ON GUARD FOR HUMANITY

                                          CHARITY No. 84526 9075 RR 0001

 

 

On Guard for Humanity
5000 Yonge Street
Suite 1901
Toronto, ON M2N 7E9
Canada

ph: 1.416.549.8021
fax: 1.416.221.8568
alt: 1.647.298.0882

News Releases

News Releases

  • On Guard for Humanity

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    Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Monday, March 8, 2010 – the President and CEO of On Guard for Humanity,  Alberto de Sousa Costa, announced today that it has signed a Value-added Member  Agreement with Energy Panel Systems LLC (“EPS”)  to manufacture and supply  rapid deployment emergency shelter systems for use following major natural disasters and for distribution to refugee camps worldwide.

    Alberto de Sousa Costa stated that “the traditional tents used up until now by most NGO and disaster relief and aid agencies, have long outlived their useful lifetime. Today, it is possible to bring economies of scale where anyone engaged in the supply of shelter for refugees will see substantial cost savings with the use of these new temporary shelter systems and its repeat reusability over the mid and long-term.

    He went on to say that “On Guard for Humanity’s immediate priority is to be in a position to make extensive use of these systems in Haiti as it readies itself to establish a long-term presence in that Country with On Guard for Humanity  Centres to address the needs of communities badly affected by the recent earthquake and work in tandem with local authorities and the affected communities, “one-community-at-a-time” to rebuilding new lives and creating the means for long term sustainability and emergency preparedness.”

    Graham McGinnis, the President of EPS stated that “we are very pleased to be partnered with On Guard for Humanity and have the chance to make an impact on a global scale. We look forward to the challenge of providing shelter to people in distressed regions of the world.”

    Energy Panel Systems, LLC (www.energypanelsystems.com) is located in Tucson, Arizona. EPS has been involved in both the residential and commercial construction industries in the southwestern United States providing structural wall panels and contracting support. The President and founder of EPS, Graham McGinnis is a Canadian by birth and now makes his home in Tucson where the company has developed building systems that meet the needs  of all markets and regions of the world. In addition to home building, EPS has participated in projects that give back to the local Tucson and area communities including work with Habitat for Humanity and affordable housing for Native American communities. The design of the relief shelter being offered takes into account many factors, foremost being comfort of its inhabitants at a cost that will allow for its widespread use. With a R-value of 8 along with the structural stability of steel, EPS shelters will provide comfort to people for extended periods if necessary. These shelters are simple to assemble with minimal tools and instruction and can be easily disassembled and reassembled if necessary.      

    On Guard for Humanity is run and administered entirely by a dedicated board of directors/trustees, volunteers, value-added members and independent advisors from all walks of life (human capital), who give their time, resources, knowledge and life-long work experiences for the good of humanity and  many times at great personal risk to themselves when working in dangerous areas of the world”.

    On Guard for Humanity is authorized to operate in three key areas both domestically and abroad: (1) Disaster relief for victims of natural and other disasters; (2) Disaster and war relief for refugees and displaced persons living in refugee camps; and (3) Infrastructure development that includes but is not limited to:

    On Guard for Humanity as part of its obligations to providing assistance and humanitarian aid to victims of war and armed conflict  will be working together with a number of United Nations disaster relief and aid agencies as well as other NGOs in providing these new temporary shelters to refugee camps everywhere.

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    Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Thursday February 25, 2010 – the President and CEO of On Guard for Humanity,  Alberto de Sousa Costa, announced today that On Guard for Humanity is resuming its activities in Quito, Ecuador after an hiatus of two years with weakening support from donors and compounded further by the world economic crisis.

    Alberto de Sousa Costa stated  that `he has seen a resurgence of renewed interest from donors as well as its value-added members willing to support On Guard for Humanity’s efforts to establish a presence in Quito in cooperation with local authorities in the City and Civil Defence.``

    Alberto de Sousa Costa added that ``notwithstanding all the adversity he has never given-up hope on the Quito Project or the ability to serve and contribute to this Historical City with a community-based Emergency Preparedness Programs for the people of Quito.``

    Historical Quito the first city in the world to be declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site is also the cradle of Ecuadorian culture, history and national pride. Nonetheless, the City is surrounded by five active volcanoes and rests in a major seismic fault activity area and therefore, is one of the world’s most vulnerable cities to natural disasters.

    On Guard for Humanity operates in three key areas both domestically and abroad: (1) Disaster relief for victims of natural and other disasters; (2) Disaster and war relief for refugees and displaced persons living in refugee camps; and (3) Infrastructure development.

    On Guard for Humanity advises on, establishes and implements measures that provide timely warning of imminent disasters (e.g. flood, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, fires and earthquake early warning systems)  including emergency preparedness programs at a local community level. When disaster strikes, it responds in quick time to provide relief to victims with essential material and human resources.

