Sunday, September 9th, 2007
Wyclef Jean says foundation making strides to help those in his native Haiti
TORONTO (CP) - It has been more than two years since Wyclef Jean started his foundation to help those living in his native Haiti, and he says he's seeing the results of his humanitarian efforts on the ground.
"I'm seeing major progress with the kids because the revolution starts with the mind, the real revolution, and this is really the turning point for a lot of kids, like they really feel like there is hope," he said in an interview Sunday.
"Before me, they feel like when people left Haiti they just left, you know, and they would come back once in a while. But really with this, they feel like there's hope for the future."
The Grammy winner founded Yele Haiti in January 2005, which promotes music, sports and media as a way to bring jobs and development to the troubled country.
Jean recently held a free concert for more than 50,000 people on the beach in the seaside town of Jacmel, the first such show in Haiti since 1997.
"Through the music we're actually able to educate," he said. "When you're in a population where it's very poor but the country is very rich, we find through music and through sports we're able to change a lot of things."
In January 2006, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt joined Jean on a trip to Haiti to bring attention to the plight of the children there, and visited a school supported by Jean's foundation.
Jean was appointed last January as a roving ambassador for Haiti by President Rene Preval.
"The president appointed me that because he's seen the work that I was doing for the past year, so being a roving ambassador is just a continuation of what I've been doing, which is promoting my country in a positive light."
Jean was in Toronto Sunday to attend the One X One children's charity gala, hosted by actor Matt Damon, where he was to be honoured with a special award for his humanitarian efforts.
The award-winning artist and producer, who rose to fame with The Fugees and as a solo performer, also headed up musical leadership of the gala, which was slated to feature performances by Shakira and the African Children's Choir.