, , , , ,

Top Five People Who Fight Poverty Globally

People who Fight Poverty
Poverty is a global issue that affects at least 80 percent of the world’s population. The number seems frightening and can intimidate any person who might want to help. Some come together to fight as a united front and tackle the worldwide issue due to the sheer magnitude of the dilemma. Either way, every solution starts with a single person and a single idea. Below describes the top five people who fight poverty today, who they are and what they do (or did) to combat poverty.

Top Five People Who Fight Poverty

  1. Suzanna Mayo Frindt Empowers Rural Communities
    She is the current President and Chief of Staff of The Hunger Project, a nonprofit organization which aids countries in South Asia, Latin America and Africa. The organization provides aid through the establishment of self-reliance within the community. The Hunger Project begins by encouraging women to take active roles within the locale by training them to obtain leadership positions. Then, it enforces self-reliance. It does this by having individuals mobilize their peers through local government to take action and improve the conditions of the area. Finally, The Hunger Project works closely with these governments to ensure it is aiding the people. This system helps bring entire communities out of poverty. As President, Frindt is in a powerful position to fight poverty. She earned her position through 25 years of experience in the field as she worked in impoverished areas, like Peru. Additionally, she co-founded the firm, 2130 Partners. The firm is another organization that dedicates itself to guidance and education. Though these are just a few of her accomplishments, these key points showcase why Frindt is one of the top five people who fight poverty.
  2. Ellen Gustafson Feeds the Hungry
    This woman is an entrepreneur, activist, author and speaker whose primary cause is to work to eliminate world hunger. She focuses on hunger of particularly impoverished areas where the problem is most prominent. Gustafson co-founded FEED Projects, a charity which provides food for people around the world. As of 2019, it has provided 60 million meals to schools around the world. She has also tackled the issue of obesity through educational activism. Overall, Ellen Gustafason’s goals may center around food, but her work has improved the lives of impoverished people in places where they often need help the most.
  3. Bono Advocates Against Poverty
    He is an American musician and frontman of the popular music group, U2. Bono’s infamy stems not only from his musical persona but also from his philanthropic efforts. The singer is the founder of ONE, an advocacy organization that works to raise awareness of poverty and fight against the issue. Similar to The Borgen Project, ONE addresses its cause through legislation and lobbying of governments. ONE focuses on reducing poverty in Africa’s poorest areas. It is just one of the few organizations Bono supports with a target against poverty. This fact showcases the musician’s dedication to both his art and beliefs.
  4. Anthony Lake Leads UNICEF in the Fight Against Poverty
    He has been the director of UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) since 2010. He earned his role through a longstanding career as a foreign policy advisor to various presidential candidates and officers of the United States. During the office of President Bill Clinton, Lake served as National Security Advisor. His political career prepared him well to undertake the leadership position of UNICEF, the organization responsible for a significant amount of the world’s humanitarian aid. Specifically, it focuses on the needs of children in over 190 countries. As Lake has taken directorship, his prominence in the fight against poverty has risen immensely.
  5. Bill Gates Shares His Financial Success with Developing Countries
    People primarily know Bill Gates as a technological innovator and a record-breaking billionaire. Through the creation of Microsoft, he has amassed substantial financial benefits. People also know Gates as an impressive philanthropist who gears his saving towards aid programs. Specifically, he has established the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, a joint project between him and his wife. The program receives a significant amount of his donations. Since its establishment in 2000, the foundation has “spent more than $36 billion to fund work in global health, emergency relief, education, [and] poverty,” as reported by Business Insider. The organization is using some of that money to fight malaria and ebola outbreaks in developing countries.

From political professionals to celebrities, these five people who fight poverty show that stepping up for the world’s poor does not require a designated hero. Anyone, with the right drive and ambition, can make a change for the better. The list features only a few prominent people who fight poverty, though it does not have to end there.

– Eleanora Kamerow
Photo: Flickr

/by
, , , , ,

Millie Bobby Brown and UNICEF Advocate for Children

Brown and UNICEFOn World Children’s Day in 2018, “Stranger Things” actress Millie Bobby Brown was named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, making her the youngest to hold the title at 14 years old. UNICEF, which stands for United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, is a nonprofit organization that has sought to provide aid for underprivileged children and protect their rights across 190 countries and territories since 1946. Brown’s role with UNICEF as an ambassador is to use her global platform to raise awareness of issues that affect youth around the world, such as lack of education, violence, poverty and bullying.

