3-time Canadian-African Grammy Winner Gives $1 million to Ethiopian Relief Efforts

By Alex Jones

"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."

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - One of the world's most sensational singers and songwriters, The Weekend, whose real name is Abel Makkonen Tesfayeon on Sunday, April 4th, donated $1 million to Ethiopia's Relief Efforts. Thousands of civilians are believed to have been killed, raped and abused during Ethiopia'sfive-month-old conflict.

The Weeknd was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2016 for his song "Earned It" for the FiftyShades of Grey: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.

Born and raised in Toronto, Canada to Ethiopian Parents, The Weekend debuted his first mixtape titled XO in 2011. He went from an unheard R&BEthiopia's five-month-old conflict want-to-be artist, releasing Mixtapes on YouTube to being nominated for eight Grammy Awards, of which he won three. He has since won numerous other iconic music awards, and many of his songs have topped the Billboard charts.

Now living primarily in the US, Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, or The Weekend as he likes to be called maintains a close bond with his Ethiopian family, culture, and heritage. He has visited his native country, Ethiopia, many times and made extensive contributions to several humanitarian causes in Ethiopia and around the world, including his other recent donation of $300,000 to Global Aid in Lebanon in August of 2020.

Meanwhile, A recent CNNinvestigation found that men wearing Ethiopian army uniforms executed unarmed men in Tigray. A BBC-led investigation also published corroborating stories of the same massacre near Mahibere Dego, northern Ethiopia. Thousands of men, women and children are lift terrified and out of food, water, and other basic necessities

"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," The Weeknd, whose parents are from Ethiopia, said on his Instagram and Twitter accounts. "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."

The Weekend has been dubbed "The Quiet Humanatitiean" for his low-key approach to helping the world's most hurting people. HuffPost ran a special story on the 31-year-old acclaimed R&B artist who has donated over $2 million to aid efforts around the world, including a $1 million Coronavirus donation.