Singer Abel Tesfaya, who also goes by the stage name The Weeknd, has made international news by donating over $2 million from his XO humanitarian fund to the World Food Programme in order to provide meals to families in Gaza.
As per the statement released on Monday, the ‘Blinding Lights’ singer’s donation will provide 18 million loaves of bread which will feed starving families in Gaza.
In a statement released by the World Food Programme, Corinne Fleischer, WFP’s Director for the Middle Easy, North Africa and Eastern Europe thanked Abel’s generous support:
“With famine looming in Gaza, Abel’s generous support will provide vital relief for thousands of Palestinian families who battle the grip of hunger every day. We are tremendously grateful for his contribution, compassion, and for his unwavering advocacy for WFP and the people of Palestine,” she responded.
The singer shared a post announcing his donation on his Instagram account.
Tesfaya had previously donated $2.5 million to the World Food Programme in December 2023, which would provide meals for over 173,000 families. The press release noted that the singer is “making an urgent appeal to fans, calling on them to give what they can by donating towards WFP’s efforts in Gaza.”
According to a United Nations report released in March, 2.3 million civilians in Gaza are facing food shortage. In northern Gaza, people have been forced to survive on animal feed and 27 children have passed away from starvation. More than 31,000 civilians were killed since the genocide began in October,
