"I will not give hand-outs or money to anyone. I will direct them to long-term programs for assistance." ~ IC handbook

This statment was in the contract I signed on my way to Gulu and it represents why I love the mission and vision of Invisible Children. It's not about providing immediate relief, although there is a place for that in some NGOs, but rather in developing a program that will eventually become a sustainable operation run completely by Ugandans.

So while the statement seems harsh, and my heart breaks everytime someone asks me for money, I learned that for real change to take root in Gulu I have to pour my energy into a program that will empower Ugandans to establish solutions to the poverty that plagues their country.

You would not believe the number of NGOs in Gulu alone, but I appreciate that IC works directly with seondary schools that are government funded. When this organization was established in 2003, they specifically asked what needs were not being met and the overwhelming response was support for higher education. In this respect, IC believes in taking something that is already established by Ugandans, namely secondary schools, and partnering with them until they reach that level of excellence that you and I know.