TEKAID CHOCÓ.
In light of the enormous damage caused by the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck Colombia on 10th August, we – musicians, artists and friends of Colombia and its people – join the call for solidarity from Chocó, one of the regions hardest hit by the earthquake.
Although the earthquake is now over, and the first phase of the emergency response and humanitarian aid (search and rescue, medical care, basic humanitarian aid, temporary shelter) has now concluded, the second and third stages – rehabilitation and early recovery (restoration of services, damage assessment, rubble clearance, psychological support) and comprehensive, long-term reconstruction (building homes, public infrastructure, economic recovery) – are still ongoing and in need of resources. It is to these last two stages that we wish to contribute.
Who are we?
TekAction is a collective comprising electronic music producer Simon Carter, also known as Crystal Distortion (SP23), and Colombian artist Isabel Pradilla, also known as Miss Piranha. Having witnessed the needs arising from the earthquake in Colombia, we decided to launch the TekAid Chocó initiative, through which we invite the global tekno scene to contribute by donating part of their creative work to help raise funds for the reconstruction of the Chocó region.
The electronic music live act Navex, comprising musicians and producers Federico Arbeláez and David Paez, is acting as a partner in Colombia, taking charge of publicising the project amongst Colombian artists and subsequently collecting the works donated by them.
How are we going to help?
By creating and selling a digital music compilation, to which artists from around the world are contributing a track. All proceeds from sales of the compilation via BandCamp (an online music store and community focused on direct music sales) will be channelled directly and transparently to verified organisations working locally with communities. We have managed to bring together tracks from 120 artists and music producers from Europe, Colombia and a number of other Latin American countries, all of whom voluntarily donated their work towards the creation of this compilation. The wide variety and sheer number of tracks included make us feel more than optimistic about the fundraising prospects.
Regarding the sales process.
The compilation will be launched on Friday 4 September during BandCamp Friday, a day on which the platform waives its commission, forgoing its share of the revenue and channelling an average of 80–85 per cent of sales directly to the artists and record labels (after deducting the payment processor’s standard fees), which will ensure we receive the maximum amount of money from sales of the compilation.
The album will be available for purchase on TekAction’s BandCamp page until December. The proceeds will be transferred to the pre-selected, verified organisations in monthly instalments, which will be communicated to the public via the collective member’s social media channels to ensure the transparency of the process.
Which organizations are we going to support?
We are currently in the process of selecting the projects we will support, based on the following criteria:
– Physical location of the organization: We are keen to donate to organizations that are working from and for the Chocó region.
– Solid, ongoing rehabilitation, recovery and reconstruction projects: We wish to support organizations that have rehabilitation, recovery and reconstruction projects underway, with a solid foundation, good structure and sound planning.
– The robustness and capacity of their projects: It is important that the organisations we decide to support have the necessary infrastructure to carry out their reconstruction projects. We are aware of the access limitations in the region due to its jungle terrain, high rainfall and a long-standing lack of infrastructure; we know that this can hinder or delay processes if the necessary logistics are not in place to tackle the natural challenges posed by the region.
-Credibility and reliability of the organisation: It is important that the organisations selected offer a guarantee of effective operation and positive outcomes; that they inspire our confidence, that they do not present serious risks or raise significant doubts, and that their arguments, goals and plans are logical and plausible.
Publicity.
To ensure the project reaches as wide an audience as possible, we are utilising the social media accounts of the collective’s members, as well as those of our strategic partners, through which we have been publishing content about the project since its inception. Through these same channels, we will present reports on the disbursement of the funds raised, detail the album’s production process, and promote the album in the run-up to its release and throughout the sales period.
We also plan to use the social media channels of TekAction’s members and partners to publicise the organisations to which the funds will be allocated once the process of selecting and coordinating projects has been completed. For this phase, it would be ideal to have detailed information (visual aids, texts and conceptual outlines) on the projects to which the funds raised from sales of the compilation will be allocated.
Why Chocó?
The department of Chocó was the worst affected, as its municipality of San José del Palmar was the direct epicentre of the earthquake. San José del Palmar borders the departments of Risaralda and Valle del Cauca, two other regions severely affected by the seismic waves. In Chocó, the community – made up of Black, Indigenous and peasant families – faces numerous challenges. The region’s long-standing vulnerability, its geographical isolation and systematic neglect by the state further complicate the situation. Chocó was the last department to be contacted by the newly appointed far-right government, whilst entire families were suffering the loss of their loved ones, their homes and their belongings, and the number of missing and deceased continued to rise.
With your support, TekAction will be able to channel its funds to communities to provide them with the assistance they need. Help us to help those in need.
Contact and personal details:
Email: tekaction@proton.me
Simon Carter A.K.A Crystal Distortion: linktr.ee/crystaldistortion
Isabel Pradilla A.K.A Miss Piranha: @miss__piranha
Navex: linktr.ee/navexlive
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