Night walk for a good cause
Coventry is one of 32 cities worldwide taking part in GuluWalk Day UK on Saturday October 22. The walk, lead by Warwick University student Farah Williamson, aims to raise awareness of the thousands of children in Northern Uganda who walk into Gulu each night to sleep in relative safety and avoid abduction by the rebel army.
Every night as many as 40,000 children (night commuters) living in rural northern Uganda walk upto 12 kilometres into the town of Gulu and other urban centres. This daily trek is part of their routine as staying at home means risking abduction by the rebel army and being forced to fight as a child-soldier. Every morning the children retrace their steps, hoping to return home in time to attend school.
The walk on 22 October is an international civil event, with countries including the US, Canada, the UK, China, Uganda, Sweden and Serbia signed up to take part. Warwick University student, Farah Williamson, who grew up in Uganda, is the Coventry and Warwickshire leader and asks that as many people as possible take part. She said: "We can't possibly replicate the terror, fear and uncertainty of the real "night commuters", who walk for their lives every single day. We’re walking simply so that we can tell their story, and draw attention to their plight. We ask that each individual in the Coventry and Warwickshire region should join this international civil movement and take a walk on a child’s side."
The Coventry GuluWalk will start at the University and finish in Coventry city centre. If you would like to find out more, contact Farah at Shelterwakadogo_uk@yahoo.co.uk, tel: 07786 244658 or visit the website at www.guluwalk.com
Notes:
GuluWalk Day is an international civil movement initiated by the efforts of two Canadians and their 31-day GuluWalk earlier this year, which aimed to raise awareness and show support for the 'night commuters' and child victims of northern Uganda’s 19-year civil war.
GuluWalk Day is a proud partner of the Act for Stolen Children campaign, which is designed to raise public awareness, increase public support and raise funds to aid children affected by the humanitarian crisis and conflicts in northern Uganda. The campaign is also designed to encourage and support governments to play a leadership role in resolving the crisis in northern Uganda via work with the International Criminal Court, the United Nations, and other agencies.
Every night as many as 40,000 children (night commuters) living in rural northern Uganda walk upto 12 kilometres into the town of Gulu and other urban centres. This daily trek is part of their routine as staying at home means risking abduction by the rebel army and being forced to fight as a child-soldier. Every morning the children retrace their steps, hoping to return home in time to attend school.
The walk on 22 October is an international civil event, with countries including the US, Canada, the UK, China, Uganda, Sweden and Serbia signed up to take part. Warwick University student, Farah Williamson, who grew up in Uganda, is the Coventry and Warwickshire leader and asks that as many people as possible take part. She said: "We can't possibly replicate the terror, fear and uncertainty of the real "night commuters", who walk for their lives every single day. We’re walking simply so that we can tell their story, and draw attention to their plight. We ask that each individual in the Coventry and Warwickshire region should join this international civil movement and take a walk on a child’s side."
The Coventry GuluWalk will start at the University and finish in Coventry city centre. If you would like to find out more, contact Farah at Shelterwakadogo_uk@yahoo.co.uk, tel: 07786 244658 or visit the website at www.guluwalk.com
Notes:
GuluWalk Day is an international civil movement initiated by the efforts of two Canadians and their 31-day GuluWalk earlier this year, which aimed to raise awareness and show support for the 'night commuters' and child victims of northern Uganda’s 19-year civil war.
GuluWalk Day is a proud partner of the Act for Stolen Children campaign, which is designed to raise public awareness, increase public support and raise funds to aid children affected by the humanitarian crisis and conflicts in northern Uganda. The campaign is also designed to encourage and support governments to play a leadership role in resolving the crisis in northern Uganda via work with the International Criminal Court, the United Nations, and other agencies.