HOW IT STARTED:

The HOPE amp was designed in partnership with eXile International, a organization out of Nashville, TN who we met a couple years ago. eXile International works in Uganda and The Congo with the sole purpose of rehabilitating former child soldiers. After meeting with the founder of eXile International, Bethany Haley, we were quickly introduced to a very real world that we didn’t know existed. Many children from this area, and other parts of Africa are taken captive by rebel armies. These armies will raid their villages and pull these children, some as young as 6, out of their beds in the middle of the night. They will then force these children to kill their mothers and fathers, friends, brothers and sisters. The boys are taken captive and forced to fight in the rebel armies, while the young girls are sold into the sex trade. The UN has been working with local government authorities to rescue these children. By the time the children are rescued and brought back home they face all types of issues. Most of them have had to kill or seen several people killed. Some of the girls are disfigured by the rebels when they return. This is where eXile International steps in. Through recovery homes they’ve partnered with and helped develop in these regions, eXile International helps to rehabilitate these children. They do this through Music, Art, and Dance and they’re making a huge difference in the lives of these innocent children. One of the techniques they use through art is having the children draw imagines that are in their mind. The goal is that if they can get them on paper and out of their minds they can learn to forgive themselves, know they are forgiven, and move on. Through the efforts of eXile International children laugh again, they smile, they experience joy they had thought was once lost. They become human again, and they’re able to grow up to do amazing things. This is why we’ve decided to partner with this great organization and help bring awareness to their work.