Aid Still Required (ASR) is a non-profit, humanitarian movement focused on rebuilding communities through sustainable solutions in the aftermath of natural disasters and human crises. We believe everyone, everywhere, is entitled to live in dignity, health and peace. We view post-crisis situations as opportunities to do just that. By approaching restoration on an ecologically-friendly basis and utilizing a region’s native environment, Aid Still Required “builds back better” and builds back green.

Darfur - Since 2003, upwards of 400,000 people have been slaughtered and mutilated, and tens of thousands of women and children raped in the Darfur region of Sudan. Today 80 to 90% of Darfur’s villages are in ashes (see US Department of State map). The peace process, which had shown promise in June 2007, is now looking bleak. Talks between the rebel factions and the Sudanese government broke down this past fall. Attacks continue and now include assaults on aid workers and diplomats.

Aid Still Required is focusing on two areas for Darfur: The first is to continually bring the conflict to the awareness of the American people through public service announcements (PSAs) and internet outreach. The Darfur PSA campaign includes NBA stars:

Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Tracy McGrady, Grant Hill, Baron Davis, Derek Fisher, Emeka Okafor, Matt Barnes, Andrew Bynum, Ira Newble, Eric Snow, and several others.

Second, we are raising funds for environmentally-friendly projects to assist the Darfuri people. Darfur has been ravaged by a 20-year drought, leaving much of the area an arid wasteland. The drought is so pervasive, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon believes the Darfur conflict is primarily due to it. Two projects we are working with relate directly to this phenomenon:

Tsunami - Although the December 26, 2004 tsunami has long since left the headlines, the disaster remains very real today for the hundreds of thousands in the region who still have no permanent homes or work. Without more help, many of these people will live out their lives as refugees. One of the forgotten tragedies of the tsunami is the destruction of the coral reefs and water tables in many areas, which has incapacitated the local fishing industry, a major source of income for the area, and derailed family farming. ASR is researching organic means of re-establishing the reefs and water tables in these areas as well as exploring various partnership opportunities involving green building, early warning systems and health programs for the region.

Katrina - Hurricane Katrina (August 29, 2005) is the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history, causing severe destruction to Louisiana, across the entire Mississippi coast and into Alabama. 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.

Although significant progress has been made in much of the region and many former residents have returned to New Orleans, the population remains at 2/3’s of its pre-Katrina levels. The city has lost 9,000 units of affordable housing, causing rents to rise 45%. Since most of the families which want to come home have incomes of less than $20,000/year, the rental situation has made their return difficult at best. Additionally, New Orleans’ homeless population has more than doubled to 12,000 and jobs remain scarce.

Another alarming indicator is the current crime rate in New Orleans. Remarkably, New Orleans’ 2007 murder rate was up 30% over 2006 and now dwarfs that of every other large U.S. city on a per capita basis.

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. New homes will be occupied by the end of summer 2008.

Darfur Projects

1. The Solar Cooker Project:
(Something we are doing now)

Inaugurated by the Dutch charity KoZon, this program has shown remarkable success. As a result of the extremely dry conditions, most of the forests of Darfur are depleted, rendering firewood extremely scarce. When a camp of 20,000 refugees is placed in an area which normally supports a few thousand, locals fiercely defend their depleted firewood - to the point of raping the women and children who leave the camps to gather it. Through the use of solar cookers, which use only sunlight for cooking, trips outside the camps have declined 86%, demonstrably reducing the incidence of rape. 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.

Through our partnership with Jewish World Watch, each donation of $30 provides a family with two solar cookers, two pots, two pot holders and the skills training for use of the cookers.

Donate to The Solar Cooker Project

2. Sister Schools Program:
(Something We Are Doing for the Near Future)

Schooling is virtually non-existent in the refugee camps. Through our partnership with NBA star Tracy McGrady, schools will be built in the camps and connected to US schools. Students from each side of the world will be able to video link with each other. US schools will be encouraged to raise further funding for their sister school.

