wednesday, september 11 , 2013 the collegian page5 trip gives students new perspective on KONY 2012

Charlie King-Hagen oping relationships with native had had three to four children When Westfall and his group staff writer Ugandans, acquiring an under­ who were abducted and never arrived in Friendship Vitiage, When international organi­ standing of the Uganda lifestyle came back;' Westfall said. "I their first stop and the head­ zation , Inc. and, first and foremost, seeking asked them ifthey were afraid of quarters of Bead for Life, a non­ released KONY 2012 on March out the tn1th about the lives of Joseph !Cony and their response profit organization that helped s; 2012, it sent a chilling shock people whose everyday lives arc was, 'No, not really:" them set up a portion of their around the world. The goal of lived alongside unimaginable For Cori Christopherson, trip, they sa,.v a giant inansion in the video was to raise awareness horrors. senior in kinesiology, some of the village. about the acts of , a "I remember thinking, '1his the I

Continued from page 1 and say 'Oh, well you didn't do any~ thing. You only helped three kids,"' scale of a project. Kohhneier said. "Spending time with "When I came in, I had this grand those three kids is one of the most vision of, 'Let's solve the biggest prob­ important things I've done in my life. le1n in the world and then everything It's one of my greatest achievements else will fix itself,"' Westfall said. "But so far. Within just a couple days of the further you go, the more complex talking to the people, I knew I'd have things become, and you realize the to go back:' complexities of the situation. You All who went said they.were affect­ come to the true solution, which is ed by their experiences and look to working with small, local commu­ keep moving forward. nities and programs. You need their "I saw bullet holes and missing input." body parts. I can't tell you how many During their time in Friendship times I sat in a remote hut and cried Village, the group stayed with host with a family;· Westfall said. "But those families and conducted a series of aren't the stories they want us to hear. intervievvs. They want to move on. The people I They also spent time at an orphan­ spoke with are looking towards the age called M-Lisada, where children future. They aren't looking for the big who have been victimized by the house, the white picket fence, the 2.4 violent instability of the country are kids, the car and the dog. They want taught music and life skills. their little piece of land, their culture Grant Kohlmeier, senior in history and their traditions, and they want to and criminology, made a few special be able to survive."ingness to com­ courtesy photo connections while at the orphanage, municate and build relationships (L€1ft to Right) Anna Nanner, K-State alum, Maggie Burger, senior in anthropology, ,Grant Kohlmeier, senior in history, befriending three boys named Jona­ and a desire to help out in whatever Chase Fortune, junior in pre-journalism, Corinne Christopherson, senior in kinesiology, and Danielle Crossland, senior than, Frank and Twibe. way possible, regardless of the size or in social work, accompanied David Westfall on a two month long trip to Ugahda this past summer. "So1ne people hear about my trip scale of a project.