Children Taking Over for UNICEF

Before being named ambassador in 2018, Brown and UNICEF partnered in 2016 when the actress co-hosted the organization’s 70th anniversary event at the United Nations headquarters. The anniversary celebration was deemed a “children’s takeover” because it was hosted by Brown and other young celebrities who have been involved with UNICEF as well as young people who have directly benefited from the organization’s efforts. While co-hosting the event as a representative for the future of UNICEF, Brown interviewed soccer star David Beckham about his philanthropic efforts with UNICEF in his 11 years as an ambassador.

Millie Bobby Brown in Denmark

In Jan. 2019, Brown and UNICEF travelled together for the first time when the actress went to
visit the global supply headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark. There, she assisted in assembling
early childhood development kits, which offer children in disastrous and contentious areas and living conditions a way to play and learn. The kits include art supplies, puzzles, games, books and puppets, and are given to caregivers helping in these areas. The kits are designed to be utilized by up to 50 children who are experiencing trauma and stress, and assist in creating a safe learning environment for them.

Brown also toured UNICEF’s supply and kit packing warehouse, the largest humanitarian warehouse in the world. Hundreds of necessities such as clothing and school supplies are sent from the warehouse every day to children and families in need around the world. In 2017 alone, $3.46 billion worth of supplies were sent to 150 countries in areas by UNICEF.

Collaboration Kits for a Cause

Representatives from Moncler, an Italian apparel and lifestyle brand, also accompanied Brown and UNICEF during the trip. In 2017 the Warmly Moncler project was launched in light of the collaboration between UNICEF and Moncler. The initiative provides winter survival kits containing hats, gloves, scarves, shoes, thermal blankets, socks and fuel to heat homes and schools to disadvantaged children and families in areas with harsh winter conditions worldwide. Since the collaboration was launched, over 38,000 families who live in some of the coldest countries in the world have benefited from the project.

For the future, Brown can be expected to continue to use her platform as an ambassador for
UNICEF to meet with as many children as she can, hear their stories and advocate and speak
out on their behalf.

– Cydni Payton
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

/by
, , ,

Four Celebrities Who Were Refugees

celebrities who were refugeesEach year, June 20 is just another day for the average person; for many, however, it symbolizes the struggles of past and present refugees fleeing their homes for better, safer lives. World Refugee Day is a time when many reflect on how far they have come since leaving their home countries, whether they are blue-collar workers or famous names. Here are the experiences of four celebrities who were refugees before they were stars.

Four Celebrities Who Were Refugees

  1. Gloria Estefan
    World-famous singer, Gloria Estefan, was born in Havana, Cuba. She and her family fled the country in 1960, after the Cuban Revolution. After landing in Florida, Estefan’s father joined the American army and took part in the Bay of Pigs invasion. Estefan was granted citizenship in 1974 and joined the band Miami Sound Machine, which was the beginning of her legendary career. Currently, Estefan has seven Grammys.
  2. Mila Kunis
    Kunis, well-known for her role on That ‘70s Show and as the voice of Meg on Family Guy, was born and raised for the first seven years of her life in Ukraine. After facing years of anti-Semitism in the former Soviet Union, the family was granted a religious-refugee visa and fled to the United States in 1991, settling in Los Angeles, California.

    In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Kunis reflected on her experience: “It was right at the fall [of the Soviet Union]. It was very communist, and my parents wanted my brother and me to have a future, and so they just dropped everything. They came with $250.” She describes her initial experience of living in the U.S. as “like being blind and deaf at age 7” because of the extreme culture shock she faced. Kunis, like other celebrities with similar experiences, is now a staunch advocate for refugees and has criticized the Trump administration’s actions surrounding the Syrian refugee crisis.

  3. M.I.A.
    Rapper M.I.A. was born in London but moved to Sri Lanka with her family as an infant. After her father organized an independence movement for ethnic Tamils, civil war broke out and the family was forced to flee. Initially, M.I.A. and her family settled in India but eventually landed in London.

    Discussing her experiences with NME, she stated: “If you’re coming from the war zone, you definitely got an issue. You have to adapt to a new place, you have to start new schools—every kid is going to go through all the things I went through. They’re gonna be in a council flay, they have to fill out the forms, sit in the waiting rooms, get housed, wait for your voucher for your school uniform. And you had to come up with how to make luncheon vouchers look cool because you’re the only kid that’s got ‘em!”