    The On Guard for Humanity model is one of community building and infrastructure development. On Guard for Humanity helps to develop and utilizes the physical and human capital of vulnerable communities in creative ways through a series of training programs where every member of the community plays an active role on its own emergency preparedness program  in tandem with local officials and government agencies.

    Ruben Lopez Santana, the Vice-President for Latin America and the Caribbean  region went on to say ``that a number of pledges not realized or put on hold  in 2007 and 2008 have been converting into donations specifically for the Quito Project and we can now begin to clean-up the backlog` and debt created between 2005 and 2007.`` He added `that  the expectation is to open the first of nine On Guard for Humanity Centre`s  in the City this year, with others to follow as success becomes transparent and  real benefits can be seen by the communities being served.``

    On Guard for Humanity creates “partnerships for success” within these communities and with their local authorities that emphasize planning, prevention and proactive measures. On Guard for Humanity underwrites the capital and operating costs of these Centres along economic models specifically designed to meet local needs, rather than providing financial aid directly to communities to spend as they see fit. In this way On Guard for Humanity insures that its objectives, as well as the donors who support On Guard for Humanity are met and the community is sustainable and successful.

    On Guard for Humanity is run and administered entirely by a dedicated board of directors/trustees, volunteers, value-added members and independent advisors from all walks of life (human capital), who give their time, resources, knowledge and life-long work experiences for the good of humanity and  many times at great personal risk to themselves when working in dangerous areas of the world”.

    Readers are cautioned that the foregoing statements made herein reflect On Guard for Humanity’s expectations as at the date of this Press Release and are subject to change after the date hereof and unless required by applicable laws, On Guard for Humanity, expressly disclaims any intention, and assurances given herein and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, restrictions, future events or otherwise.

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    Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Thursday, February 18, 2010 – the President and CEO of On Guard for Humanity,  Alberto de Sousa Costa, announced today that working in tandem with its value-added members and donor support, On Guard for Humanity will be initiating a new project initiative in Haiti on the third quarter of the current fiscal year.

    Alberto de Sousa Costa stated that “although we would have been happier in making an entry into Haiti in advance of the rainy and hurricane seasons (May 2010), it is important that we do not interfere with the clean-up and recovery operations following the devastating earthquake January 12, 2010).” 

    Ruben Lopez Santana Vice-President for Central, South America and the Caribbean region stated that “On Guard for Humanity’s mission in Haiti will be a long-term one and will focus on the provision of emergency preparedness programs against natural disasters to be delivered at a local community level and in cooperation with local authorities and the communities themselves.”

    Ruben Lopez Santana added “Other programs will include, low cost temporary shelter facilities, sub-economic housing programs, and the establishment of an On Guard for Humanity Centre, that will deliver a series of social and educational programs to needy communities, i.e. medical and health care, job training programs and agricultural development programs that can generate local jobs and spin-off light industries, an essential if not critical component of any humanitarian work if it is to be successful and sustainable.”

    On Guard for Humanity is run and administered entirely by a dedicated board of directors/trustees, volunteers, value-added members and independent advisors from all walks of life (human capital), who give their time, resources, knowledge and life-long work experiences for the good of humanity and many times at great personal risk to themselves when working in dangerous areas of the world”.

    On Guard for Humanity is authorized to operate in three key areas both domestically and abroad: (1) Disaster relief for victims of natural and other disasters; (2) Disaster and war relief for refugees and displaced persons living in refugee camps; and (3) Infrastructure development that includes but is not limited to:

    The Establishment of On Guard for Humanity Centres in Haiti predicated on the notion that when disasters strike, it is too late to plan and the need to have monitoring equipment as well as search and rescue tools and shelter facilities on the ground, together with a well trained community capable of taking charge of their own search, and rescue operations long before outside help arrives, may mean the difference between life and a recovery operation.

    Haiti is no stranger to natural disasters, be they seasonal hurricanes or tropical storms to earthquakes. Port-au-Prince is located on a major seismic fault zone and therefore, always vulnerable to earthquakes.

    Raymond Desnoyers a Director/Trustee of On guard for Humanity stated that “A search for francophone volunteers willing to work in Haiti on a number of capacities is to begin April 1, 2010, and each volunteer will receive intensive training from on Guard for Humanity specialists and third party professional trainers before being posted to Haiti.”  

    On Guard for Humanity advises on, establishes and implements measures that provide timely warning of imminent disasters (e.g. flood, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, and earthquake early warning systems) including emergency preparedness programs at a local community level. When disaster strikes, it responds in quick time to provide relief to victims with essential material and human resources.

    The On Guard for Humanity model is one of community building and infrastructure development- On Guard for Humanity helps to develop and utilizes the physical and human capital of disadvantaged and distressed communities in creative ways through business and industrial development, education and training to develop skills and create jobs as lasting benefits.

