Gallery: New Photos Show a Reality the 'Kony 2012' Video Misses

  • GordonUganda1
    01

    gordon-uganda-1

    *Pork supplier in Gulu.* *Photo: Glenna Gordon*
  • GordonUganda2
    Glenna Gordon
    02

    gordon-uganda-2

    *Advertisements and NGO billboards clutter every spot of available real estate at a round about in Gulu.* *Photo: Glenna Gordon*
  • GordonUganda3
    03

    gordon-uganda-3

    *A young girl holds her sister in Lahibi, on the outskirts of Gulu.* *Photo: Glenna Gordon*
  • GordonUganda4
    04

    gordon-uganda-4

    *Religious elders fill up on a buffet lunch served during a workshop while a Spanish telenovela plays in the background.* *Photo: Glenna Gordon*
  • GordonUganda5
    05

    gordon-uganda-5

    *Gulu's fast growth has left little room for animals to graze.* *Photo: Glenna Gordon*
  • GordonUganda6
    Glenna Gordon
    06

    gordon-uganda-6

    *Kony2012 is screened for a group of civil society leaders in Gulu on Mar. 30. Many were torn between being glad for the attention and funding, and disliking the film and Invisible Children's Gulu operations.* *Photo: Glenna Gordon*
  • GordonUganda7
    Glenna Gordon
    07

    gordon-uganda-7

    *At a church on the outskirts of Gulu, hundreds of people gather to celebrate Palm Sunday on Apr. 1.* *Photo: Glenna Gordon*
  • GordonUganda8
    08

    gordon-uganda-8

    *Augustine Ochara sells chickens, and poses with one.* *Photo: Glenna Gordon*
  • GordonUganda9
    Glenna Gordon
    09

    gordon-uganda-9

    *A bus breaks down on the Gulu-Kitgum highway in Northern Uganda.* *Photo: Glenna Gordon*
  • GordonUganda10
    10

    gordon-uganda-10

    *Kids play in an abandoned railway car.* *Photo: Glenna Gordon*
  • GordonUganda11
    Glenna Gordon
    11

    gordon-uganda-11-2

    *Dr. Alex Layoo, the director of the Kitgum Hospital. His typical day includes deciding whether to spend limited funds on the generator or the ambulance.* *Photo: Glenna Gordon*
  • GordonUganda12
    12

    gordon-uganda-12

    *School children play in the puddles.* *Photo: Glenna Gordon*
  • GordonUganda13
    Glenna Gordon
    13

    gordon-uganda-13

    *Families of patients, Catholic sisters, and nurses gather at Lacor Hospital in Gulu. Missionaries and international aid groups have worked in the region for many years.* *Photo: Glenna Gordon*
  • GordonUganda14
    Glenna Gordon
    14

    gordon-uganda-14

    *A woman purchases goods at a shop in Kitgum.* *Photo: Glenna Gordon*
  • GordonUganda15
    Glenna Gordon
    15

    gordon-uganda-15

    *At the end of the day, market boys burn the trash and hang out before heading home.* *Photo: Glenna Gordon*
Read More
Breathe Easy Thanks to the Best Air Purifier for Every Home
Protect your home against dust, pets, allergens, and more with the best air purifiers, tested firsthand.
Molly Higgins
The Best Automatic Litter Boxes Tested by Our Spoiled Cats
With these high-tech automatic litter boxes, gone are the days of scooping and smells. Welcome to the future.
Molly Higgins
The Best Mattresses You Can Buy Online in 2026
WIRED has tested 100-plus bed-in-a-box mattresses for a week each. Our top pick, the Helix Midnight Luxe hybrid, is the best bed you can buy online.
Julia Forbes
The Best Meal Kits of 2026, Tested by a Former Restaurant Critic
Here are the best delivery services and meal kits in 2026, including Martha Stewart’s meal service, a GLP-1–supportive plan, and a budget-friendly option.
Matthew Korfhage
The Best Qi2 and MagSafe Wireless Chargers for Your Phone
Top up your Qi2 Android phone or MagSafe iPhone with a magnetic wireless charging stand, pad, car charger, or power bank.
Simon Hill
The 10 Best WIRED-Tested Pet Cameras
Whether you’re near or far, keep an eye on your fur baby with our favorite pet cameras.
Molly Higgins
23 Gift Ideas for the Cook in Your Life
From the best air fryer to frying pans to knife sharpeners anyone can use, these ideas will keep the curious home chef in your life tinkering away.
Matthew Korfhage
The Best Electrolyte Powders for Workouts or Nights Out
Get those lost minerals back with the help of our top electrolyte powders, tablets, drops, and chews for athletes, partiers, and everyone in between.
Louryn Strampe
The Best Portable Power Stations for Blackouts, Camping, or Van Life
Whether you’re going off-grid or safeguarding against blackouts, these beefy, WIRED-tested batteries can keep the lights on.
Simon Hill
The Best Pet Hair Vacuums We Tried at Home
Cordless, handheld, robot, and traditional—we tested them all to find the vacuum that’s fantastic for fur.
Molly Higgins
The Best Wi-Fi Routers to Reach Every Corner of Your Home
Don’t suffer the buffer. These WIRED-tested home routers will deliver reliable internet across your home, whatever your needs or budget.
Simon Hill
28 Amazing STEM Toys Approved by WIRED Kids
We found lots of math-filled and science-rich toys for tiny nerds to assemble, bake, squish—or even tear apart and rebuild.
Simon Hill