureaucracy.  The problem is that these are a few of the channels down which Invisible Children’s money could well be going.  (I never said was, I said could)

Another thing to note is that in their financial report, they do not list how salaries for their employees are listed… are they included in administration?  General?  Or in the program costs?   I am all for development practitioners making a good, living wage.  But there seems to be enough money floating around Invisible Children for significantly higher than a good, living wage to be earned. 

Out of the kindness of my heart (haha), I have now downloaded the 2011 Invisible Children Financial statement… and took a good long look.  (http://c2052482.r82.cf0.rackcdn.com/images/895/original/AR11_small_final2.pdf?1325722694)

First, a comment on their financial report.  It is the sexiest financial report ever written.   

Photos, testimonies, quotes, and histories decorate the 40 page, 7 MB document.  As far as I can see, there are only about 3 pages of actual financial information… and they don’t even line up. 

Let me crunch some numbers with you… we are only going to look at a few of these, but I hope you get the picture.

(Note:  The report lists income and expense.  However, one of the problems is that there is a serious discripency in how much is coming in verses how much they are spending on the program which the money was raised for.  For example… the School 4 School revenue was 1.17 million USD… the expenditure was 696,000… where did the rest go?  We’ll look at that one in a minute. )

Let’s look at the Legacy Scholarship program: 

According to the Invisible Children Critiques page (http://www.invisiblechildren.com/critiques.html) they 

have the following numbers of young people being supported by this initiative.

Stats as of December 2011:

• University students: 250
• Secondary students: 590 (currently recruiting additional students

The amount of money, according to their fancy multicolor graphs, allocated for this project in 2011 was 1,185,000 USD (rounded up)

Math time!

One year of University tuition, room, board, books, life expenses for a student… can be about, for upper level courses, 6 million UGX per year.  That is a HIGH estimate… I would say that in actuality it is more like 4-5 million… but let’s say 6 million ugx per student, for one year.

250x6,000,000=1.5 billion UGX… is 625,000 USD (used the rate of 2400 UGX to 1 USD, which was roughly what it was most of the year 2011)

Now…secondary school.  The best, boarding secondary schools in Uganda cost 1.8 million UGX per year (source:  http://observer.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12590%3Asecondary-school-teachers-decry-low-pay&catid=85%3Aeducation&Itemid=106 ) 

However, in the North of Uganda is costs less than 1 million shillings per student, per year.  So we are going to be nice again, and say that every student they are sponsoring is getting 1 million shillings towards their education.  (I did some basic price and fact checking with some Ugandan friends, they agree with these estimates)

590x1,000,000= 590,000,000 UGX…. Is 246,000 (rounded up, used the rate of 2400 UGX to 1 USD, which was roughly what it was most of the year 2011)

TOTAL… for all their students to be living the good life, using more money on their education than the many Ugandans… this project is spending … wait for it…

871,000 US Dollars.

Wait.  What?  Sorry, that is an extra 314,00 USD… where is it? 

If they use that extra money on staff… they could pay 10 staff members, 30,000 USD a year to work on this project… which only helps 840 people. 

Let’s do another one, shall we?

School  4 School…. First off they have 2 different numbers listed for these projects.  Under the restricted revenue it’s list as 1,175,000 USD raised for this project(pg 34).  But in their nice multicolored grafts, they only list the expenditure amount for the program at $696,000 (rounded down, pg 35).

But wait!  On page 14, in the sexy outline of the school 4 school program, the financial report of Invisible children claims:  “1,162 partner schools raise $1,144,174 for the 11 Ugandan Sister schools…”  (the page next to it says it was 2,000 schools which helped…. I am so confused!!) 

So we have 3 amounts… all distinctly different, which are supposed to be designated for this program. 

Let’s crunch these numbers….

According to Invisible Children they are using this money to help 11 schools in Uganda, both with rebuilding physical structures, latrines, increase access to water, as well as teacher training and scholastic materials.  Great.  Sounds good…

We are going to use the number 1,000,000 USD… because of the conflict in numbers for the crunch.

