SHOOT! Your Media Device Donation Project

Posted on by anakbayantoronto

SHOOT! YOUR MEDIA DEVICE DONATION PROJECT
For human rights in the Philippines

Since 2001, the Philippines has seen a dramatic increase in human rights violations in the form of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and illegal arrests.  Often, the victims are leaders and members of people’s organizations that are critical of government policies.  Other times, the victims are innocent community members accused of being members or supporters of the armed revolutionary movement.

One of the biggest needs in affected communities is for equipment to document human rights violations on the spot, as violations occur or immediately after.

Unfortunately, due to poverty and the remoteness of areas, many affected communities simply do not have the means to do this most elementary bit of documentation.  Mainstream don’t consider the everyday violations “newsworthy”.  Urban human rights organizations don’t have the means to send investigators over all the time.

BAYAN Canada in Toronto and ANAKBAYAN Toronto will be donating used cameras and laptops to human rights organizations in the Philippines – and we need your help.

If you have any old, but still functioning, digital cameras or laptops, we are asking you to donate them to our media device donation drive.  We will be accepting donations until February 18, 2012.

Who are we?

BAYAN Canada is an overseas chapter of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN or New Patriotic Alliance), an alliance of Philippine organizations struggling for the Philippines’ national and social liberation against imperialism, feudalism and bureaucrat capitalism.  It is a multi-sectoral campaign center for its member organizations.

ANAKBAYAN Toronto is one of the overseas chapters of ANAKBAYAN, a Philippines-wide mass organization of Filipino youth from all sectors – peasants, workers, fisherfolk, women, indigenous peoples, migrants, etc. – advocating for genuine freedom and democracy in the Philippines.  In Toronto, ANAKBAYAN conducts campaigns on Philippine issues, educational sessions on Philippine history and current events, and participates in initiatives to advocate for the rights and welfare of Filipino youth and the larger Filipino community.  It also works with other Filipino and non-Filipino organizations with similar objectives.

Who is our partner organization in the Philippines?

Our partner organization for SHOOT! Your Media Device Donation Project is KARAPATAN Alliance for the Advancement of Human Rights in the Philippines.  KARAPATAN is an alliance of individuals, groups and organizations working for the promotion and protection of human rights in the Philippines.  Its founders and members have been at the forefront of the human rights struggle in the Philippines since the time of Marcos’ martial law regime.  Its work consists of education and training, campaigns and advocacy, services to political prisoners and families of victims of human rights violations, research and documentation, and networking to mobilize its member and partner organizations. (More info at www.karapatan.org)

How will you know that your donations are going where they’re supposed to?

Upon receipt of your donations, BAYAN Canada in Toronto and ANAKBAYAN Toronto will issue written receipts as initial acknowledgement.  Throughout the process of collecting donations and sending them to the Philippines, we will be sending you updates through e-mail.  Once KARAPATAN has received your donations, they will send us a letter of acknowledgement, which we will once again forward to you through e-mail.  We will also be publishing these updates regularly on the BAYAN Canada in Toronto and ANAKBAYAN Toronto blogs.

Where can you drop off your donations?

You may bring your donations to the following locations, which have been generously offered by our friends:

CENTRAL TORONTO
Pretty Freedom
165 Augusta Ave.
Toronto, Ontario
Monday-Sunday  12PM-6PM

SCARBOROUGH
Filipinas Clothing Company
285 Progress Ave., Unit #2
Scarborough, Ontario M1P 2Z3 (Midland and Progress)
Monday-Friday 12-5PM.  Please call ahead – (416) 834-8280.

For large donations, please contact us to arrange for pick-up.

When you drop off your donations, please make sure you also leave your full name, contact number and e-mail address so that we can keep you posted with updates on the progress of our donation drive.

How can you get in touch with us?

For inquiries and to arrange donation drop-off or pick-up, please contact:

  • Alex Felipe, BAYAN Canada in Toronto – (416) 707-6111
  • Mithi Esguerra, ANAKBAYAN Toronto – (647) 239-6553

or e-mail us at anakbayan.to@gmail.com.

Please also check our blogs for updates on the donation drive:

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