The Weeknd contributes an additional $2 million to the Gaza hunger crisis
Abel Tesfaye, better known by his stage as The Weeknd, is a multi-platinum global music artist. He has donated an additional $2 million from his XO Humanitarian Fund to the Gaza Strip. The purpose of the most recent gift is to provide 18 million loaves of bread to families stranded in the conflict.
Variety claims that The Weeknd’s donation was done in cooperation with the World Food Program (WFP) of the United Nations, which will supply 1,500 metric tons of fortified wheat flour to feed over 157,000 Palestinians.
Amidst acute food shortages, The Weeknd promised to donate $2.5 million, or four million emergency meals, to the Gaza Strip in December of last year. Amid the danger looming over the area, the artist also issued an urgent call to fans for private donations. Over a million Palestinians in Gaza suffer from appalling levels of hunger, according to the WFP, and they urgently require assistance.
“The Weeknd’s kind contribution will bring much-needed relief for thousands of Palestinian families who struggle with hunger on a daily basis, especially with the impending famine in Gaza,” stated Corinne Fleischer, WFP Director for the Middle East, North Africa, and Eastern Europe Region. “We sincerely appreciate his contribution, his kindness, and his steadfast support of WFP and the Palestinian people.”
The singer’s continuous gifts to deserving charities have garnered media attention in the past. The Weeknd gave money to the Los Angeles-based organization School on Wheels in January in order to help over 1,000 homeless youngsters.
The Weeknd was named a UN Goodwill Ambassador in October 2021, and since then, he has actively contributed to the WFP’s worldwide hunger relief efforts through the XO Humanitarian Fund and personal gifts. To date, the artist, his collaborators, and his followers have raised $6.5 million. Apart from allocating $4.5 million for Gaza operations, The Weeknd has furthermore contributed $2 million to the World Food Program’s emergency food aid program for women and children in Ethiopia.
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