During the Immersion’s two-day mentoring program on Wednesday and Thursday in Gulu, participants were split into small groups and sent with several NGOs performing work related to the conflict. The brief program was designed to provide participants with a realistic portrait of the day-to-day activities and products of local NGO work. While some participants were thoroughly impressed with how much NGOs were able to accomplish with limited funds, others learned the important lesson that this work is not as glamorous as it might seem. They also learned the valuable lesson of strategic planning – many NGOs spread themselves too thin instead of concentrating on a specific geographic area or substantial focus. Adding in the factor of limited funding can really negate progress towards the well-meaning goals most NGOs hope to achieve. Overall, participants were pleased with the learning experience.

During the program, Information for Youth Empowerment Program (IYEP) provided participants with a firsthand view of their work assembling peace groups in the camps. Together they visited Anaka IDP camp and toured the conditions with Lucy, a formerly abducted young woman that was the wife of an LRA commander and a child mother. IYEP’s model incorporates traditional Acholi dance and drama as a vehicle for both preserving the culture and building peace and stability in the region. At Anaka camp, participants were entertained with a demonstration of these activities.