Gabriel and Katie-Jay will be heading back to the camps, departing for Chad on January 12. They get to see some of our friends, like Leila and Fatma, and you get to follow along, interact with them, and be a part of the actions to bring peace to Darfur. Let’s start 2008 the right way!
Stay tuned for information on i-ACT Rhythm & Hope. Macy Gray will be traveling with the i-ACT Team to the camps, to sing with and for the children of Darfur. This will happen in just a few months. There has been interest from other artists and the potential to make Rhythm & Hope an even more powerful project, so it has been decided to work on making it big in March/April.
9 replies on “We’re going back!”
i think that the whole darfur situation needs more attention and more media. not everybody knows about it. its like they’re trying to keep it underwraps. like they dont want people to know whts going on in Africa. it makes me really mad when you have to go to a certain place or somebody is talking about it and you over hear them. And its like people are finding out very gradually. the fact that they dont put it on the news as much as other things makes me mad. and i get frustrated because im only 18 and i cant do much. but i’ve tried to do what i can. i dont have a lot of money so i really cant help money wise. But by telling other people about it makes me a little happy. But i wish i could do more to help out! its so sad that not that many people is going on. Like they’re trying to make it go down like the Holocaust. I think if we get as much help as possible that at least we can save some families. Patience is a Virture. Everything takes patience.
I believe in grassroots organizations like sudanreach and my sisters keeper. They’re small and focused and they’re not about celebrities and image and talk. I believe in them and I’m a little weary of all the groups out there that are turning this serious crisis into a publicity circus!! Raising awareness in america is not synonymous with a “solution.” Yes, its important but organizations like Save Darfur have raised millions of dollars so tha they an go around the country and give “talks”. But what have they done on the ground in Sudan? very little.
very interesting, but I don’t agree with you
Idetrorce
The backers and founders of the “Save Darfur” movement are the well-connected and well-funded U.S. foreign policy elite.According to a copyrighted Washington Post story this summer
“The “Save Darfur (Coalition) was created in 2005 by two groups concerned about genocide in the African country – the American Jewish World Service and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum…
“The coalition has a staff of 30 with expertise in policy and public relations. Its budget was about $15 million in the most recent fiscal year…
“Save Darfur will not say exactly how much it has spent on its ads, which this week have attempted to shame China, host of the 2008 Olympics, into easing its support for Sudan. But a coalition spokeswoman said the amount is in the millions of dollars.”
Though the “Save Darfur” PR campaign employs viral marketing techniques, reaching out to college students, even to black bloggers, it is not a grassroots affair, as were the movement against apartheid and in support of African liberation movements in South Africa, Namibia, Angola and Mozambique a generation ago. Top heavy with evangelical Christians who preach the coming war for the end of the world, and with elements known for their uncritical support of Israeli rejectionism in the Middle East, the Save Darfur movement is clearly an establishment affair, a propaganda campaign that spends millions of dollars each month to manfacture consent for US military intervention in Africa under the cloak of stopping or preventing genocide.
The best way to learn about them is through guidestar. Go check it out. Yes, they made over 15 million and I don’t see anything on their annual report that validates how that money was spent to help darfur other than advocacy or whatever. Their director makes 108 thousand dollars a year!! (Which actually surprises me. I expected more.)
Americans have a tendency to blindly trust the organizations that have the best PR, the flashiest advertising. They trust the giants…the ones that overshadow the others. Save Darfur should be investigated!!! They are profiting tremendously from this crisis. What are they doing with the money. People should do their research. Go to guidestar, get an account, and look at Save Darfur’s finances and try to explain what this money is doing for the people of Darfur!!!
Please watch how you spend your money. The most visible organizations aren’t necessarily the most honest.
Thanks for this honest discussion. I cannot speak for the Save Darfur Coalition, but many groups that have signed as members are far from top-heavy. We are really just normal people that wanted to get involved and do something to help the people in danger. There are many direct aid organizations, and they are doing amazing work to keep people alive; a lot more needs to be done! But, I truly believe that we have to do more than send aid. We have to reach people that are not aware or do not think they can make a difference. That might be called PR. Here at SGN we are very grassroots, always talking with regular people here in the US and the rest of the world and connecting them with the regular people in the camps. We got extremely lucky at connecting with Macy, and her popularity will help us reach more people. Another note, I can think of very few, if any, Darfur activists that would want the US to go in militarily in to Darfur. We’ve been kicking and screaming just to get our President to mention Darfur and show some leadership, the right kind of leadership (as opposed to what he has done in other parts of the world), and join with other leaders of the world in finding a solution..now!
Gabriel and Katie-Jay,
Good luck! I hope that your trip goes smoothly and that you are able to build many more lasting relationships with the people in the refugee camps. I can’t wait to watch the video that you take. You’ll be in my prayers.
Peace and God bless!!
Yes,sometimes we are very frustrated by the policies and agendas of huge organizations,and without really knowing first hand about what Tobias writes,I know that at SGN we have always said “Humanity Before Politics”.Please do whatever you feel is right,and do not permite ideologies or politics to be an obstacle, because just doing nothing in the midst of genocide is not an option.
Amor y Paz,Connie
Gabriel & Katie Jay
Good luck in your trip! Esperemos que todo salga muy bien para que pronto podamos ver los videos y sigamos en contacto con nuestros amigos Leila, Fatma, y Mansur. Cuidense mucho y aqui estaremos en contacto todos los dias.