  4. Rita Ora
    Ora was born in what was once Pristina, Yugoslavia, now known as Kosovo. Once Yugoslavia dissolved, ethnic Albanians, including 1-year-old Ora and her family, began to be persecuted by Slobodan Milosevic’s regime. The family, like those of many of the other celebrities who were refugees, fled to London, where they faced prejudice as refugees. The family was determined to have a better life, though, despite the discrimination.

    In an interview with the Evening Standard, Ora encouraged other refugees and their families to do the same, while reminding others about the toll that fleeing can take on people: “That word [refugee] carries a lot of prejudice but it also made us determined to survive. When you put anyone into an alien environment, where other people aren’t completely comfortable with them being there, they are automatically going to be defensive. It’s the rule of the jungle, right?”

At a time when open-door policies and actions regarding the refugee crisis are often controversial, these four celebrities who were refugees are challenging the stigma around being a refugee and whom it is we think of when discussing refugees.

– Shania Kennedy
Photo: Google Images

/by
,

Top 10 Humanitarian Quotes by Famous Musicians

10 Humanitarian Quotes by Famous MusiciansOftentimes, popular music artists are known for their radio hits or Grammy nominations. However, several artists in the music industry are using their platform for more than just promoting their newest hit singles; many are working to change the lives of the world’s poor. Listed below are 10 humanitarian quotes by famous musicians:

Top 10 Humanitarian Quotes by Famous Musicians

  1. “I discovered that when I started making money, I didn’t really need it. When you have such an excess of money you don’t need, the most sensible, most human, and completely obvious thing to do is to give to people in need.” –Avicii, the late electronic musician, DJ and songwriter said in a 2013 interview.
  2. “If we can overcome the education deficit in the developing world, everybody wins.” –Rihanna on fighting for the education of girls in developing countries.
  3. “I want to be more involved outside just my community of Chicago. I want to travel overseas and help out people all over the world. . . I’m a good man, and I’m going to become a better man.” –Chance the Rapper, in his 2017 acceptance speech at the BET Humanitarian Award for his work transforming Chicago public schools.
  4. “In an uncertain world, a strong military is essential, but the best bulwark against violent extremism is hope and opportunity.” –Bono, lead singer of Irish rock band U2, in a speech on development and extremism.
  5. “We must come together – individuals, governments, corporations, philanthropists and artists – as one and fight for the rights of children and families suffering unnecessarily from this dreadful disease.” –Alicia Keys, R&B singer, during an address at the 16th International Aids Conference in Toronto in 2006
  6. “It doesn’t matter if you are a musician, a business leader, a president or a student. We all have a responsibility to give back.” –Shakira, Colombian singer in an interview with Americas Quarterly about building support for global childhood education.
  7. “You don’t have to be rich to be a humanitarian. You don’t have to be rich to help somebody. You don’t gotta be famous . . . It starts with your neighbor, the person right next to you. You just do whatever you can to help in any way that you can. All you need to do is help one person, expecting nothing in return. To me, that is a humanitarian.” –Rihanna in her acceptance speech for the Harvard Humanitarian Award in 2017.
  8. “I’ve seen the power of the human spirit translated into compassion and extraordinary global progress. This has been the most important lesson of my life. Nothing is more profound or more powerful than recognizing our common humanity.” –Elton John, Grammy award-winning artist in his acceptance speech for the Harvard Foundation’s Humanitarian Award.
  9. “We’re all in this together. Each and every one of us can make a difference by giving back.” –Beyoncé, in her mission statement her global poverty initiative BeyGood.
  10. “Change only takes place when and where there is action. . . I believe through actions, whether it be through awareness, getting involved or educating ourselves, the goal to end extreme poverty by 2030 is possible.” –Jay-Z, rap and hip-hop artist, in his announcement to join the Global Citizen Project (organized by the Global Poverty Project) in 2014

– Sam Elster
Photo: Flickr

/by
, , , , ,

Angelina Jolie: The Fight To Improve the Lives of Refugees

Angelina Jolie
Unlike her character as a bad girl in Tomb Raider or as a vengeful Maleficent, Angelina Jolie has a soft spot when it involves philanthropy work. The American actress has a long record of helping communities globally. Although a mother of six, Jolie pauses her mom duties to find time to visit developing countries, improve the lives of refugees, get involved with charitable work, create foundations and fund schools in other countries. She is a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and is serving as the co-chair of the Educational Partnership for Children of Conflict.