Donate to The Sister Schools Program

3. The Reforestation Project
(Something we are doing for the future)

As the forest went, so went the water tables. Without water, health issues escalate and local economies become weak. The reforestation project we’re researching is founded by a collaboration of Sudanese economists and environmental scientists and has already gained government approval for a pilot program.

Since 80% of the Darfur population is dependent on agriculture for subsistence and much of Darfur has high potential for arable land, restored forests and ample water would provide a solid and necessary foundation for the refugees to rebuild their lives when they return home.

Donate to the Reforestation Project.

Tsunami projects

1.) 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.

Pre-Order the CD.

Katrina Projects

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. New homes will be occupied by the end of summer 2008.

Rock 4 Change - On Thursday, September 4th, 2008, at the prestigious Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal CityWalk in Los Angeles, CA, In 2 It Media and Novo Worldwide will present the Rock 4 Change concert, powered by Gibson Guitars to benefit projects for Darfur and Uganda.

Rock 4 Change will bring together the cream of the crop from music, TV, film and sports for a once-in-a-lifetime celebration of music, dance, and the power of the human spirit to transform tradgedy into hope. I will feature performances by Grammy aware-winning artists, presentations from A-list celebrities, and original dance piece on the evolution of dance by award-winning choreographer Shane Sparks, video presentations by celebrities supporting the charities, an awards presentation, and many more suprises.

100% of the net proceeds of all ticket sales will benefit sustainable relief efforts organized by Aid Still Required in Darfur and the moving work being done by Hands Across Nations in Uganda.

Hunter Payne - Originally from Boston, Hunter grew up in the great folk tradition of the northeastern US, playing venerable clubs like Passim, the Unicorn, The Jazz Workshop, Club Casablanca, and The Bitter End; recording solo albums for Columbia Records; opening for touring pros; working with music giants such as Leonard Bernstein (who dubbed Hunter “The Quintessential Troubadour”) and John Hammond (Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan), whose Columbia Records contract Hunter has the dubious distinction of turning down. Hunter’s One Last Chance became the darling of the internet in 2000. His songs have been featured throughout network television (ER, Scrubs, 7th Heaven, VH1, HBO, CMT, A&E, ABC Family, PBS).

In his years as musician, composer and producer (www.hunterpayne.com) Hunter has also held positions in various fields:

Bear Stearns & Co. Inc. - Associate Director
International Meditation Society - Chairman, Boston Center
Institute for Fitness and Athletic Excellence - Director of Special Programs
WGBH-TV (PBS)- Camera Operator
WGBH-FM (NPR) - Radio program host (nationally-syndicated)
Assistant to Leonard Bernstein

Andrea Herz Payne - A graduate of Bryn Mawr College with a degree in English Literature, Andrea also completed The Meisner Training for Actors in New York City where she lived, trained and worked for 10 years. Now a Los Angeles resident, Andrea has performed on numerous local stages and was a founding member of singular productions theatre company. As Artist in Residence at an LA Arts Magnet school and a member of Gifted CROW Theater for Youth, she collaborated with teachers and used improvisation to teach middle school children debating techniques as well as narrative and persuasive writing.

Andrea is featured in “Uta Hagen’s Acting Class” video and DVD, “The Vanishing,” XTRO 3:Watch The Skies, and as a backup vocalist on Hunter’s 2005 CD release, Nailed.

In addition to being a licensed massage therapist, Andrea has experience as a paralegal, office manager and director of marketing for a boutique retail store in Beverly Hills, as a personal assistant to a White House Fellow and as an intern for The U.S Senate and The US Senate Committee on Aging. Active member of the LA Chapter of Bioneers, First Tuesday LA/Circle of Giving, ongoing participation in Landmark Education,Transcendental Meditation, and EcoVolved Media. Andrea is the founder of Siddhi of Angels and Project GenerosiTee, making beautiful, fun, and ecologically-minded tees and tote bags to raise awareness and funds for worthwhile causes. “Everyone can make a difference…and together we have the power to change the world!”