The Weeknd meets with US officials to be briefed on the Ethiopian humanitarian crisis
The Weeknd has always made it his priority to raise awareness and support worthwhile causes worldwide. Last year alone, he made many large donations to different causes: a million for coronavirus relief, $500,000 to help fight for racial justice, and $300,000 for victims of the explosion in Beirut. The R&B singer, born to Ethiopian parents, is again providing aid and spreading awareness, this time for his home country.
In November 2020, war broke out between the local and Federal governments in Ethiopia’s Tigray region. As a result, over one million people are displaced and over 4.5 million people are in need of help. There are also rumors of some form of “ethnic cleansing” in the region. Harvests have been wiped out, leaving some areas in the area near famine. The Weeknd was moved to help.
A Helping Hand
Back In April, he decided to donate 1 million dollars to provide 2 million meals to the area. He shared his thoughts on Instagram.
“My heart breaks for my people of Ethiopia as innocent civilians ranging from small children to the elderly are being senselessly murdered and entire villages are being displaced out of fear and destruction. I will be donating $1 million to provide 2 million meals through the United Nations World Food Program and encourage those who can to please give as well.”
He took his efforts further by meeting with the USAID earlier this week. He was briefed on the US response to the crisis. The USAID is involved in being part of the relief of the region, providing more than 181 million dollars to Tigray. That money should be able to feed 3 million people for two months. Moreover, the USAID provided seeds to the area to help farmers grow new crops.
The Weeknd shared support for the cause on social media.
https://twitter.com/theweeknd/status/1402766797414092804?s=20
If you would like to help, you can visit here for more info:
https://www.cidi.org/disaster-responses/tigray/
Demetrius Sadler | Twitter: @thademigod7