Landmark Grads Take on Forgotten Disaster Causes with Paul McCartney and Kobe Bryant

In recent years, there have been a number of hi-profile crises that have gotten a great deal of attention. The Indonesian Tsunami, Huricane Katrina and the genocide in Darfur have all gotten extensive media attention but once the attention subsides the people affected remain left to deal with the aftermath on their own. As part of the evolution of their SELP project, Aid Still Required was established by Landmark Forum Graduates Hunter Payne and Andrea Herz Payne to help raise funds and bring awareness to the people who continue to be affected by the these disasters.  Hunter and Andrea have used public service announcements with NBA stars including Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Baron Davis, Tracy McGrady and several others, and a CD compilation with musical artists including Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, Elvis Costello, Lucinda Williams and more (go to Aid Still Required for details) to broaden awareness and raise funds for projects.

“We believe everyone, everywhere is entitled to live in dignity, health and peace,” says Hunter. “The people of Darfur have been utterly denied this.  Villagers are being systematically tortured, disfigured and slaughtered.  Collectively we have the means to stop the violence and to restore their lives. Who are we if we stand idly by and watch yet another genocide take place? We must act and we must act now before more unspeakable atrocities take place.”

Among the projects developed and supported through Aid Still Required are:

Darfur: The Solar Cooker Project – begun by the Dutch charity KoZon, this program has shown remarkable success. In the Darfur region of the Sudan and neighboring Chad, the refugee crisis has put tremendous pressure on the local forests. Fire wood has become very scarce and has led to additional conflict when refugees leave the camps in search of wood. The solar cookers allow people to use sunlight to cook their meals and thus reduce or eliminate the demand for wood resulting in a reduction of trips outside the camps by a full 86%, thereby reducing thousands of rapes. The Solar Cooker Project has recently been picked up by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for use in four additional camps.  A donation of as little as $30 provides a family with two solar cookers, two pots, two pot holders and the skills training for use of the cookers.

Tsunami:  While the December 26, 2004 tsunami has long since left the headlines, its effects continue to be felt by hundreds of thousands of people in the region who still have no permanent homes or work. In addition to the killing 430,000 people and displacing 5 million people, the Tsunami decimated fishing grounds and raised the salinity of water tables throughout the region. Aid Still Required is researching projects to restore industry in sustainable ways.

ASR001: Tsunami CD Compilation – Endorsed by President Clinton’s United Nations Office, ASR001: Tsunami is a campaign based around a compilation CD of major musical artists, various media promotions and two launch events to benefit victims of the tsunami. Artists donating tracks to the compilation include:  Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, Ray Charles, Norah Jones, Alanis Morissette, Avril Lavigne, Elvis Costello, Lucinda Williams, Sarah McLachlan, James Taylor, Ani DiFranco, Shawn Colvin, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Phantom Planet, and The Blind Boys of Alabama.

Hurricane Katrina: The costliest natural disaster in U.S. history. Worst hit was New Orleans where floodwaters covered 80% of the city, causing 1,836 deaths and destroying 200,000 homes at an estimated cost of $81.2 billion. Aid Still Required is partnering with other NGOs such as ‘Global Green,’ ‘Make It Right’ and ‘Common Ground Relief’ to build affordable and sustainable homes and schools in the 9th Ward of New Orleans and restore the wetlands. The dense housing of the 9th Ward has been mostly dismantled since Katrina and provides a clear landscape to rebuild with structures that will endure and promote health for its residents as well as for the area.

See ongoing awareness campaigns

For more information, please contact [email protected].

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3 comments

rainbow says:

Thanks for providing info about these important causes.

Maureen Charles says:

Congratulations Hunter and Andrea. This project is so inspiring. I know that it has been 3 years in the making. And you two never gave up. You are making an enormous contribution to thousands of human beings where Aid is truly Still Required. What a gift! I love you, Mo

Andrew Milton says:

‘Paying attention to the forsaken victims of disasters’ is a great idea for a social project. This awareness and rescue program has motivated me to contribute to the ones in desperate need. I hope you get all the necessary support and aid for these sufferers.

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