Brandon Paddock is a developer for a large Seattle-area software company. An avid supporter of the Invisible Children organization, Brandon first contacted Kate Harris while she was in Uganda working with STAO.  Brandon has since joined the Tusubira team and set up the Tusubira website.

Why do I want to help?

Because I can.  While I may espouse many Christian values, I lack the religious affiliation and motivation you’ll find with the rest of the Tusubira staff.  I do, however, feel compelled to take action.  I believe it to be fundamental of humanity to feel compassion for those less fortunate – it is what defines us as a species.  It drives us to help our fellow man and in doing so, benefit all of mankind.  Rather than dwell on whether compassion comes from God or from nature, I prefer to focus on the message rather than the messenger. 

I have yet to witness the reality of Uganda for myself, but I have been moved by so many things to feel for these children that I latch onto any opportunity to help make their lives better.  Partly this comes from accounts such as the Invisible Children documentary, and partly I have been inspired by my peers who have gone or are planning to go to Africa to do their part. 

I am a firm believer in the goodness of the human spirit, and because of that I am convinced that there are countless people who are not only able, but willing to help a cause like ours – and that they only lack the inspiration to do so.  Many have become desensitized to human suffering because of the harshness of the world we live in and the mass media exposure to it.  Others simply don’t know how they can contribute, or they don’t believe a small contribution will make a worthwhile difference.  Some are skeptical especially of larger charities that have become blackholes into which money is poured and the world-changing results are left to the imagination.  On the other hand, a small upstart aid group may be too small to be effective or might disappear tomorrow.

So how do we reach out to these people?  Community.  And I don’t just mean local community engagement within a town or church (though those are great for this on a small scale), but rather communities of like-minded and compassionate individuals from all over the world.  The internet provides us with an unprecedented opportunity to organize, share ideas, and stay up-to-date across great distances.  Thus it is my vision that the Tusubira website should become a community in which donors and volunteers can connect not only with the organization’s staff, but with others who share their compassion for the children of Uganda. More than a website - I envision a forum in which members of the Tusubira community (or those merely interested in what we do) can discuss our current projects, what’s been done with their contributions, and ways to grow the organization and pursue its vision.

Why?  Because we can.