Angelina Jolie, Goodwill Ambassador

Jolie uses her role as a Goodwill Ambassador to advocate for those who are no longer safe in their home countries. Most recently, Jolie has traveled to Peru and Colombia to visit Venezuelan refugees. During her trip to Peru, she spent two days in Lima at the border where massive groups of refugees enter daily. She spoke with a few refugees to hear stories of what their lives were like before migrating in hopes of a better life and freedom.

Crisis in Venezuela

Nearly 1.3 million Venezuelans are living in Columbia, and Jolie made it her mission to visit a few of them during her trip there. Jolie met with Colombian President Ivan Duque to express concern over the 20,000 Venezuelan children who are at risk of being without basic citizenship. They discussed how children can become nationalized and the importance of international support.

In a statement given at the press conference at the Integrated Assistance Centre, Jolie expresses how serious the influx of refugees affects not only the refugees themselves, but the countries they settle in.“The countries receiving them, like Colombia, are trying to manage an unmanageable situation with insufficient resources,” Jolie said. “This is a life and death situation for millions of Venezuelans. But UNHCR has received only a fraction of the funds it needs, to do even the bare minimum to help them survive.”

Rhoyinga Refugees

In February 2019, Jolie visited Bangladesh for three days to provide help for over 700,000 Rhoyinga refugees who have settled in the country. Jolie expressed concern over the challenges Bangladesh may face as a host country to a great number of refugees. Jolie was especially focused on making sure the refugees were comfortable and content after being forced to leave their home country, Myanmar. “I am here to see what more can be done to ensure Rohingya children can gain an education with recognized qualifications that they need to retain a clear vision for their futures, and, when conditions allow, rebuild their communities in Myanmar,” Jolie said. While there, she also created a new appeal of almost $1 billion dollars to support the rise of refugees.

Angelina Jolie’s fight to improve the lives of refugees dates back to 2002, a year after receiving the role as Goodwill Ambassador for UNHC for Refugees. Her consistent commitment to those who are displaced by force shows she is someone who genuinely cares for the lives of those who are struggling. Angelina Jolie is a prime example of someone using your voice and resources to help those who are in need.

– Jessica Curney

Photo: UNHCR

 

 

/by
, , , , , ,

An Update on the BeyGood Fellowship Program in South Africa

BeyGood Fellowship ProgramLast December, Beyoncé performed at the Global Citizen Festival in South Africa, a festival aimed at ending global poverty. The 2018 festival was in honor of Nelson Mandela, former South African president and activist who died in 2013. Over 90,000 people attended the festival, which raised $7.1 billion worldwide. The highly anticipated performance garnered high viewership and engagement worldwide, and parts of the performance were streamed online. However, this was not the beginning of Beyoncé’s charity work in South Africa. Her foundation, BeyGood, has spotlighted local organizations for years. Now, BeyGood plans to return to South Africa twice a year to help develop and execute its community outreach plan. In doing so, BeyGood created the BeyGood Fellowship Program.

BeyGood Fellowship Program in South Africa

The BeyGood Fellowship Program in South Africa is being executed in partnership with Global Citizen. The two organizations are working to empower local youth in helping end world poverty by 2030. Each youth fellow receives a paid, yearlong job opportunity and will focus on one of four pillars of activity from Global Citizen: creative, campaigns, rewards or marketing.

In late March 2019, the BeyGood foundation reviewed applications and returned from New York to Johannesburg, South Africa. Once there, BeyGood representatives met with four fellows who have been working on the project since the Global Citizen Festival in December. They also met with local partners to see how their work has been going and what is needed to ensure future success.

BeyGood Foundation Partnerships in South Africa

In addition to the organization’s work in South Africa, the BeyGood Foundation is partnering with UNICEF USA and Chime for Change on a campaign called Every Drop Counts, bringing clean water to Burundi. The BeyGood Foundation also works with an organization in Johannesburg, IkamvaYouth. This organization aims to pull children out of poverty through after-school tutoring. Founded in 2003, IkamvaYouth is youth-driven and offers career advice and psychological services. It impacts 5,000 youths per year across 15 branches.