GO!  1,000,000/ 11 schools = $90,909  per school…. 218,181,600 UGX (2400/1usd)

An important note on this… these would not be private schools.  They are already existing schools, which Invisible Children are partnering with to rehabilitate.  This means that the teacher’s salaries and other administrative expenses would be covered by the attending children’s yearly school fees as well as government salaries.   Please note that it never says that this program sponsors all the children to attend school without paying fees… these children still have to pay to go to school.   The report s simply says that this program is “serving” 9,000 children. 

So, they are not paying salaries, or for food or lodging for students.   And there is 218 MILLION shillings per school… per year. 

They are building buildings… ok.  With decent builders, you should be able to build a school block (class rooms, or dorms) for 10,000-15,000 USD (This is one point where I could be very wrong, but this is what I have understood from collogues I have worked with… but this is for a BLOCK, not an individual classroom…a normal class room could not cost more than 3-5,000 to build.).  

So, they say they have built 36 new classrooms…. If it were classroom blocks (more than 1) it would be 360,000-540,000 USD.  But they say 36 classrooms.  Singular classrooms??  If these are the Ritz Carlton of classrooms in Northern Uganda… it should cost something like 180,000 USD for 36 normal classrooms.  

Refurbished Classrooms?  Let’s be super generous and say 1,000 USD per class room.  How in the world paint, labor, desks, windows, chalk boards and all that can come to 1,000 USD for a normal class room is beyond me… perhaps they have smart boards.

 But for math’s sake, we are giving these classrooms 1,000 USD to be refurbished beautifully…

That’s only 17,000 USD.

Don’t get me started on how cheap teacher training, latrines, boreholes (waterholes) and scholastic materials are…  we’ll be generous again and say that they could have spent up to 500,000 USD on those projects (this would mean that every kids has super nice books, a ton of pencils, scissors, glue, a libraray, maybe the teachers are going to a resort in Kenya for training and they would be some extra nice latrines...)  That would be 45,000 dollars, per school… yeah…  No way. 

[Side story:  I once took a trip to a very very rural school… in the middle of the bush of the far reaches of Western Uganda.  Their latrines were falling apart.  We discussed how much money would be needed to build a latrine with a cement slab which had proper drainage.  They said it would cost 100,000 UGX, total.  That is less than 50 USD.  They are just as remote as Northern Uganda, with equally as little access to roads and supplies.  50 dollars for a decent pit latrine for all the kids at the school]

Sorry, back to the math…

200,000 USD (we’re being generous) for new classrooms

17,000 USD for beautiful new refurbished buildings

 (haha) 500,000 USD for all the things which cannot actually cost that much…

TOTAL SPENT:  717,000  USD.

We were working on the idea of them having 1,000,000 USD for this program.. that’s another 283,000 USD.

Now, if the amount from the financial report on page 35 is correct, 696,000… then it’s possible that it was all used for this program.  But in all honesty, these have to be the nicest and best trained schools in all of Africa (exaggeration... but you get my point).  $500,000 USD on training, latrines, boreholes and materials would be basically impossible to spend… and it doesn’t even sponsor the student’s tuition!

So yes.  All of these are very rough estimates.  But I guess what I am getting is at is that I don’t find Invisible Children to be very forth coming with their financial information.   They seem to not worry too much about penny pinching. .. money seems to just be flowing.  I guess it is somehow stimulating the Ugandan… maybe that is good?

This next part is important…

If you look at the actual numbers of how many people they are helping with the large amounts of money, it’s 

actually not that many.  For example, the “Mend” program boasts that it supports 17 seamstresses… 17.   It supports them?  If they are seamstresses they should be making a sustainable income for themselves after training… and there is 268,000 USD (rounded down) for this program (pg 35, financial report).  EXCUSE ME!?!   That is 643 MILLION UGX.  For 17 women?  Who now have a way of making money?   That is 37 million UGX, per woman… 15,000 USD a year.   I don’t even make that. 

Then if you look closely, IC is spending 30,000 USD on “Awareness Products” for this specific project, MEND.  Are they buying these products and then giving them away?  I don’t get this…

The other, real numbers, of how many people they are assisting with their programs seem equally disproportionate to me.  The amount of money we are talking here is very large.  If you work hard at it, things here don’t need to be expense.  But that’s the thing, you have to be willing to live with integrity, work hard to find good builders and contractors who are trust worthy, and be willing to take the time it takes to get through the systems.   I think Invisible Children wants quick results and beautiful photos… no matter how much it costs their donors. 

