KONY who? Think before you donate.....

Apparently people in Uganda are reacting to the Kony2012 campaign - negatively.


If nothing else, the Kony campaign gave this woman who lives in Uganda a voice :




A girlfriend of mine from Japan has been a volunteer RN for a Health Organization in several of these middle African countries for the past 5 years.  She had to move from the country she originally was in to another due to the conflicts in the areas she is working with.  

It wasn't Kony that was the problem there.

They are doing incredible work with other people from around the world to teach health and help those who are coping with day to day concerns and current health issues.

One of my best friends from school was Consul General at an Embassy in a West African country when bands of militants went door to door hauling out any foreigners from France -  and slaughtering them.  He narrowly escaped with his life.

Kony wasn't the problem there.

There are more issues in Africa than one man named Kony.   There are corrupt governments that do just as horrible things than Kony, diseases we have never heard of and other political issues that will take more than a poster campaign to correct.

As a board member on a non-profit,  I wince when I hear of an "Non profit" organization that is not as transparent as it could be and is perhaps a little bit suspect in it's methodology. 

People will always love a band wagon to jump on.  It makes them feel good.......for a little while.  When the popularity of the project wanes.....what are we left with? What is the next step? What can we do that is constructive?

To only be "aware" of a situation isn't enough.

One thing that I have done for several years, is participate in an organization such as KIVA,  which assists those people in 3rd world countries to get a loan where they would never normally qualify or where financial institutions don't exist  -  and help them to help themselves.

It's called MICROFINANCING.

It's not money that is handed free of responsibility.  First, they must create a business plan. The borrowers have to pay the money back.  Loan payback is approximately 98% - which is far better than any "regular" bank.   When your loan is paid back - you then choose another person/group to loan it to. 

The success rate of these businesses is phenomenal.

When we allow people to take the initiative, it will stabilize their life and in turn, they can participate in their own governments and political issues to make changes.

Go to the KIVA website and find out that there are better things to do than run out in the middle of the night plastering posters all over other people's property that someone else will have to clean up.