January 8th, 2012

Steal to Your Heart’s Content: The Incredible Edible Project

Thievery in Todmorden!

 

We just heard about a town in West Yorkshire, England where you can steal to your hearts content without being arrested!!!!! Steal fresh fruits and vegetables, that is.

The town of Todmorden has created Incredible Edible, a program to make their town completely food self-sufficient by 2018. Citizens plant fruits and vegetables in approximately 70 large fruit and vegetable beds planted around the town. Broccoli is planted by the railroad station in honor of a much-beloved recently deceased ticket master, raspberries, apricots and apples grown next to the canal towpath, beans and peas are planted by the area college, strawberries at the doctors office, cherries at the health club, mint, thyme, fennel and rosemary in the supermarket parking lot and yes, carrots, kale and lettuce next to the police station!

Any idea that Incredible Edibles is strictly yuppie program is dispelled when realizing a third of the local population does not own a car, one-fifth of the population does not have central heating. Homeowner prices range from approximately $75,000 US to 1.25 million US. The idea has become so popular that 21 other towns in the UK are developing pilot programs and interest has been reported as far afield as Hong Kong and New Zealand.

The project co-founders report it took about six months and a myriad of signs posted encouraging fruit and vegetable theft” for the community to catch on. Now children grab bits of fennel to much on their way to school and it is common to see someone walking through town with a tub ready to pick up his or her lunch! Not only does Incredible Edible encourage people to grow their own vegetables, it offers lessons in pickling and preserving, courses in bread-making. It also encourages support and development of local businesses. If you are interested in learning more: http://bit.ly/z0y0si

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January 1st, 2012

Aid Still Required Honorary Coach for iAct’s Darfur United Soccer Team

As we begin 2012, Aid Still Required is proud to be a part of Darfur United, a project created by our NGO colleague Gabriel Stauring at iAct, and which Aid Still Required is supporting as Honorary Coach.

People the world over are united in their love for soccer-  or “football’ as it is called everywhere except in the US –  and the Darfuri refugees are no exception.
Life in the camps is difficult.  There is little food and limited water.  There may or may not be a school for the children.  Firewood is scarce and unless they have a solar cooker, the women often must walk for miles to collect a depleted firewood supply, also putting themselves at risk for attack.  With no opportunity at present to return to their homeland, it can be challenging to maintain morale in such circumstances.  The images in this video will give you an idea of the barrenness of the area  :  Camp Mile: Final Day

Camp Mile: Final Day of i-ACT11 from iActivism on Vimeo.

So how can we make a difference right now?  Gabriel’s answer:  Darfur United, a soccer team comprised of the best players culled from the 12 Darfur refugee camps spread throughout Eastern Chad, to participate in an international competition.  There will be competitions to select camp teams and competitions between individual camps to identify the best players, culminating in the selection of a final team. Plans are underway to film a documentary about the process of creating the team.
iAct has identified two international competitions, The Viva World Cup  for people without countries which will be held in Iraqi Kurdistan in 2012 and  The Homeless World Cup  to be held in Mexico in October 2012; the goal is to garner enough support to take the team to compete abroad.
In addition to giving the Darfuris something of their own to cheer for, the trip and documentary will serve to focus the spotlight on the situation for the refugees and in Darfur.  Kounoungo Refugee Camp players showing some of their moves:   Camp Kounoungo Moves

Darfur United: Camp Kounoungo Football – Soccer from iActivism on Vimeo.

And here is a short video with a few camp residents and Gabriel discussing selection of team colors:   Darfur United Colors

Darfur United Colors from iActivism on Vimeo.

Gabriel has been going to the Darfur refugee camps in Chad since 2005. iAct also works with The Enough Project that works to end genocide and crimes against humanity.  iAct also works with the Dream Team Sister School Project that builds schools in the camps and connects them with schools in the US for cross-cultural enrichment, deepening global relationships and empathy, and providing an opportunity for US students to raise funds for their Darfuri counterparts’ education.
Like Aid Still Required,  iAct understands the importance of consistently keeping the public aware of the plight of the refugees.  If the public doesn’t know there is a problem, we cannot put pressure on the government, we cannot give money to help, we cannot make the difference we crave as human beings.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW TEAM DARFUR UNITED!  Aid Still Required champions you and looks forward to your success.

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December 26th, 2011

7th Anniversary of the Southeast Asia Tsunami- We Remember

Today we remember all the lives that were lost seven years ago…and Aid Still Required is proud to stand beside survivors as they move forward in their lives.

