Protect The Human

Due to the success of this fundraising campaign, we are hoping to fund a further 10,000 radios to send to Burma. Find out more and donate

A month ago we launched an appeal asking you to help us buy radios for Burma. The initiative is aimed at harnessing the power of radio already being used to break through media censorship in the country.

An amazing 2,327 of you responded to our appeal. Because of your incredible generosity we have surpassed our target and will be able to distribute thousands of radios throughout Burma. Some of you were even able to dig deep enough to buy the more expensive satellite phone and walkie-talkie kits, providing vital communication tools to people on the ground.

If you didn’t get a chance to buy a radio, but would still like to support our work in Burma you can donate now:

A massive thank you is due to everybody that bought a radio for Burma, helped spread the word and supported the appeal. Once the equipment begins to be distributed, we will keep you updated with photo and video reports from inside Burma to show you how these vital tools are benefiting the communities they reach. Getting such footage out of Burma can be difficult, but as soon as we receive anything, those of you that donated will be the first to know.

Find out more about our Burma campaign

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UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2010: Due to the success of this fundraising campaign, we are hoping to fund a further 10,000 radios to send to Burma. Find out more and donate

Three weeks ago we appealed to you to help fund our Radios for Burma project. Thanks to your overwhelming generosity, we are now able to provide over 4,500 radios to the people of Burma.

Due to this incredible response, we have extended the deadline for funding the first wave of distribution into the country because we believe we can still achieve the target of 5,000 radios for Burma.

If 250 people reading this blog get two people they know to buy a radio, we’ll be there in no time. Spread the word and help break through the wall of censorship.

Our aim is to amplify independent media so we can empower more people, especially in rural and information starved parts of the country to access their rights and learn about issues relevant to their daily lives.

If you haven’t already, please buy a radio for Burma and help break the silence.

If we exceed our target then your donations will go towards achieving our wider campaign objectives which are consistent with the Radios for Burma project

The importance of Radios for Burma was underlined again last week when the exiled media organisation, the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), reported that the government have introduced a wave of new censorship rules. Journalists feel they will soon lose all independence as unprecedented levels of censorship become standardised across all publications.

Many thanks to all of you who donated to the campaign and helped spread the word. We really appreciate it. You have made a difference.

Organisations like the DVB beat the blackout by using the radio – they broadcast freely into Burma from outside the country and as radios are not banned this is the most effective way to reach the population. With the new laws limiting printed publications and the elections coming up later this year, this service is now more vital than ever.

Here’s a reminder of why it is so important:

Read more about the background to the campaign and join the discussion

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Due to the success of this fundraising campaign, we are hoping to fund a further 10,000 radios to send to Burma. Find out more and donate

In Burma’s harsh media environment a number of courageous individuals work hard to break through the wall of censorship. Although millions tune into these broadcasts daily, not everybody in Burma has access to the crucial information they provide. With your help we can break the silence for many more.

A massive thank you to all who have already donated — we have raised over £30,000 already, enough to distribute nearly 3,000 radios. We now have just two days to raise enough to reach our target of getting 4,000 radios into the country by the middle of July. If you have any time at all, please help us spread the word by telling your friends and family. Here’s a nifty little tool to make it super easy.

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