UNICEF FILE: UGANDA

[lovinclay]

THANK YOU, PAMELA AND CHRISTIE!  

IF ANYONE FINDS PICTURES, CAN YOU PLEASE POST THEM?

[LadyC]

From Clay's speech:

I recently returned from tsunami-ravaged Aceh Province, where I saw utter devastation. Miles of nothing where there once were homes, schools and communities. But that isn't all I saw. I also saw hope and resilience. I saw children learning in schools, whether those schools were tents, or camps or blankets by the beach. I saw computers that had been used to trace missing children being packed away, because most kids have been reunited with relatives or are being cared for in safe environments. And I saw surviving boys and girls returning for the first time to the water's edge, where they sang and danced and started finding their smiles again.

Wow!  Once again, I stand in awe at the sheer nobility and goodness of this man.  The feelings and images he expresses in this paragraph are powerful and incredibly generous of spirit.  And the extraordinary thing about Clay is that he speaks from his heart and his words are true.

He's amazing.  God bless him and keep him safe.

Thank you, Pamela, for all the articles.  I finally took time to read them all, and I must say I don't know whether I'm more heartbroken or horrified.  It's difficult to believe that such savage brutality and suffering are part of day-to-day living for these people, violence and starvation are the daily norm for innocents ... for little children.

I cry and feel like I'm letting my daughter down when I can't buy her $85 designer jeans, and girls much younger than her are being forced to drink their own urine and murder other children because they're too weak or injured to walk.

I emailed my senator.  I made a donation to UNICEF.  I wish I could do more...

[Clayton Clayniac]

Info from Clay's official fan club site:  http://clayonline.sparkart.com/util/forums/clayaiken/viewtopic.php?t=1522

Found this on CB

Jan Whatever from Ideal Idol spoke with Faye and she said that Clay is going to be going to Uganda at the end of May and staying for a week. She posted this info on her message board at ClayDream Believers. FINALLY we got some confirmation, woo hoo!
Let's pray for him as he embarks on the next round of his amazing journey. It just occurred to me, this may not be the "Amazing Race" that Clay had hoped to do, but it's something far more amazing than he has ever considered!

[Clayton Clayniac]

Bringing this over from the Clayboard:

Discussions Re: Clay's UNICEF travel -- PLEASE READ
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 A message from Clay's management:



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FYI: Per Clay's management team, Clay's most recently discussed UNICEF trip has been delayed & pending reschedule. In regards to all UNICEF-related discussions, Clay’s management greatly appreciates your understanding of the importance of keeping discussions, travel details, dates & locations off the message boards until they deem it safe to do so.
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As a result of this message, we have removed the most recent threads referring to UNICEF-related travel. Please don't repost these topics. If we spot anything related, we'll have to edit or delete. Thanks much for your understanding.

[Pamela]

Street kids recruited for terror, says U.N.
Intel officials see groups targeting them for surveillance, infiltration

Posted: May 22, 2005
1:00 a.m. Eastern
By H.P. Albarelli Jr.
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com


A United Nations draft report connects the increase in the number of terrorists to the problem of street children.

"The problem of street children, global in scope and in some areas rapidly expanding at disturbing rates, poses a heretofore little realized and under appreciated nexus to the increase in numbers of terrorists as well as terrorist-sponsored incidents, both small and large," begins the report, written by a select group of American intelligence officials, including several CIA representatives and at least one representative from the Homeland Security Department's Office of Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection.

The document reportedly has alarmed a number of United Nations Children's Fund officials who work to assist street children worldwide. Officials' concerns centered on suspicions that groups of street children in certain regions were being targeted for surveillance and infiltration.

Read the rest at WORLD NET DAILY

[LuvMyClay]

Thanks.. that explains things.

[Pamela]

Clay Aiken to Visit Northern Uganda Children

The Monitor (Kampala)
May 23, 2005
Posted to the web May 23, 2005

Henry H. Ssali

If you follow reality TV, then Clay Aiken is not new to you. The multi-platinum selling musician came into the limelight in early 2003 after wooing millions of TV viewers in the American Idols talent search competition.

If you didn't know about the competition at least you have watched videos of his songs like Way and Measure of a Man on TV and listened to them on radio.

Aiken tussled it out with more than 7000 talented Americans in the American Idols competition. He didn't win, coming in second to Ruben Studdard, but he landed a deal with RCA records and released his debut single This Is The Night, which sold 392,000 copies in it's first week of release.

In October 2003, he released a full length album The Measure Of A Man, which sold 613,000 copies and become number one on the Billboard's Top 200 song listings during its first week of release. The album sold more than 2.6 million copies overall.

