For the fourth year in a row, Waxploitation is holding an auction to benefit Darfur–as well as other human rights efforts–through the work of Doctors without Borders, Human Rights Watch and Oxfam America. 100% of sales will go to these nonprofit organizations.
Jeff Antebi, founder of Waxploitation, says, “With everything else in the news, it’s important to not forget Darfur. When we did our first benefit auction, 70,000 people had already died. Today, the number is estimated to be 300,000. Almost five million innocent civilians are caught in the middle of this, with nowhere to go.”
This year’s auction features signed gear and music from artists such as Norah Jones, Diplo, Counting Crows, Kid Rock, The Shins, Kylie Minogue, Patti Smith, Madonna, Gnarls Barkley, Wilco, Elvis Costello and many others.
In addition to this year’s celebrity swag, Waxploitation will continue to sell its Causes albums to benefit Darfur as well. The new Causes 2 CD features exlusive tracks from artists such as LCD Soundsystem, The Decemberists, My Morning Jacket, Diplo, Devendra Banhart, and Sharaon Jones & the Dap Kings.
More than 2 million people have fled their homes because of the civil war in Darfur, and at least 4 million are currently in need of humanitarian aid. Though the United States has recognized the conflict in the Sudanese country as genocide–along with many other countries and leaders–the United Nations still maintains that, though mass murder and rape are rampant in the country, the violence does not meet the terms of genocide.
Though the number of casualties in the area vary, as many as 200,000 to 400,000 people have been killed in the conflict.
To learn more or to get involved with the auction, visit Waxploitation’s eBay auction page.