    On Guard for Humanity creates “partnerships for success” within these communities and with their local authorities that emphasize planning, prevention and proactive measures. On Guard for Humanity underwrites the capital and operating costs of these Centres along economic models specifically designed to meet local needs, rather than providing financial aid directly to communities to spend as they see fit. In this way On Guard for Humanity insures that its objectives, as well as the donors who support On Guard for Humanity are met and the community is sustainable and successful.

    Readers are cautioned that the foregoing statements made herein reflect On Guard for Humanity’s expectations as at the date of this Press Release and are subject to change after the date hereof and unless required by applicable laws, On Guard for Humanity, expressly disclaims any intention, and assurances given herein and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, restrictions, future events or otherwise.

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    Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Wednesday, November 11, 2009 – the President and CEO of On Guard for Humanity,  Alberto de Sousa Costa, announced today that On Guard for Humanity has entered into an Agreement with Strategic Gifting Group (SGG) consisting of charitable fund raising and donor introduction services to boost its own fund raising efforts.

    Alberto de Sousa Costa stated that ``We were just beginning to recover from the significant losses sustained in 2006 from the collapse of our major benefactor, when September 2008, financial markets everywhere collapsed, a date that will forever remain etched as a tragic month and year for a large number of charitable organizations throughout the world. Donors either disappeared overnight or put on hold their pledges and donations, which caused many charitable organizations to collapse as United Nations reports suggest. ``

    Adding, ``We too had no alternative but to put a number of our activities on hold and seize the opportunity to not only rebrand ourselves, but to look at new avenues that would guarantee a steady flow of donor funds in good and bad times. Doing it alone was not an option, and we sought the assistance of SGG, which we expect will revitalize On Guard for Humanity`s efforts with donors. ``

    On Guard for Humanity operates in three key areas both domestically and abroad: (1) Disaster relief for victims of natural and other disasters; (2) Disaster and war relief for refugees and displaced persons living in refugee camps; and (3) Infrastructure development.

    On Guard for Humanity advises on, establishes and implements measures that provide timely warning of imminent disasters (e.g. flood, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, fires and earthquake early warning systems) including emergency preparedness programs at a local community level. When disaster strikes, it responds in quick time to provide relief to victims with essential material and human resources.

    The On Guard for Humanity model is one of community building and infrastructure development- On Guard for Humanity helps to develop and utilizes the physical and human capital of disadvantaged and distressed communities in creative ways through business and industrial development, education and training to develop skills and create  jobs  as  lasting  benefits.

    On Guard for Humanity approaches its missions  in  a holistic way  and gives due attention to health, sanitation, safety, recreation , environment , community development  and other  needs and concerns  to enhance the well being and quality of life in target communities so that these are sustainable over the long term.

    On Guard for Humanity creates “partnerships for success” within these communities and with their local authorities that emphasize planning, prevention and proactive measures. On Guard for Humanity underwrites the capital and operating costs of these Centres along economic models specifically designed to meet local needs, rather than providing financial aid directly to communities to spend as they see fit. In this way On Guard for Humanity insures that its objectives, as well as the donors who support On Guard for Humanity are met and the community is sustainable and successful.

    On Guard for Humanity is run and administered entirely by a dedicated board of directors/trustees, volunteers, value-added members and independent advisors from all walks of life (human capital), who give their time, resources, knowledge and life-long work experiences for the good of humanity and many times at great personal risk to themselves when working in dangerous areas of the world”.

    Readers are cautioned that the foregoing statements made herein reflect On Guard for Humanity’s expectations as at the date of this Press Release and are subject to change after the date hereof and unless required by applicable laws, On Guard for Humanity, expressly disclaims any intention, and assurances given herein and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, restrictions, future events or otherwise.

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    Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Monday, October 27, 2009 – the President and CEO of the DMS Foundation (“DMS”), Alberto de Sousa Costa, announced today that DMS received a Letter of Patent issued by the Ministry of Industry Canada and duly authorized by the Canada Revenue Agency to change its name to “On Guard for Humanity”.

    Alberto de Sousa Costa stated that “the rebranding was the result of feedback received from donors, members and recipients that a new name should reflect the true mission, goals and objectives of this young Canadian public charity if it was to be taken notice of as a volunteer humanitarian organization”.

    He went on to say that “On Guard for Humanity is run and administered entirely by a dedicated board of directors/trustees, volunteers, value-added members and independent advisors from all walks of life (human capital), who give their time, resources, knowledge and life work experiences for the good of humanity and many times at great personal risk to themselves when working in dangerous areas of the world”.

