Michael Poffenberger (BA '05)

Peter Quaranto (BA '06)

Uganda Conflict Action Network (Uganda-CAN) was founded in May 2005 by five undergraduate students, including Notre Dame peace studies majors Michael Poffenberger and Peter Quaranto.  After study experiences in Uganda sponsored by the School for International Training, during which they witnessed the suffering of the hidden war in northern Uganda that has pushed more than 1.6 million people into internally-displaced people's camps and led to the brutal abduction of more than 25,000 children by the Lord's Resistance Army, they were compelled to action. 

“As I sat there listening to people in refugee camps telling me their stories,” Quaranto said, “I just kept thinking to myself: how can this be happening? How can this have happened for 19 years?”
 

Uganda-CAN was founded as a means for Ugandans and non-Ugandans to work together for a comprehensive resolution to the war and its consequent suffering. Acknowledging the power of the United States government in Uganda and its role in fueling the conflict, the founders of Uganda-CAN recognized a tremendous opportunity for American citizens to use their democratic voice to demand that their government use its clout to actively support efforts to end the war.

Uganda-CAN is a project of the Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN), a Washington-based advocacy network that addresses U.S. policy towards Africa.

“Together, we have a real opportunity to push for action that could contribute to an end to this war,” Quaranto said. “There is no more pressing or opportune moment to demand global governance that hears and answers to the suffering of the most poor and vulnerable of our world.”

 

Uganda-CAN website
 

Notre Dame News Story (6/05)

Peter Quaranto's Uganda Blog

BIOS: 

Michael Poffenberger (BA, '05) is Associate Director of the Africa Faith and Justice Network, a Catholic-based political advocacy organization in Washington, DC. Michael also coordinates advocacy efforts for Uganda-CAN.
 

Peter Quaranto is a senior at the University of Notre Dame.

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