The Weeknd Donates $1 Million To Relief Efforts In Ethiopia: ‘My Heart Breaks For My People’

The Weeknd Donates $1 Million To Relief Efforts In Ethiopia: ‘My Heart Breaks For My People’

The Weeknd ,(born Abel Makkonen Tesfaye) is getting involved and lending a helping hand with relief efforts in Ethiopia. The ‘Blinding Lights’ singer took to social media on Sunday (Apr.4) to share that he partnered with The World Food Program USA and is donating $1 million to relief efforts in Ethiopia amid the ongoing conflict between the government in Addis Ababa and the Tigray region. The singer wrote,

“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.”

He continued,

“I will be donating $1 million to provide 2 million meals through the United Nations World Food Programme and encourage those who can to please give as well.”

https://t.co/EBvWQ1TZlM pic.twitter.com/5y8z6HlY1e

— The Weeknd (@theweeknd) April 4, 2021

The conflict has resulted in the deaths of thousands of and the displacement of more than two million innocent people. Last month, the New York Times obtained an internal U.S. government report that said Ethiopian officials are “leading a systematic campaign of ethnic cleansing” in the Tigray region. Many citizens have desperately fled to neighboring countries, including Sudan, to escape the violence.

Both of The Weeknd’s parents immigrated to Canada from Ethiopia, and The Weeknd grew up speaking Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia.

The Weeknd

This isn’t the first time The Weeknd has donated to humanitarian efforts. In June 2020, he donated $1 million to COVID-19 relief. That same month, he donated $200,000 to The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, another $200,000 to The Colin Kaepernick Know Your Rights Camp Legal Defense Initiative, and $100,000 to the National Bail Out.

We love to see celebrities giving back to a good cause! What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below!