Moreover, BeyGood is partnered with 9-year-old arts organization Lalea, whose mission is to support youth through after-school art programs. The organization helps students manifest their dreams and think creatively to accomplish their goals. BeyGood’s visits to South Africa enabled them to check in with all of these programs and more. More importantly, it allowed BeyGood to ensure they are engaging the communities they serve and maintain and create future success.

Though the BeyGood fellowship program in South Africa is relatively new, the organization has continuously worked with various South African organizations to aid youth development. The program has executed on their promises to the community. Ultimately, BeyGood is an example of how to incorporate youth in the fight to end extreme poverty by 2030.

– Ava Gambero
Photo: Google Images

/by
, ,

Mark Zuckerberg’s Charitable Donations

Mark Zuckerberg
Mark Zuckerberg is most commonly known as the founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Facebook. He is also one of the wealthiest people in the world. Zuckerberg is an American technology entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is using his fame a fortune to help donate and raise awareness to put an end to global issues. With a net worth of $69.5 billion, Mark Zuckerberg’s charitable donations are a way in which this famous young man is using his own wealth in making the world a better place.

The Beginning of the Donations

Mark Zuckerberg’s charitable donations are based on his pledge to donate 99 percent of his wealth to charities over the course of his life. He vowed himself to this by signing the Giving Pledge. The Giving Pledge is a commitment by the world’s wealthiest individuals to dedicate the majority of their wealth into charities and for good causes. Within this pledge, Zuckerberg also wants to promote equality and advance the human potential for future generations.

In September 2016, Mark and his wife Priscilla Chan sold $95 million in Facebook stocks so that they could give the proceeds to charity. They plan to sell the stocks in the amount to at least $1 billion each year. So far, Zuckerberg has donated $45 billion to charitable purposes. He and his wife firstly pledged to give donations to charity by writing an open letter to their daughter who was born in late 2015. The birth of their daughter inspired them to change the world and environment and make it a better place for their daughter to live in.

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative

Mark Zuckerberg’s charitable donations also include the joint work with his wife, Doctor Priscilla Chan, in creating and working in their own organization called the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. This organization aims to create education reform, biomedical advancements, immigration reform and housing affordability. In addition, it focuses on improving the education system, global development, health and criminal justice systems policy.

All money that is donated and raised to this organization goes into helping these global issues. Zuckerberg’s goal through this initiative is to focus on areas of personal learning, curing disease, connecting people and building strong communities. Through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Mark Zuckerberg and wife pledged to donate $3 billion over the course of 10 years.

Donations Toward Education

In 2010, Zuckerberg and his wife donated $100 million to improve the public schools in Newmark. Lack of education is one of the leading causes of poverty, and Zuckerberg and his wife’s donations in support of this issue help children get the right education they need to be successful in life. By getting a child the proper necessities they need in education overall gives them a better education. If a child is falling behind in first grade and then moves on to third grade and is still falling behind they will likely stay behind later on due to not having the right necessities for their work.

Donations in Africa and India

Mark Zuckerberg’s charitable donations also include donating $25 million towards a start-up that trains African developers as well as donating $50 million that creates an app designed to be a learning tool in India to help less fortunate gain access to education for a better future. Zuckerberg is a big advocate of learning and education.

With that being said, he has donated $30 million with his organization the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to help kids learn to read by technology. Zuckerberg uses technology to tailor the learning materials with kids’ interests, abilities and pace of work. Zuckerberg launched “Reach Every Reader”, a five-year initiative to build a web-based screening tool that is used to diagnose reading problems before kids can even read. This program is based at home as well as in schools to personalize literacy support or kids, teachers and parents.

Mark Zuckerberg uses his fame and fortune to help people in need all over the world. He has teamed up with his wife Doctor Priscilla Chan to create the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Mark Zuckerberg’s charitable donations’ overall goals are to focus on areas in all over the world to generate positive impacts in places of great need.

– Ariel Deahl
Photo: Flickr

/by
,

Help for the Future: The Social Good Summit

Help for the Future
On September 23, 2018, the 9th annual Social Good Summit will take place in New York City. For years the U.N. has held this summit to help spread awareness of how technology and new media has caused us to rethink human progress. The world changes at a rapid pace and the Social Good Summit focuses on how we can use these improvements to benefit society in the future.

