Music for the child soldiers in Uganda

In 2003, a small team of Southern California filmmakers made a gritty documentary exposing the chilling reality of the child soldier epidemic in Northern Uganda, where for the past quarter-century rebel leader Joseph Kony has been terrorizing the community in a war older than the soldiers who fight it. The film, Invisible Children: A Rough Cut, received an overwhelmingly supportive response, with people scrambling for ways to help, prompting the team to leverage this enthusiasm. So they founded the nonprofit Invisible Children, an inspired social and political movement using storytelling to raise awareness—and funds—for Uganda’s social tragedy, empowering the community to take charge of its own destiny. Over the years, the organization has become a serious player in demonstrating alternative ways of thinking about aid and awareness with the kind of dynamism and creativity that sparks micro-economic initiatives, sways politicians and helps rebuild schools.

In Uganda, rebel leader Joseph Kony is currently abducting children and forcing them to fight in a war that has lasted over 23 years. When, in 2003, three young guys from southern California traveled to Uganda and stumbled across this situation, they knew they had to share it with the world. The result was the documentary film Invisible Children and, after an unexpectedly overwhelming response to the film, the non-profit organization of the same name.

Invisible Children has always been an organization that prides itself on creativity – and we have seen the power that film and music can have on educating and motivating individuals. Invisible Children, in partnership with La Blogotheque, has set out to make a documentary film combining the power of the Invisible Children’s story with the influence of three of our culture’s most innovative musical groups.

More: Kickstarter

In March 2010, the members of Polyphonic Spree, along with two other bands (TBD), will join the Invisible Children crew and La Blogotheque on a journey to Gulu, Uganda.

Invisible Children and La Blogotheque want YOU to be involved. Your support will not only help get production for this project under way, but it will ultimately help us in proving to the world that musical notes can be more powerful than bullets, and songs more powerful than bombs.

Via Maria Popova

Maria is interestingness curator, digital anthropologist and semi-secret geek obsessed with storytelling, design, indie music, and data visualization. Founder and editor of Brain Pickings, an eclectic blog about curated inspiration, innovation and brilliant ideas from across the creative board.She is Bulgarian, lives in L.A.

Follow her: @brainpicker on Twitter