The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has partnered with its Goodwill Ambassador Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye to launch the XO Humanitarian Fund, Powered by World Food Programme.
The new fund will support the organization’s response to an unprecedented hunger crisis in 2022 which threatens to unleash starvation, destabilization, and mass migration around the world.
The multi-platinum certified global star has made an initial donation of US$500,000 to the fund. In addition, to help launch the fund, The Weeknd is contributing US$1 from each ticket sold in North America for his highly anticipated After Hours Til Dawn Stadium Tour. Recognizing the fund’s lifesaving impact, World Food Program USA’s Board of Directors, together with donors, will contribute $1 million.
The money will be used to assist families and communities on the frontlines of hunger, in countries like Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Yemen, and now Ukraine. At the start of 2022, the world is facing an unprecedented hunger challenge, as conflict and climate shocks compounded by COVID and rising costs drive millions of people closer to starvation — threatening to increase migration and instability globally.
As the son of Ethiopian immigrants to Canada, The Weeknd feels strongly about giving back to his homeland and other communities in need. The new fund will direct support to hunger emergencies around the world, with a special focus on Ethiopia where an estimated 9.4 million people require urgent humanitarian food assistance. The Weeknd has been a passionate advocate and generous supporter of the U.N. World food Programme’s work, contributing US$1.8 million to date.