#2030NOW

Always held during the United Nations General assembly week, the Social Good Summit brings together an enthusiastic community of citizens from around the world as well as progressive leaders to focus on one or more themes. The most recent active theme is called #2030NOW.    

#2030NOW has been a theme of Social Good Summit for years. In 2015, the Social Good Summit launched what they call “Global Goals” that represent the objectives set forth to help create a better future. The intention of #2030NOW is to use the tools and technology the world possesses to create a more sustainable world and to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030.

Participants of the Social Good Summit

The Social Good Summit 2018 has a distinguished list of speakers that all want to see #2030NOW goals become a reality. Along with presidents, CEOs and founders of activist organizations, several celebrities will attend the summit in 2018, such as:

  • Uzo Aduba: Emmy winning actress, advocate and ambassador to Africa for Heifer International
  • Sonita Alizadeh: rapper and advocate
  • Amber Heard: actress, human rights defender, and U.N. Human Rights activist
  • Padma Lakshmi: author, host and producer of “Top Chef” and an advocate for the U.N. Development Programme

Social Good Summit Themes

Over the years, the Social Good Summit has seen many different, yet equally important themes, such as the ones presented below:

  1. Equality for women and girls: The summit often features panels on gender equality and female empowerment. Several solutions have been offered at previous summits including getting men involved, offering more family planning services, putting a stop to child marriages, financial opportunities and increasing access to technology.
  2. Global community: The social-good conversation has taken place in more than 170 countries and in 45 languages. Through the social good community, people around the world can connect, exchange thoughts and ideas and keep the 2030 conversations going across the globe.  
  3. The human story: Geena Rocero, founder of Gender Proud, stated at the 2014 Social Good Summit, “We are talking about human dignity. And that should be done without borders.” A theme that has been repeated time and time again at the summit the importance of remembering the individuals behind the statistics and stories who need help for the future to live better and more sustainable lives.
  4. A better world is within our reach: If the world comes together and acts, a better future is within our grasp. Whether it be ending extreme global poverty or gender equality, political action can help individuals who cannot help themselves.

Once the Social Good Summit ends, there are plenty of ways for interested parties and people to stay involved and connected. One such way is to participate is Plus Social Good, a website created to extend the community of activist and advocates that sincerely want to help create a better world by 2030.

In addition, Social Good has hosted more than 400 events in 140 countries and works to bring together international communities to collaborate on ideas that could create benefits for the future.  

– Olivia Hodges
Photo: Flickr

/by
, , , ,

Harry Styles’ Reminder to “Treat People With Kindness”

Treat People With Kindness
Former One Direction band member Harry Styles, currently a solo singer, songwriter and actor, recently finished a nearly year-long tour for his debut album, “Harry Styles.” He toured across the globe, making nearly 90 stops including Paris, Bangkok, Buenos Aires and Mexico City. The tour took close to ten months to finish. At each of his concerts, Styles had a merchandise stand with products that bore his slogan “Treat People With Kindness.” All of the merchandise profits, as well as a portion of the ticket sales, went to various local charities from cities at his tour stops. His tour raised $1.2 million for 62 global charities. By supporting these global charities, Harry Styles sends a reminder to treat people with kindness. Here are several of the 62 global charities that Styles supported on his world tour:

The Munich Refugee Council: Munich, Germany

Styles’ concert in Munich supported the Munich Refugee Council, an organization that has been working for the rights of refugees in Munich and other cities. Their work includes sensitizing the public and politicians to the living situation of refugees and working with others for a more welcoming society. The council also operates a project called Infobus for Refugees, which provides native-language counseling on asylum procedures and prepares refugees for hearings before first admissions.

Help Refugees: London, England

Help Refugees is known as “one of the unsung heroes of the European refugee crisis.” By working with small but effective groups and organizations, Help Refugees responds where the need is greatest by providing food, clothing, shelter or funding. Some of the most needed items that the organization provides include socks, underwear, razors, blankets, kids shoes, rain ponchos and pants.  

The Melbourne City Mission: Melbourne, Australia

Styles also toured in multiple cities in Australia. One of the Australian charities he supported was the Melbourne City Mission, which offers many services to support those in need in Melbourne and Victoria. The mission is Victoria’s largest source of homelessness services for those under the age of 24.