When you donate to an organization, it is important that you ask questions.  Know what they are doing with your money… because it’s your money, and it should do good.  

Where is all the money going?  I cannot donate to Invisible Children.

Kony 2012, part 1 of 3....

This is part one of three blog posts I will put up about the current Kony Craze.  I'd like to invite you to read all of them... look through the links posted here, and do some exploring for yourself.  

I know that with these posts I am opening myself up to a lot of criticism and disagreement.  I may not respond to everyone who comments... these are just my humble thoughts.  At the end of the 3rd post, I will try to list every web site I even looked for these posts... there are a lot of them!

Before I begin with my thoughts on Kony 2012 and Invisible Children, I want to say a few things.  First of all, I will probably be wrong on at least some of what I say.  I do not know everything, and am prideful enough to actually weight into the conversation… which means people will disagree with me.

I am trying to read as much as I can, and think as much as possible about what I have experienced here in Uganda to give you my perspective.  Some of these thoughts have been stewing in my mind for some time, I just haven’t had a clear enough block of time to really write about them.  I hope that it is some way helpful.

The first thing I want to say is the Joseph Kony and the Lord’s Resistance Amy are one of the world’s most brutal army.  When Rush Limbaugh said what he said about them, I was infuriated. (Full transcript here : http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2011/10/14/obama_invades_uganda_targets_christians ) My family got a very intense email about how mad I was at his comments.  (Note:  He still has not recanted his words, or apologized for blasting incorrect information.)

The history of Uganda is a difficult and complicated one, as all history is.  Several wars have ravaged this beautiful country and left a huge human tool in its wake.  The LRA is one of the worst armies in the history, I don't want to get into details.  Their brutal tactics are beyond barbaric.  When the peace deal was attempted with the Ugandan government in 2006, Joseph Kony was driven out of Uganda.  From there they did not disband, and were not apprehended, instead they became basically mercenaries around Central Eastern Africa, for the highest bidding warlord or government to hire and wreak havoc on innocent people. 

The LRA needs to be stopped.  I agree with Invisible Children that capturing Joseph Kony and his commanders in very important.  Yet, the justice system in Uganda is terrible.  Recently, a high level commander of the LRA was apprehended by the International Criminal Court in Gulu, and was later released (New Vision story here:  http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/19053-court-orders-ex-lra-commander-s-release.html).  What would actually happen if Kony and his gang were captured?

If only true justice could be served.

So, what do I think about the current craze surrounding Joseph Kony (Kony 2012) and the LRA which is prompted by Invisible Children.

I totally agree with Michael Wilkerson in his article in Foreign Policy’s Blog; Passport.  My writing here will reflect my personal thoughts, but I totally agree with Wilkerson and if you want a brief, clear article… read his.

But for those of you whom have requested my thoughts and take on the whole thing… here we go:

First, I think Invisible Children has one of the most amazing writing and production staffs around.  The people who do the writing and media for Invisible Children are very convincing with words, images and ideas.  They are able to paint a picture which is beautiful, and inspire confidence in what they are doing in those who read, watch and listen.  This is an incredible ability; I wish I had more of it.    

The problem is that Invisible Children are not 100% truthful, and use fairly misleading facts.  Wilkerson outlines this point, but there is one specific place in the video I want to point this out… 

(From the Video Transcript

http://dotsub.com/view/ef3d7b6c-eab5-478a-a51c-d27166d27dcc/viewTranscript/eng):

 03:41 → 03:43

Who are you to end a war?

03:43 → 03:46

I'm here to tell you, who are you not to?

I hate to break it to you, readers, but there is actually no “war” going on against Kony, let alone a war going on in Uganda… it ended officially ended in 2006.  As I wrote earlier, since that time Kony and his gang have been basically extreme guns for hire throughout Central Africa.  They are out there trying to survive in the jungles of Central Africa, a roving band of killers.  Terrible, I know.   

Invisible Children information (financial report 2011) says that since 2008, over 3,000 children have been abducted… but it doesn’t say by whom.  Also, I searched their citation on the Enough Project website, and could not find the cited information.  Opps.  (Note:  The information at the Enough Project website seems to be well done, very professional, but much more cited, documented and connected to the bigger picture than Invisible Children.  Seems that Invisible Children aren’t the only people who have been working hard for this… http://www.enoughproject.org/files/Ending%20the%20Lord%27s%20Resistance%20Army.pdf) 

According to the Enough Project, the LRA currently numbers roughly 500 armed combatants.

