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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

"Running the Sahara" Announces Charitable Effort: H2O Africa,
Campaign to Raise Funding for Clean Water Programs In Africa

H2O Africa Launches at One X One Event at Toronto Film Festival; Event Raises over $3 Million for 'H2O Africa' and 6 other Charities to Benefit Children

Los Angeles, October 11 - Running the Sahara, the upcoming expedition and documentary film featuring three international ultra-marathoners who will attempt to become the first humans to run the entire distance across Africa's Sahara Desert, has unveiled its charitable component: H2O Africa, a clean water initiative (www.h2oafrica.org).

Individuals may make donations through the Running the Sahara website: www.runningthesahara.com.

H2O Africa will create widespread public awareness of the water crisis in Africa and gather support and funding for clean water programs in critical areas. In an address announcing H2O Africa at the One X One event at the Toronto Film festival on September 10, 2006, Executive Producer Matt Damon said:

"Running the Sahara is more than just a chance to make a film. I recently went to Africa with One and saw first-hand the effects of one of the largest public health issues of our time - the world water crisis which is at its worst in Africa. I also saw the hope in the people there when they have access to clean water that can save millions of lives. And its impact goes beyond that. Clean water is also a critical component to rebuilding shattered economies. Imagine the profound effect a well can have on the lives and dreams of all the people who have access to it - clean water can put the entire communities onto that first rung of the development ladder. H2O Africa will focus specifically on raising funds that support the execution of clean water programs in Africa."

The money raised by H2O Africa will fund activities of leading charitable organizations and NGO's that have experience and current programs on the ground in Africa. As the Running the Sahara Expedition crosses Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Libya, and Egypt, it will identify key areas of need for clean water programs and H2O Africa will turn to its group of charitable partners to address those areas of need. A key advisor to H2O Africa in the selection of charitable partners is the ONE Campaign. Oversight of H2O Africa programs and initiatives will mainly come through progress-based grant agreements.

"H2O Africa will focus on the development of sustainable, integrated water programs," said Paul Brooks, Chairman of H2O Africa. "We are targeting initiatives that will affect positive change for the long run and complement other activity in the region, such as education and infrastructure development-for example, a water purification system at a school, which provides clean water for children and encourages parents to bring their kids to school."

Charitable contributions are Tax Deductible for citizens of the United States of America and Canada, and in many cases for International donors from nations that have an income tax treaty with the U.S.A. (A list of countries with which the U.S.A. has a treaty and an explanation of how that treaty applies is available from the IRS.)

The Running the Sahara Expedition is sponsored by Magellan Navigation whose GPS technology will be critical to the Expedition's navigation of the best route through the Sahara Desert.

The Running the Sahara Expedition will be the subject of a documentary film, also titled Running the Sahara. Directed by Academy Award Winner James Moll and Narrated and Executive Produced by Academy Award Winner Matt Damon, the film will be an up-close character-driven documentary that delves deep into the culture of the Sahara through the eyes of three individuals undergoing a life-altering experience of an unprecedented crossing of six countries that span the Sahara from West to East: Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Libya and Egypt.

Running the Sahara and H2O Africa mark the launch of a unique collaboration between the recently announced Independent Producers Alliance ("IPA") and LivePlanet, the production company that Damon co-founded. Production support is being provided by Life(n) Media and Prelude Pictures. Charitable fund services are being provided by Renaissance and Stanford Financial Group, which is also a lead investor in the film venture.

"Stanford is committed to strengthening communities and partnering with those organizations that are truly making a difference in people's lives," said Suzanne Hamm of Stanford Foundation. "This initiative is unique, and fundamentally important to improving the quality of life in this region. We're delighted to be a part of this."

About

H2O Africa
H2O Africa has a mission to create widespread public awareness of the water crisis in Africa and gather support for integrated sustainable clean water programs in critical areas. Oversight of H2O Africa programs and initiatives will be through partnerships with major non-government organizations as well as progress-based grant agreements.

Magellan Navigation
Magellan is a leader in the consumer, survey, GIS and OEM GPS navigation and positioning markets. Recognized as an industry innovator, the Company is the creator of the award-winning Magellan® RoadMate™ series portable car navigation systems, the Magellan eXplorist™ outdoor handheld navigation devices, the Hertz NeverLost® car navigation system and ProMark™, the best-selling single frequency GPS survey product line on the market. The company is recognized worldwide through its Magellan brand and has experienced dramatic revenue growth as GPS technology has proliferated across a range of consumer and commercial applications. The Company is headquartered in San Dimas, California with European headquarters in Carquefou, France. In 2006, Thales Navigation was acquired by a group of investors led by Shah Capital Partners, a private equity firm based in Santa Clara, California. The company was renamed Magellan and offers its leading consumer GPS solutions under the Magellan brand, and its innovative professional GPS solutions now under the Magellan Professional name.

Stanford Financial Group
The Stanford Financial Group is a privately held global group of wholly owned, independently operated financial services companies founded by Lodis B. Stanford in 1932. Stanford¹s core businesses are wealth management for high net worth individuals and investment banking for institutions and emerging growth companies. Knowledgeable private and institutional investors have availed themselves of Stanford¹s global expertise in asset allocation strategies, investment advisory services, equity and fixed income research, international private banking and trust administration, commercial banking, investment banking, merchant banking, institutional sales and trading, real estate investment and insurance. Stanford serves clients from 126 countries on six continents.

Renaissance
As The Social Capital Company, Renaissance is devoted to a simple, yet important objective: expanding the quantity and quality of philanthropy in our world. A true pioneer, Renaissance has been the leader in expanding the concept of social capital since 1987. The company's experience in this area is second to none. Based in Indianapolis, Renaissance has trained and supported thousands of donor advisors in helping their clients recognize the existence of social capital and understand how to best put it to use for society and themselves. Renaissance has assembled an unparalleled level of personnel, technical expertise and information dedicated to this effort.

ONE: THE CAMPAIGN TO MAKE POVERTY HISTORY
ONE (www.one.org) is a campaign of close to 2.5 million people and over 100 of the nation's leading relief, humanitarian and advocacy organizations working together to fight the emergency of global AIDS and extreme poverty. ONE is Americans of all beliefs and every walk of life, raising their voices as ONE so that leaders will do more to save millions of lives in the poorest countries. ONE believes that allocating an additional 1% percent of the U.S. federal budget toward providing basic needs like health, education, clean water and food would transform the futures and hopes of an entire generation in the world's poorest countries. ONE also calls for debt cancellation, trade reform and anti-corruption measures in a comprehensive package to help Africa and the poorest nations beat AIDS and extreme poverty.

About LivePlanet, Inc
LivePlanet develops and produces entertainment properties for traditional as well as digital media distribution platforms, with a focus on leveraging technology and integrating brands to tell compelling stories. LivePlanet currently has projects in active stages of production and development in film, television, broadband and mobile distribution platforms, working with partners ranging from Microsoft, Amp'd Mobile and Yahoo! to The Walt Disney Company, Viacom and NBCUniversal. Recent projects include the feature film First Descent (Universal), wireless game PhoneTag (Amp'd Mobile), the three-time Emmy-nominated Project Greenlight (HBO/Bravo, Miramax), Fan Club: Reality Baseball (MSN Originals), and Race to E3 (MTV and Xbox Live). The company is based in Los Angeles, CA.

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05 January 2009