    On Guard for Humanity is authorized to operate in three key areas both domestically and abroad: (1) Disaster relief for victims of natural and other disasters; (2) Disaster and war relief for refugees and displaced persons living in refugee camps; and (3) Infrastructure development that includes but is not limited to:

    The Establishment of emergency preparedness programs at a local community level; empowering communities to be prepared to respond to major disasters before any outside help arrives; and capacity building and infrastructure development programs designed to stamp out; poverty and disease, by embarking on a series of partnering arrangements, economic models, and programs for long term sustainability and success.

    On Guard for Humanity establishes Centres in vulnerable areas of the world exposed to recurring natural and other disasters, making use of technological innovation to monitor and predict these events before they occur, move people out of arm's-way, as well as prepare these communities to carry-out search, and rescue operations long before any outside help arrives.

    On Guard for Humanity Centres also provide local communities with counselling on health, family hygiene and care, the prevention and spread of communicable diseases, waste treatment, distribution of safe clean water, irrigation systems for agricultural development, affordable housing and community environmental responsibility and safety, when rebuilding communities. These also include localized educational and training programs that can be understood by all members of a community and where everyone is a proactive participant and develops a sense of ownership in their new-found programs.

    On Guard for Humanity creates “partnerships for success” within these communities and with their local authorities that emphasize planning, prevention and proactive measures. On Guard for Humanity underwrites the capital and operating costs of these Centres along economic models specifically designed to meet local needs, rather than providing financial aid directly to communities to spend as they see fit. In this way On Guard for Humanity insures that its objectives, as well as the donors who support On Guard for Humanity are met and the community is sustainable and successful.

    Readers are cautioned that the foregoing statements made herein reflect On Guard for Humanity’s expectations as at the date of this Press Release and are subject to change after the date hereof and unless required by applicable laws, On Guard for Humanity, expressly disclaims any intention, and assurances given herein and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, restrictions, future events or otherwise.

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    Cape Town, South Africa, May 18, 2009 – In a joint statement issued today by the Thembantu People’s Housing Association in the Western Cape Province and DMS Foundation (On Guard for Humanity®), announced the signing of an agreement where DMS is to build, set-up and operate a series of local community-based DMS Centres alongside a major sub-economic housing project in the province’s informal residential areas.

    It is expected, that this program will ultimately extend throughout the breath of South Africa, given the recent announcement by the Government that it is allocating ZAR 7-billion (C$ 955-million) over the next five years to build sub-economic dwellings to replace existing informal residential areas in and around the major centres of the Country.

    Alberto de Sousa Costa, President and CEO of the DMS Foundation stated that “this is a step in the right direction to stamp-out poverty, unemployment and restore a sense of community responsibility, pride and family in these areas, neglected for so many years”.

    These DMS Centres will provide essential services to the residents these housing projects for every 2,040 houses that are built. These services will include but will not be limited to:

    General (everyday general medical serviced by DMS’ volunteer Canadian doctor and nurses as well as those drawn from the local communities;

    1. The use of mobile medical clinics for those unable to reach these centres;
    1. These Centres will also offer local community-based training and education programs on family hygiene, family planning and the prevention and spread of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and other communicable diseases;
    1. Local community based volunteerprograms on “environmental responsibility”, with the greening of these suburbs,  and open spaces for community development and recreation; and
    1. A daycare nursery school for young pre-school children as working parents move into these new sub-economic houses.

    De Sousa Costa said: “Other volunteer programs will be developed in cooperation with these communities and local authorities in a “partnership for success”, i.e. sponsoring youth mentoring programs, music, arts, and organized sport tournaments and others as the needs of each community evolve”.

    De Sousa Costa concluded: “The ultimate goal of these DMS Centres is to empower people to look after themselves, their families and become part of a fully integrated South African society as it strives for prosperity and the wellbeing of all of its people”.

    The DMS Foundation (On Guard for Humanity®) is a Canadian-based, not-for-profit, registered public charity, dedicated to improving the lives of Canadians and those of the most vulnerable people exposed to natural and other disasters worldwide including infrastructure and community development and who lack the means to develop emergency preparedness and response programs on their own. 

    DMS operations are volunteer-based and reliance is placed on them as well as the Value-added Members (VAMs) of DMS who together provide the workforce, knowledge base and the technology, products, materiel and services needed in the field.   

    This news release contains forward looking statements regarding future events that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause results to differ materially. The Thembantu People’s Housing Association for the Western Cape or DMS Foundation assumes no obligation to update forward looking information to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking information.

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More Information

Contact:

Alberto de Sousa Costa

President & CEO

On Guard for Humanity

E. info@onguardforhumanity.org

 

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On Guard for Humanity
5000 Yonge Street
Suite 1901
Toronto, ON M2N 7E9
Canada

ph: 1.416.549.8021
fax: 1.416.221.8568
alt: 1.647.298.0882