The Hub: Hong Kong, China

The mission of Hong Kong’s The Hub is to “give children in our society who are experiencing difficult circumstances an equal opportunity to become valuable members of the community.” The Hub is a support center that provides educational support, extracurriculars, counseling and health services to those who are most in need. 

The Chile Fund Against Hunger and Poverty: Santiago, Chile

While touring in South America, Styles donated to a number of poverty charities, including The Chile Fund Against Hunger and Poverty in Santiago, Chile. This fund was established by the Government of Chile and the United Nations Development Program to combat hunger and poverty. 

Forgotten Harvest in Detroit, Michigan

Styles toured in nearly 20 cities in North America. While in Detroit, Styles supported Forgotten Harvest, an organization dedicated to relieving hunger in metro-Detroit while preventing food waste. In 2017, approximately 589,000 people faced food insecurity in metro-Detroit. Rather than have food wasted, Forgotten Harvest receives food donations from 800 businesses and 250 emergency food providers. In 2016, this added up to 45.8 million pounds of food donated to those in need instead of ending up in a landfill.

Harry Styles’ merchandise mantra “Treat People With Kindness” has many meanings behind it. Making an extra effort each day to treat others with kindness can make a world of difference, especially for marginalized and impoverished people who rarely experience it. 

After his final tour stop in Los Angeles last month, Harry Styles posted a photo on his Instagram with the caption, “Thank you for coming out to see us, it has been a pleasure playing for you all…Treat people with kindness. Goodbye for now. I love you all. H.”

– Ariane Komyati
Photo: Google

/by
, ,

Four Examples of Anne Hathaway’s Humanitarian Work

Hathaway’s Humanitarian WorkActress Anne Hathaway once said, “A role model is somebody who does things because of what they believe in regardless of what other people think.” Hathaway couldn’t be truer to her own words. She is known for captivating audiences on stage and on the screen with one of her best-known roles being Fantine in Les Misérables. The part earned her an Oscar in 2013 for Best Supporting Actress.

However, Hathaway’s talents go beyond acting. She participates in 17 different charities and supports 24 various causes. Hathaway’s humanitarian work knows no boundaries. She supports several non-profit organizations and is fiercely dedicated to advocating for women’s rights.

Four Examples of Anne Hathaway’s Humanitarian Work

  1. One of the many organizations Hathaway has supported is The Lollipop Theater Network. This non-profit strives to show screenings of new movies to sick children who are unable to leave the hospital because of chronic illnesses. In 2008, she organized a screening of Get Smart and The Devil Wears Prada for hospitalized teenagers. In addition to The Lollipop Theater Network, Hathaway both supports and has donated to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a leading nonprofit organization in pediatric research and treatment for chronic illnesses affecting children.
  2. Hathaway’s humanitarian work extends further than advocating for children. She is continuously fighting for people’s voices to be heard. First, in 2007, Hathaway spoke at The Human Rights Campaign gala, which is known for being one of the largest LGBTQ support and political participation groups in the U.S. Hathaway also actively supports The Creative Coalition, this organization is a nonprofit, nonpartisan group based in the entertainment industry, the goal is to advocate on behalf of First Amendment rights and the importance of public education and the arts.
  3. Along with a diverse list of humanitarian work, Hathaway was chosen in 2016 to be a U.N. Goodwill Ambassador. She is known for being a renowned feminist and uses this platform to advocate for gender equality, especially in regards to motherhood. Disparities still exist between the roles that men and women are expected to take on after having a baby. Hathaway is promoting a more equal division of labor between parents, so that both may achieve a fulfilling home and work life.
  4. Her advocacy for women continued when she teamed up with World Bank-Nike foundation for “The Girl Effect.” In 2010, she spoke at The Adolescent Girls Initiative in Washington D.C. to disclose more information about the project. The program aims to help girls in Asia, Africa, and the Middle-East to achieve higher levels of education and develop skills that are useful in moving from school into the workforce. The program is currently active in seven countries but plans to spread to Haiti and Yemen. So far, the movement has raised $20 million.

Beauty transcends physicality when it comes to Hathaway’s humanitarian work. She continues to spread her influence across multiple different organizations, always striving to use her celebrity status to advocate and give a platform to those without a voice.

– Alyssa Hannam
Photo: Flickr

/by