Non-Profit Invisible Children to Close Its Doors

The non-profit group Invisible Children (IC) has announced that it will close its doors by the end of 2015. 

The group that was behind the viral short film KONY 2012, had been downsizing its staff; it has now said that its American staff will be reduced from 22 to five this month. African staff will be reduced from about 100 to “25 or 30” IC CEO Ben Keesey said in a video statement. 

NCB reports IC gained a huge following of young adults from its start in 2004. The group’s attention piqued at the March 2012 release of KONY 2012, a film that explained the group’s mission of capturing Joseph Kony, leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). 

The film urged viewers to make Kony “famous” for abducting 30,000 Ugandan children, converting boys into child soldiers and girls into sex slaves. KONY 2012 exploded online, and was called the most viral video ever by TIME. 

The film’s success was overshadowed 10 days later when IC co-founder and narrator of KONY 2012 had a public breakdown. 

Keesey said in the video stream, “We never built Invisible Children to last for decades. We built it to accomplish its mission.” 

The group is now asking for donations as it completes the transition to close its doors. 

Joseph Kony remains in hiding despite a renewed capture effort by President Obama earlier this year. 

Publication date: December 16, 2014