He released his second album Merry Christmas With Love in November 2004 and it also went to number one on the Billboard holiday album charts.

Aiken, who was born on November 30, 1978, was named a Unicef Ambassador of Education for all children in November 2004. This is the reason why the University of North Carolina Special Education graduate is visiting Uganda.

A release from Unicef Uganda offices says that Aiken will tour Unicef supported projects in northern Uganda, visit Internally Displaced Peoples' Camps, night commuter shelters and reception centres for formerly abducted children in Kitgum, Gulu and Katakwi districts beginning today. He is expected to end his tour on Friday.

ALL AFRICA
and
THE MONITOR

[Marilyn]

THANK YOU PAMELA-WE WILL PRAY FOR HIS SAFE RETURN, AND THAT OF THE PEOPLE ACCOMPANYING HIM

[Her]

Thank you Pamela....

[lovinclay]

THANK YOU, PAMELA.  CLAY AND HIS TEAM WILL BE IN MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS.

[Pamela]

Ugandan children sleep rough to avoid rebel army
May 24, 2005

The United Nations says up to 40,000 children are leaving their homes in northern Uganda at night to avoid being abducted and forced into fighting.

The UN says the number of so-called night commuters has increased by 10,000 in the past month after a surge in fighting in Northern Uganda.

About 20,000 children have been abducted and forced to fight by the rebel Lord's Resistance Army, so children leave their village homes and sleep in the streets in larger towns to avoid being kidnapped.

A new UNICEF report says that worsening conditions stem from a stalemate in attempts to restart peace talks.

Earlier this month, increased attacks prompted calls for UN Security Council intervention in an area which officials say is now home to one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

YAHOO

[lovinclay]

THANK YOU, PAMELA, FOR THAT LAST POST.  WHAT A TERRIBLE SITUATION!

[Pamela]

Unicef envoy visits Kitgum By Cornes Lubangakene

THE UNICEF goodwill ambassador, Clay Aiken, has visited Kitgum district branch of the Gulu Support the Children Organisation (GUSCO) centre for war-affected children.

He interacted with children formerly abducted by LRA rebels before visiting Pabbo IDP camp in Gulu on May 25.

Aiken, one of the top American pop stars on a five-day visit of northern and eastern Uganda to monitor activities of UNICEF in the war-troubled regions, was yesterday expected in Katakwi.

The GUSCO advocacy officer, Francis Odokorach Shanty, said Aiken’s visit to GUSCO is to see what the organisation is doing as a partner in handling the children.

Aiken promised to look after one orphan at the centre.

Published on: Friday, 27th May, 2005

NEW VISION

[Her]

Thanks Pamela....gosh, the man is just...GAAAH.... you know?

[ClayObsessed]

Thank you Pamela for providing the information for us.  I am so proud of
him and glad for him because I know he wants to do these things to help
where he can.  But I am a real worry wart and am so afraid for him.  I
can't wait for him to come back safely.  The info you posted helps so
much.  I feel easier now that I know it is almost over.  And seeing a
picture always helps.
...shirl

[Pamela]

Considering that THIS type of thing is happening in one of the areas he specifically visited, I am so happy this trip is over I could just scream.

[houstonclayfan]

Considering that THIS type of thing is happening in one of the areas he specifically visited, I am so happy this trip is over I could just scream.

me too.  The amount of courage he has amazes me.

[Boomer Aries]

Thank you for the update, Pamela!  I was wondering about the picture but when I clicked on the link you provided my question was answered.
By the way, I really like your CWI avie!

[Pamela]

US artiste to publicise IDPs’ plight
By Isaac Kalembe

AN American artiste has promised to raise international awareness about the plight of people in internally displaced people’s (IDPs) camps through music.

“I’m thinking of composing a song about the plight of IDPs in northern Uganda. When I return to the US I will talk to some people. Possibly in the coming months, I’ll have composed it. We should think of creative ways of sensitising the international community about the crisis,” Clay Aiken said on Friday.

Aiken, who is the UNICEF national ambassador for education, was addressing the press at the UNICEF offices in Kampala.

“It’s unfortunate that such a tragic situation is not adequately publicised. I’ll impress it on the US government to help end it,” said the 25-year-old recently described by the US People magazine as the “sexiest man alive.”
His debut album Measure of a Man, has reached platinum status and his Bridge over troubled water was the bestselling single of 2003.

Published on: Monday, 30th May, 2005

NEW VISION

[Moonshot]

He is such an incredible human being.

I'm really glad that he's back in the US. I was worried and I don't even know him. I cannot even imagine the stress and worry his mother was going through.