The issue of child soldiers is happening a world away but the experience will be brought home to Port Alberni next week with a special film and lecture at Alberni District Secondary School.
Entitled ‘Invisible Children Presents Tony’ the film is being shown at ADSS on Tuesday, Sept. 27. Showtime is 8:45 a.m.
The documentary chronicles the life of a Ugandan boy named Tony.
Although not a child soldier, Tony’s life suffered the impacts of children in Uganda who are kidnapped and forced into being soldiers by the Lord’s Resistance Army.
Four members from the organization Invisible Children are accompanying the film to ADSS.
One member – Kizito - is from Uganda, and will give a lecture on the impact of the issue to the audience afterward.
Kizito was the beneficiary of assistance through a Invisible Children project called Schools-For-Schools.
ADSS teacher Kama Money showed the film’s predecessor ‘Invisible Children — Rough Cut’ to her Social Justice 12 class last year and found it hard to watch.
“It is like an emotional rollercoaster, with scenes of real heart-wrenching emotion that cuts you to the core,” Money said. “It’s juxtaposed by scenes of enormous resilience and hope, though.”
Seeing the film inspired former social justice students Andrew Armstrong and Dylan Wilson to host an Invisible Children fundraising rock concert at the Academy, which raised $800 for the issue.
“Invisible Children was so impressed that they chose to make a stop at ADSS,” Money said.
“The exciting part is that it’s been set in motion by our community’s youth for their peers. You can’t really get more grassroots than this.”
Admission is free. Audience members will have a chance to purchase Invisible Children goods or arrange to make donations afterward.
All proceeds go towards Invisible Children projects.
reporter@albernivalleynews.com