Invisible children

By Angelica Estrada/reporter

SE Campus students are helping needy children hundreds of miles away.

Beta Delta Omicron chapter of Phi Theta Kappa sponsored a walk April 11 to raise money for The Invisible Children awareness project.

The project began in 2003, when three young men went to Uganda looking for a story and found children fighting in wars. Invisible children refers to those living in northern Uganda who have been forced to become soldiers in a civil war. When they returned to the United States, the young men started the Invisible Children foundation, which helps rebuild schools in the communities of Uganda and take children out war.

The turnout for the SE walk was low; just three students walked for 30 minutes around the SE Campus track in a move to show the seriousness of the situation in Uganda.

Louis Ndupu, PTK vice president, said chapter president Maxdiel Robles came up with idea to host the walk on campus. Despite the low number at the track, about 45 students donated money for the cause, so officers were pleased with the event.

“We had a great turnout with this event, and we plan to do it again next fall because we did really well for our first time,” Ndupu said.

Some of participants said they felt that by helping with this event, they were helping this children in northern Uganda to have a better life.

SE student Chris Cofé said, “When I was in a band, a friend told me a lot about Invisible Children. Children need schools, and not to be in the military, and it’s not a good thing to make children bear arms.” 

Most of the students said they knew something about this event and, because it had to do with children, it made it easier to donate or participate.

Christina Loterynan, a SE Campus student, said she donated money because she liked the cause.

“I have done walks for other events, too,” she said, “like to prevent violence against women and the AIDS Walk in Fort Worth.”

Loterynan said she would like for everyone to become aware of the Invisible Children campaign.

Stephanie Ville, a SE campus student, said, “It feels good by doing this event to help out.”

For more information on this topic and to watch a movie about the invisible children, go to http://www.invisiblechildren.com.