<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1734" style="border: 0; margin: 8px;" title="1601_haiti" src="http://strangeattractor.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/1601_haiti.jpg" alt="1601_haiti" width="370" height="235" />

Artist and SA Pal John Cussans was in Haiti last December as part of the first <a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/arts/visual-arts/story/1404980.html" target="_blank">Haitian Art Bienniale</a>, an event that seemed to offer a great deal of hope and help to people in the troubled Cité Soleil district of Port-au-Prince. John's photos of the Ghetto Biennale are <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11997561@N04/" target="_blank">here</a>.

If you're wondering who to donate to following last week's devastating earthquake, John suggests <a href="http://www.avaaz.org/en/" target="_blank">Avaaz</a>, a global online fund-raising activist group who are sending money directly to long-standing local groups working in Port-au Prince. Via <a href="http://www.avaaz.org/en/" target="_blank">Avaaz</a>:

<em>Based on expert advice from leading humanitarian NGOs who have been working in Haiti for over 30 years, we'll offer donations to trusted local organizations, includingHonor and Respect for Bel Air, a big community-based network in Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince, which is also supported by our friends at the respected Brazilian NGO Viva Rio Coordination Régionale des Organisations de Sud-Est (CROSE), which brings together some of the most active community groups in the South of Haiti where the earthquake struck hardest. These groups include women's groups, schools networks and local cooperatives.</em>

Avaaz are also supported by the London-based Haiti Support Group. You can donate via paypal here - <a href="https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stand_with_haiti">https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stand_with_haiti</a>

<a href="http://www.standwithhaiti.org/haiti" target="_blank">Stand With Haiti</a>, who have been in Haiti for 20 years, look like another good option.