The Innocence Project Philippines has been recently launched by a high-energy group of people who I have had the pleasure of working with over the past few months (prior coverage here). They sent this email out Friday announcing ways that others can help them get their feet on the ground. They tell me that even $10 U.S. goes a long way in the Philippines, so they’re hoping readers of the blog will donate that amount to help them get going:
Dear Friends and Supporters of Give Up Tomorrow,
Now that you’ve watched Give Up Tomorrow (prior coverage here), and have seen how wrongful convictions affect lives, families and our society, many of you have asked: What can we do about it? How can we help?
Here is an easy way to help:
Donate to the Innocence Project Philippines, and Forward this email to those that also want to help.
You can donate easily and safely online with your Credit Card at http://www.facebook.com/InnocenceProjectPhilippines
The Innocence Project [sic: Innocence Network] is an international network of Law Schools that work with Law Students and their Professors that utilize DNA technology and provide pro bono legal and investigative services to wrongfully convicted persons, many of whom are impoverished and cannot afford the costs to defend themselves. It is a powerful force in establishing judicial reforms that redress the causes of wrongful convictions. To date, they have succeeded in exonerating over 321 people imprisoned for crimes they did not commit, and have been instrumental in establishing great improvements in judicial systems all over the world. There is one launching TODAY here in the Philippines, and we need your help!
TODAY Saturday Dec.8, the University of the Philippines, Ateneo De Davao, De La Salle and FLAG are holding the first training camp for our volunteer law students at the DNA Analysis Laboratory, at Miranda Hall, University of the Philippines, from 8am to 5pm.
TOMORROW Sunday Dec. 9, we are entering the New Bilibid Prison from 9am to 12 noon, and the Correctional Institute of Women from 2pm to 5pm,to launch our Innocence Project Philippines 2012 Campaign.
Up until now, the startup of our project has been largely funded by the students themselves, their professors, the universities’ Legal Clinics, and a few concerned individuals. We really need your help, because a fully-functioning Innocence Project has high ongoing costs that involve both legal work and DNA lab work. Each DNA test alone can cost P30,000. The startup of the project alone will cost us P300,000 (USD$7,500). Contingents as far as Davao, Cebu and Baguio are attending today.
You can donate safely online with a credit card, or send a cheque.
Here’s how:
Visit us on facebook and follow our link to donate. We are using Paypal as our SAFE Credit Card donation provider…you do NOT need a Paypal account to use your Credit Card.
http://www.facebook.com/InnocenceProjectPhilippines
The Innocence Project is an international, proven and sustainable institution that is making great changes NOW, in our lifetimes, through DNA technology. Our Philippine contingency really needs your help to get started properly.
We also request that you please forward this email to those you believe will want to help make rapid and fundamental improvements in our Philippine Judicial System.
On behalf of Cora, Rowie, Chel, Jojo, Minerva, Cookie, Manny, Rene, Darwin, Jaime and all of us here at the Innocence Project of the Philippines, we thank you.
Innocence Project Philippines Network, Inc. DNA Analysis Laboratory Natural Sciences Research Institute, Miranda Hall University of the Philippines Diliman, 1101 Quezon City UpDnaLab@innocenceprojectphilippines.org Tel. 632-925-2965; 63918-913-6284
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