We are thrilled to share with you a link to the Associated Press article by Adelle Kalakouti that was just published online by wide range of outlets including the New York Times, the Washington Post, ABC and Fox News about our partner organization in Uganda, YOLRED, the first organization created and operated by former child combatants.

You might already have read about YOLRED’s community gathering in our most recent newsletter. The event was held to celebrate YOLRED’s highly successful first year and showcase the unique music therapy program started this summer.

The words of Jackline Akot, who was kidnapped as a teenager by the Lord’s Resistance Army, illustrate the music therapy program’s powerful effects. Now a 36-year-old mother of six, Jackline acted out a story at the gathering and then spoke about the experience:

“You would not cope if you were to stay according to the traditional way. So when the group came, they started sharing with us, they started counselling us.” -- Jackline Akot 

Jackline added that the performance brought her “a lot of peace.”

We’d like to thank Board Member Tom Hinshaw for his support of the music therapy program and for his partnership with the team in Uganda. We’d also like to invite you to join Tom by making a donation to support grassroots driven social change in Uganda and around the world.