The Weeknd Donates $1 Million Toward Hunger Relief Efforts In Ethiopia

On Sunday, The Weeknd announced on Instagram his plans to help combat the hunger crisis Ethiopia is currently facing. 

The Canadian native, whose parents are immigrants from Ethiopia, is partnering with World Food Hunger Program US to donate $1 million to the country. 

“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,” wrote the Blinding Lights singer. “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.”

Since 2020, Ethiopia has had a civil conflict between the government in Addis Ababa and the Tigray region. 

The conflict emerged “after the regional government launched a full-scale siege on a military base at Sero,” People reported. According to a United States government internal report, the Addis Ababa government wishes “to remove the ethnic Tigrayan population from Ethiopia,” Yahoo reported. 

According to People, more than 2 million “citizens have fled to neighboring countries, including Sudan, to escape the violence.”

Though due to the civil unrest, thousands have already died.

The Ethiopian government has denied “the accusations of ethnic cleansing,” Yahoo noted.

This act of philanthropy is not the singer’s first. 

In June 2020, the 31-year-old gave $1 million towards COVID-19 relief efforts. He also donated $200,000 to the Black Lives Matter Global Network following Geroge Floyd’s death and another $200,000 to The Colin Kaepernick Know Your Rights Camp Legal Defense Initiative. In addition to this, he gave $100,000 to National Bail Out.