Forum on International Cooperation University of British Columbia (FICUBC)

Northern Uganda Campaign Funding Proposal

Executive Summary

Background

Forum on International Cooperation University of British Columbia (FICUBC) was founded on campus in the fall of 2005 as a student interest group and received official AMS club status in the spring of 2006. Our club is an autonomous organization affiliated with the youth network Global Forum on International Cooperation (GFIC), which works to promote active youth engagement in international affairs and acts as an advocate for the concept of Global Responsibility.

Throughout the academic year our group coordinates a number of programs that benefit our members and the UBC community at large. FICUBC has organized in the past, or plans to organize in the coming year; awareness campaigns, fundraisers, conferences, workshops, and public lectures. In addition to our work on campus, FICUBC also works with its partners in Uganda to facilitate members to travel to that country during the summer months in order to participate in community capacity-building programs. Last year five UBC students worked on one such program in Namuwongo, an urban slum in Kampala, the capital of Uganda. The program was incredibly successful and has been sustained and expanded since our group’s departure.

Our group’s work has led to our latest initiative on campus, which is an awareness campaign focusing on the ongoing conflict and resulting humanitarian situation in Northern Uganda. In the community of Namuwongo where FICUBC members worked last summer the vast majority of the population are Acholi, which is the ethnic group most significantly affected by the current conflict.

The conflict in Northern Uganda has deep historical roots that can be traced back to colonial influences on the distribution of power among rival ethnic groups. Conflicts since the country’s independence have largely been fought between between the dominant political and economic population of Western Uganda and the militarily dominant population of Northern Uganda. Following the successful overthrow of the government in 1986 by Yoweri Museveni, the current Ugandan President, and his National Resistance Movement, which was supported mainly by Westerners, rebellions based in the Northern Ugandan districts of Gulu and Kitgum began to emerge. The Uganda People’s Democratic Army (UPDA), the Holy Spirit Movement (HSM) of Alice Auma, and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) of Joseph Kony have all fought since that time against the central government, with the LRA the only remaining force still engaged in the conflict.

Although the conflict has garnered relatively little attention from the international media, the consequences for the population of Northern Uganda are devastating. The statistics are staggering; tens of thousands of civilians maimed or killed, more than 25 000 children aged 7 to 17 abducted (forced to serve as soldiers or sex slaves), and 1.7 million displaced and forced into Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, where another 1 000 die every week from disease, malnutrition, and nighttime attacks by the LRA.

Thankfully, there is reason for hope that the conflict may soon come to an end and the long and difficult process of reconciliation and reconstruction may begin. In October 2005, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued its first indictments against the LRA’s top commanders for their involvement in war crimes. Additionally, the Government has proclaimed an open amnesty for all LRA fighters, meant to encourage a pacific solution to the conflict. Although the two approaches may seem contradictory, they have increased perceptions on both sides that a resolution must now be sought. Talks being held in Juba, Southern Sudan are ongoing with the aim of reaching a comprehensive peace agreement between the warring parties.

Objective and Goals

In line with the UBC vision of creating Global Citizens through education both in and out of the classroom, we believe that this program serves an important purpose to the UBC community. Citizenship is a concept that relies on both rights and responsibilities. In the context of Global Citizenship, UBC students have a responsibility not only to be aware of the current issues in international society but also to act in accordance with, and to ensure the protection of, widely accepted notions of basic human rights. FICUBC’s Northern Uganda Campaign will assist students to meet these responsibilities.

Our goal is to raise awareness of the ongoing conflict in order to promote active student engagement. This will be measured by the success of our fundraising campaign, which we hope will raise at least $500 for our partners in Northern Uganda, as well as UBC student participation in Guluwalk, in which we hope to have at least 200 students represented. Guluwalk is an annual walk of solidarity to raise awareness of the conflict and demonstrate support for those affected by it.

Art Gallery Show

One of the main features of our campaign will be a photography exhibit to be held October 10-15, 2006 in the AMS Art Gallery in the Students Union Building on UBC campus. We have selected 12-20 photos to be produced at a 12”x18” scale that represent Uganda and the conflict in the country. Some are from FICUBC’s international community development in Namuwongo, an urban slum in the capital Kampala that it home to approximately 8 000 Acholi refugees from Northern Uganda and others are from Gulu District in Northern Uganda where a number of FICUBC members toured and worked.

The exhibit has dual aims: to raise awareness and funds. We hope that through these visual representations students will be able to connect to the conflict on a human rather than abstract level. These same people will be given the opportunity to be actively engaged in the situation, through purchasing photos and thus funding grassroots programs in Northern Uganda and additionally being given the opportunity to participate in this year’s Guluwalk.

Sponsor Contribution

FICUBC is currently actively seeking event sponsors for the Art Gallery Show. For a contribution of $16.90 per photo, one may individually or on behalf of an organization sponsor one or more of the photos on exhibition. These photos will be displayed over the course of the week of October 10-15, 2006 in the AMS Art Gallery in the Students Union Building on UBC campus. Over the course of the show we will be encouraging visitors to purchase the photos, with the proceeds going to our partners (described below). Of course, the sponsors will be given the first opportunity to purchase the photos for an additional $25. Any photos remaining unsold at the end of the week will be again auctioned off at our fundraiser on October 16th, 2006 at The Gallery Lounge.

Northern Uganda Campaign Revenue

The two organizations that will receive the donations from photo sales at the Art Gallery Show have been partnered with the Global Forum on International Cooperation network for a number of years.

The first organization is United Youth in Action for Progress (UYAP), which is based in Gulutown in Gulu District, Northern Uganda. UYAP is a fully registered NGO in Uganda and operates a number of grassroots programs such as cultural, sport, and medical programs in IDP camps. In addition, it operates “Te Okono”, a night commuter centre that provides safe shelter to youth forced to leave their homes at night due to threat of abduction. UYAP was recently awarded funding from a coalition of Nordic aid agencies due to the professional and diligent management of its centre and its contributions to the Acholi community.

The second organization that we hope to support is Youth Empowerment Uganda (YEU), which is based in Lacor IDP camp also in Gulu District, Northen Uganda. YEU is a youth-driven fully registered NGO that focuses on the holistic protection and welfare of the Lacor community. It currently runs education programs for both children and adults in its small schoolhouse/office. It also has organized an innovative community theater program that presents its productions both within Lacor and IDP camps throughout the district. The topic of the productions is HIV/AIDS and each one has an important learning component that will educate the audience on the prevention and treatment of the virus.

Recognition

In return for its support for our Northern Uganda Campaign, FICUBC will place a placard beneath each sponsored photo featuring the photo details and the sponsor’s name and website. In addition, each will be noted on our website as an event supporter.

For more information on sponsorship please contact Matthew Berry, FICUBC President, via email: mberry@interchange.ubc.ca

To view the photos available for sponsorship, please visit our group’s online photo sharing site:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ficubc/sets/72157594313490831/