The $500,000 donation comes as $1 of every ticket sold for his stadium tour goes to the superstar singer’s humanitarian endeavor.
March 3, 2022, WFP Staff Writers
Award-winning Canadian singer Abel Tesfaye, aka The Weekndlaunched a fund to help world food program in its attempt to pull 44 million people from the brink of starvation.
In addition to the US$500,000 he is investing in the XO Humanitarian Fund – Powered by the World Food Programme, the artist, who holds the record for longest single in the United States, will donate an additional US$1 for each ticket sold. for his upcoming After Hours Til Dawn stadium tour.
“The Weeknd not only illuminates the lives of his millions of fans – he also shines a light on the suffering of millions at risk of starvation,” said WFP Executive Director David Beasley. “The XO Humanitarian Fund is a new dawn in the fight against global hunger and WFP is proud to partner with Abel to save lives. He is truly an inspiration to the next generation of humanitarians.
The money raised will be used to help communities on the brink of famine in countries like Afghanistan, Yemen and now Ukrainewith a focus on Ethiopia in recognition of Tesfaye’s ties to the country.
As the son of Ethiopian immigrants to Canada, Tesfaye expressed great empathy for the plight of people in countries like Ethiopia.
Most recently, he donated $1 million to WFP relief efforts in Ethiopia after months of deadly violence, bringing his total donated to WFP to $1.8 million.
“The purpose of this fund is to provide immediate lifesaving support to people on the brink of starvation. I am so grateful to have WFP as a partner and to further extend our reach to those who need it most,” said Tesfaye.
Tesfaye has been a passionate advocate and generous supporter of humanitarian causes throughout his career, donating over US$3 million to various organizations in the past year alone. In October, at a special ceremony in Los Angeles, Tesfaye was named a WFP Goodwill Ambassador.
He said: “The United Nations World Food Program is doing urgent and important work to change and save lives every day and I am passionate about fighting global hunger and helping people in need.
WFP USA will manage the XO Humanitarian Fund, donating US$1 million in recognition of its lifesaving intentions and potential.
“We are grateful that The Weeknd is on this journey with us to fight world hunger,” said Barron Segar, president and CEO of World Food Program USA, which manages the fund. “We cannot allow millions of children, women and men to starve to death when we have the food and the expertise to save them.”
WFP is currently sounding the alarm on an unprecedented level of need for humanitarian assistance across the world, highlighting the threat the drought poses to millions of lives in the Horn of Africa in particular.
There are currently 13 million people need urgent food aid in the Horn of Africa – is part of an unprecedented “perfect storm” of world hunger, according to the WFP.
The XO Humanitarian Fund will help provide an emergency WFP response to people who are reeling from the combined effects of conflict, climate change, pandemic restrictions and spiraling costs.
Tesfaye’s decision to donate US$1 from every tour ticket sold to WFP operations is part of a series of initiatives being considered as part of his multi-year partnership with WFP. The contribution will help feed some of the world’s most vulnerable people, impacting the lives of millions.
To learn more about the “After Hours Til Dawn” stadium, Click here. The United Nations World Food Program is the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. We are the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food aid to build a path to peace , stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disaster and the impact of climate change.
