Thousands of Haitian women and young girls living in temporary camps will sleep safer under new solar street lights that are being provided through the generous donations of AMERICAN IDOL viewers.
Credit/Copyright: UN Foundation
More than $250,000 was raised for the United Nations Foundation during the special AMERICAN IDOL episode with Kris Allen in February of this year. The UN Foundation has granted the money to the United Nations Population Fund to provide energy efficient street lights, as well as emergency health kits to help pregnant women deliver their babies safely when they can’t reach a hospital or clinic or don’t have access to those facilities.
“Our partnership with AMERICAN IDOL and the IDOL GIVES BACK Foundation continues to have a lasting impact on the long-term rebuilding of Haiti,” said Kathy Calvin, CEO of the United Nations Foundation. “In times of crisis, women are vulnerable to violence and abuse. The United Nations is working with the government and its partners to find solutions to these problems.”
Earlier this year, AMERICAN IDOL Season 8 winner Kris Allen and Kathy Calvin traveled to Haiti to learn first-hand about the country’s continuing needs following January’s devastating earthquake. During the IDOL results show on February 25, Allen performed The Beatles’ “Let it Be” and shared footage of his trip to an audience of millions. Allen’s performance was available on iTunes, with all proceeds going to help the UN’s recovery efforts.
Credit/Copyright: UN Foundation
“Throughout my entire life, I have volunteered as much time as possible to help those in need,” said Allen. “Getting involved with the UN’s relief efforts in Haiti gave me a chance to give back on a large scale. I can’t thank my fans enough for supporting such a worthy cause.”
Since the devastating earthquake which killed an estimated 200,000 Haitians, the United Nations Foundation has raised close to $4 million for the UN’s relief and recovery efforts in Haiti. The funds were granted to the UN’s Central Emergency Fund (CERF) to help provide food, medicine, water and shelter immediately following the earthquake, to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for their Cash-for-Work Program, an initiative to offer Haitians temporary jobs to remove rubble, and to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) for maternal health kits, as well as solar street lights to keep women safe at night. To learn more about the UN Foundation efforts to help the UN help Haiti, visit www.unfoundaiton.org/haiti.
