The Weeknd Donates $556 Million To Ethiopia

Ethiopian-born Canadian singer-songwriter, musician and producer, “The Weeknd,” real name Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, has proven himself time and time again to be a philanthropist. The native of Toronto has just donated $ 1 million (over 556.5 million FCFA) to Ethiopia. To what end?

Canadian artist Abel Makkonen Tesfaye aka “The Weeknd” continues to prove his philanthropy. The native of Toronto has just donated $ 1 million (over 556.5 million FCFA) to efforts to fight hunger in Ethiopia, in the midst of the ongoing internal conflict in the country and more specifically in Tigray. The artist broke news of the donation via their respective social media channels on Sunday, April 4, urging others to follow suit.

“My heart breaks for my Ethiopian people as innocent civilians ranging from small children to the elderly are senselessly murdered and entire villages displaced by fear and destruction,” wrote The Weeknd. "I will donate $ 1 million (over 556.5 million FCFA) to provide 2 million meals through the United Nations World Food Program and encourage those who can to donate too," he said. he concluded, adding that the donation link for those interested would be in his biography.

The conflict in the Tigray region, which has left many innocent civilians displaced or dead, stems from tensions between the Addis Ababa government and rebels from the Tigray People's Liberation Front (FLPT). Last month, in an internal US government report obtained by The New York Times , Ethiopian officials were described as "carrying out a systematic campaign of ethnic cleansing" in the Tigray region.

This is not a first for "The Weeknd", whose two parents migrated from Ethiopia to Canada a few decades ago. The Canadian artist has already lent a hand to other humanitarian efforts such as helping in the fight against Covid-19 and racial justice causes such as “Black Lives Matter” and the “Know Your Rights” camp. Colin Kaepernick ”. He also donated 300,000 dollars (167 million FCFA) to Lebanon to help those affected by the explosion in Beirut.