Empowering Hands

Have you ever had a day where you are reminded just how fortunate you are? For me, today is one of those days. I started out the day in bed sicker than a dog, feeling very sorry for myself that I've had such a crappy year health-wise. I mean, it's November and I've been sick more than 20 times! When I finally rolled out of my cushy bed at noon, (my husband worked from home today so that I could get some rest) I did my normal tour around the Anderworld which always starts with a hop on the 360 blog. That's when my whole outlook changed.

Sniffling and coughing, I read producer Amanda Townsend's post, Weapons of War: Girl Soldiers. Amanda profiled Soledad O'Brien's upcoming interview with five child soldiers from Uganda who had been kidnapped from their homes as mere children by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and were forced to become soldiers. Many of these girls are forced to become sex slaves as well. (Please click here to read Amanda's blog post.)

The women were flown from Uganda to New York to attend Glamour Magazine's Women of the Year Awards held last night at Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center. The five founding members of Empowering Hands were honored for their healing work with child soldiers in Uganda. (To preview Soledad's interview, please click here.)

Here is some information about Empowering Hands and how they have helped many of these women reclaim their lives. This is from an article on UNICEF.com:

Empowerment through music and dance
Empowering Hands organizes village discussions and works to raise awareness about child abduction through musical and dramatic performances. Earnings from each performance go to a revolving fund that enables group members to start income-generating projects. Sarah belongs to the Empowering Hands music and dance troupe in the Amuru camp. She can now talk with hope about resuming her schooling one day, even as she earns a small living as a tailor to fend for herself and her son.

The Empowering Hands music and dance troupe performs the 'Roya Dance' down a main thoroughfare of the Amuru displacement camp.

“My involvement in Empowering Hands has made life much more bearable,” says Sarah. “I see the possibilities.”

More than 2,000 formerly abducted children in Uganda have been reached this year through community-based support groups like Empowering Hands. The number of reported child abductions has been declining since August 2006, when the Government of Uganda and the LRA reached a landmark cessation of hostilities agreement. The fact remains, however, that there has yet to be an official release of the estimated 1,500 children and women associated with the LRA.

Support from the community
“Placing the centre of support squarely on community members is essential to giving the formerly abducted their lives back,” says the head of UNICEF operations in Uganda, Keith McKenzie, “Without this strong sense of ownership, one squanders the opportunity for children and young persons, our most precious resource, to grow up in a climate of peace and tolerance.”

The open participation of community members is an integral element in creating a protective environment for returnees and their families. Communities can address stigmatization, limited economic viability and other common challenges faced by formerly abducted persons, and look together for solutions to reduce their vulnerability.

Back in her home, made of hardened mud with a thatched grass roof, Sarah says her most immediate concern is for her son’s future. That future must include going to school and getting proper medical care, she insists. The nightmares of combat she experienced must have no place in the life of her child.

“I am angry at what happened because it should never have happened,” Sarah says softly. “I would like everyone who can do something about this war to bring it to an end."

My predictions for tonight are...
That Mr. Cooper will not be honoring us with his on-screen presence. In my not so informed opinion, Anderson would have conducted this interview himself if he were in the studio. But, as I am always wrong, maybe there's hope! Anderson Cooper or not, I will be tuning in tonight to watch this powerful interview.

UPDATE: DIDN'T I TELL YOU I AM ALWAYS WRONG!!! YAY! Welcome back, Anderson!

Some more honorees...
Here are some additional photos from last night's Women of the Year Awards. (All photos courtesy of WireImage.com)

Stephen Colbert presents an award to Nancy Pelosi

Bob Schieffer presents a MUCH DESERVED award to Lara Logan

Bob Woodruff presented an award to the incredible, Mariane Pearl

Have a wonderful evening! ~Sheryn