Also, not to break your heart, but honestly how can you, from your computer, help with this situation.  With the split of Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo is now the largest country in Africa.  There are very few roads throughout the entire Eastern side of the country, it is sold jungle (just look at google maps).  Central African Republic, DRCs northern neighbor, is an unsung failed state.  It doesn’t get press like Somalia, but it’s basically ungoverned… a bit of a mess   (some history here …http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/4007.htm)  

Perhaps if we all look hard enough at google satellite pictures someone can spot an LRA camp (sorry for the sarcasm). How is this campaign really, honestly going to catch Kony?

Action Kits?  Really?  Have we reduced violence, war crimes, and terror to a fashion statement?  Give your 30 dollars to a local soup kitchen, most people will benefit from it… that I can guarantee.

Now, how is your facebook post and donation of 30 dollars going to catch Kony?  Invisible Children would scare you into thinking that somehow the USA is going to stop helping with the issue… when in the video it’s said…

21:58 → 22:01

But in order for the American advisors to be there,

22:01 → 22:04

the US government has to deploy them.

22:04 → 22:08

They've done that, but if the government doesn't believe the people care

22:08 → 22:12

about arresting Kony, the mission will be canceled.   ßThis is a lie.

A read of the US Department of State’s official document on the US position on Kony and the LRA does not say anything about a pull out date, and in fact reinforces the idea that there is a sustained commitment to “also continue(s) to provide assistance to support the return of displaced people, reconstruction, and recovery in northern Uganda”.  Though this might sound strange, if you read through the document, you can see that there are a lot of big, international players in this… the UN, 5 or more governments…. The US government is not going to stop this incentive if you don’t post the video and donate to Invisible Children.

US Department of State statement:  http://www.state.gov/p/af/rls/fs/2012/183487.htm

 I think that the Kony 2012 video is misleading, and a great way for Invisible Children to get a lot of press, and money...I don't think the people at Invisible Children are bad people.  They are probably incredibly passionate, and really want to do some good.

We just really need to ask, what good is Kony 2012 actually doing?

My next post will be about Invisible Children, and money.   Wait for it....

Ireland the Green: Part 1

I think that I should at least comment on the fact I spent the last 2.5 weeks on a different continent.  Things are going to get so busy here soon, that I am afraid you will never hear all the tales of Ireland.  But here is an attempt at a start...

I flew via Dubai.  I had never been to Dubai before.  I was graciously picked up by my world traveling friend John Everington, whom, if Dubai is "Asia/Middle East", I have officially spent time with on 3 continents.

John is not just cool, he is so cool that he came and collected me at 1 am and took me around Dubai.  Our adventures included seeing the world's tallest building, having hot chocolate at 2:30 in the morning in the 2nd nicest hotel in Dubai... walking along a pier into the ocean where million dollar yachts were parked, right next to the amazing 7 star hotel which is one of Dubai's main attractions.

Pictures in the next post...

I arrived in Dublin to be met by my very good and dear friend Orla...and the FREEZING cold.  It was unbarable.  My body totally freaked out.

We spent the next 4 hours getting me set up (or trying) for Irish life.  We were unable to find clothing which usable (the irish sense of fashion leaves something to be desired!), but I did get a sim card and those sort of things to get life moving.  

Stopping into my old home, we had a joyful reunion, and several other visits before finally getting me to my first (of 5) residence.   I dropped my stuff, and went to dinner across the street at the Lynches... and got to spend the whole evening visiting with various members of their delightful family.

I headed home about 10 pm... I accidentally fell asleep because I was SO exhausted. I hadn't slept at all in over 30 hours.   The next thing I knew, Katharina was calling me saying she was at the bus stop.  Ethna, the older woman I was staying with, and I hurried out of the house estate to find her.  It was AMAZING to see one of my close friends, after 5 years! 

We, of course, talked until 2 am... it had been WAY too long not to!  It was so wonderful and special to be staying with my dear friend... she's am awesome person! 

More on all this later....