In Aceh, we are working with local NGO partner Yayasan Lamjabat to develop self-sufficency and ecological awareness through reforestation, small business training for women, and clean water. In YL’s work with village farmers, the tree planting not only provide fruit and spices for nourishment and sale, it also improves water tables, stops soil erosion, and assists in halting climate change.

ASR also supports local women’s empowerment through handicrafts and small business training. Women who have otherwise limited options under Sharia law, learn how to make recycled handicrafts. The subsequent business training allows them to contribute economically to their families, creating confidence and raising their stature in the community.

Clean water is a major concern for the area as well. This winter ASR was able to provide a village with a bio-sand water filter, thereby greatly improving the health of the community.

Sri Lanka’s southwestern coast was devastated in the 2004 tsunami. In these remote areas, there is little electricity and little government assistance. The village of Peraliya was among those villages hardest hit, with a trainwreck killing more than 1500.

ASR friend Alison Thompson founded The Community Early Warning Tsunami Centre, empowering the community to take on its own disaster preparedness education. Not only does the center provide the only early warning system in the entire region, it also provides after school enrichment programs.

Your purchase of the Aid Still Required All-Star CD  gives a hand up to these communities. Thank you!

AID STILL REQUIRED ALL-STAR CD COMPILATION FOR TSUNAMI..with Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Ray Charles and Norah Jones, Maroon 5 and many other great artists

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November 28th, 2011

Mount Hebron Congregation invites ASR and Sister Marjorie Shelvy for Thanksgiving Service Program

Founders Andrea and Hunter spoke at Mt. Hebron’s annual Thanksgiving Sunday Service to give the congregation an update on ASR activities, in particular the recent Haiti trip (link to Haiti page).

Over three years ago, during the 2008 Darfur campaign, Mt. Hebron Congregation in South Central Los Angeles found Aid Still Required online and contacted us about being part of their service program. The congregation believes strongly in the importance of providing service both at home and abroad. We were so honored that the congregation selected Aid Still Required to be the recipient of its international service grants. As one of their Board members said, Mount Hebron may be a small church in size but their contributions to the community are far-reaching!

ASR shared the podium with Sister Marjorie Shelvy of Legal Aid Foundation and was so inspired to hear about Sister Shelvy’s passionate commitment to helping others. Sister Shelvy has been a sister of the Catholic Religious Community since 1961 and at the age of 54, she decided to enroll in Law School to give a voice to low-income families and individuals!
If you would like to learn more about Sister Marjorie Shelvy, click here!

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November 17th, 2011

Jody Williams Event at UCLA

Jody WIlliams, 1997 Nobel Peace Laureate and activist

On November 16, Hunter, Andrea and their new assistant Dan Parziale attended a lecture by 1997 Nobel Peace Prize winner Jody Williams at UCLA’s Burkle Center for International Relations, presented by the International Human Rights Program at UCLA Law School. Her lecture, entitled “Rape as a Crime Against Humanity & War Crime: Accountability & the International Criminal Court,” was a powerful expose on the prominence of rape in war zones and areas of low government oversight.

Williams received the Nobel Peace Prize for her work to ban landmines. Since then, she has taken on countless projects, most recently chairing the Nobel Women’s Initiative which she established alongside other female Nobel winners. The purpose of the Women;s Initiative is to use the prestige of the Nobel Peace Prize to magnify the power of women working around the world for peace, justice and equality. In 2007, Williams led a controversial High Level Mission on Darfur for the UN’s Human Rights Council and continues her work in Darfur. In 2004, Williams was named by Forbes Magazine as one of the 100 most powerful women in the world.

One would think that a person with this many accomplishments might be a little aloof. Williams’ humility was only outmatched by her charisma and down-to-earth nature.  It was a treat to hear a globally-renown humanitarian  share her expertise so passionately and directly. Alongside Williams were Ana Deutsch, the co-founder and clinical director of the Program for Torture Victims, Shirin Ershadi, the co-chair and co-president of the International Criminal Court Alliance, and Lara Stemple, the director of graduate studies at the UCLA School of Law and Deputy Co-Director of the UC Global Health Institute’s Center of Expertise on Women’s Health and Empowerment.

Williams graciously spent time after the lecture to speak with Hunter and Andrea about their work with Aid Still Required and has asked to stay updated about the work ASR is doing. It is always inspiring to be around like minded people who are dedicating their lives to reshaping the world in which we live.  Jody Williams is one of those people and the crowd that gathered at UCLA for her lecture were moved and enlivened by her energy, enthusiasm and optimism for a better future.

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