We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Thanks for taking the time to visit our JustGiving page, in which we ask you to donate to the children of Haiti.
Haiti continues to slowly rebuild after the devastating earthquake in January 2010 and we continue to raise as much money as possible for Plan International's vital long-term work with children and communities in Haiti, against a current backdrop of political instability and fears of an epidemic.
You can find out more about Plan International at http://www.plan-uk.org/about/aboutplan/ - but now read on to see what we're offering YOU ..................
We have visited Haiti many times - especially Port-au-Prince - and have a large number of friends and colleagues there. Our relationship with Haiti began in 1998 when we briefly visited Mirlene, a girl whose community we were sponsoring through Plan International. We realised at once what a special place Haiti is. The following year we visited her again and traveled throughout the country. In Port-au-Prince we were knocked out by the unique vodou rock music of RAM. Jan subsequently booked them to appear at the Edinburgh festival and to tour the UK. A couple of years later we commissioned and produced VODOU NATION - a large-scale stage musical featuring RAM and a cast of Haitian dancers and performers, which dazzled audiences on its 8-week tour of the UK. We have placed some pictures from the show on this page, as well as some video footage of Haiti (with a RAM soundtrack). Please take a look.
When you donate through this page we will send you absolutely free of charge some of the merchandise from the show - posters, soundtrack CDs, photographs, and 32-page full colour brochure with articles on Haitian history, art, religion, politics, music and the making of the show. Contributors include broadcaster Andy Kershaw, writer Ian Thomson, photographer Leah Gordon, and the show's creator/director, Brett Bailey.
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure - and they won't share your details or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to PLAN's Haiti Emergency Appeal. It’s a very efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity - so please dig deep and donate now to receive your FREE gift of VODOU NATION merchandise from us. We suggest a donation of £25 for the CD and a donation of ten pounds for either the poster or the brochure - the more you donate, the more we will send you!
All you have to do is provide your name and, very important, your email address so that we can email you about where we should send your gifts. We will pay postage/packing costs. It's as simple as that ....... please give generously to Haiti's children. Thank you.
very sincerely,
JAN RYAN and IAN JONES.