A Survivor Speaks:
Evelyn Apoko,
Strongheart Fellow
When she was just a little girl, Evelyn Apoko was abducted in the middle of the night by a brutal rebel group in Uganda that calls themselves The Lord's Resistance Army. Left unchecked by the world community for decades, the group - which is also known as the LRA - has abducted thousands of children to serve as soldiers, porters or sex slaves. After years in captivity, Evelyn was badly wounded and faced the terrible choice of attempting a near-impossible escape or certain death at the hands of the rebels who were repelled by her horrific injuries. Miraculously, Evelyn escaped and made it to a rehab center and hospital, where she came to the attention of Strongheart.
An example of remarkable courage and icon of resilience, Evelyn has undertaken the long journey of healing mind, body, and spirit as a Strongheart Fellow with strength, grace, and determination.
Recently, President Obama authorized a small group of 100 US military advisors to work with local African armies on strategies to apprehend the LRA and end their long reign of terror. When Evelyn heard that a prominent US media professional misguidedly criticized this action, she had this to say:
