Why did Invisible Children dissolve? There were two main reasons why the organization was forced to discontinue its efforts: the misrepresentation of facts and causation and the impacts of the Kony 2012 campaign.

First, Invisible Children went to great lengths to categorize information in “absolute categories of ‘good’ and ‘evil’” (Titeca). When it came to the “good,” Invisible Children took credit for things that were clearly far beyond their reach. Furthermore, Invisible Children also used the “bad” to play on their supporters’ emotions by distorting the facts about the harm that the LRA was doing as a group. They attributed many deaths of displaced persons to be solely the result of the LRA when the Ugandan government’s strategies and other factors were key causes. While claims like these (both good and bad) make catchy headlines, once the truth is unveiled, they greatly detract from the effectiveness of an organization.

Invisible Children made two costly mistakes that resulted in the organization being forced to shut down. I believe this raises the questions about how non-profits and other charitable organizations choose to operate. I feel that while they are philanthropic in nature, they must function in a manner similar to for-profit companies. They must be forward thinking, transparent, and frugal in order to ensure longevity and accomplish the greatest amount of good.

Read the full article about Invisible Children by Skip Jenkins from Medium