Matt Damon and Wyclef Jean Announce Commitments for Haiti
Posted by Kath Delaney, Founder and Chief Executive Officer on September 26, 2008
At the Clinton Global Initiative fourth annual meeting on September 26, President Clinton announced a number of commitments aimed at helping Haiti recover in ways that will strengthen education, health care, nutrition and business enterprises, and help people rebuild their lives. A series of hurricanes and tropical storms ravaged Haiti from all sides, flooding roads, destroying homes, closing schools, and leaving many without what little food they had.
Highlighted Commitments Included:
- Wyclef Jean and his foundation Yele Haiti commit to provide hot school meals for 14,000 poor children, food for 20,000 families a month, thousands of new agriculture jobs, micro-enterprise grants for 165 small businesses, 36,000 farmers with seed, fertilizer, and training, and implement a broad communications campaign to engage international and local Haitian musicians in the Together for Haiti Campaign.
- Matt Damon and Frank McKenna of the ONEXONE Foundation commit to raising at least $3 million to support local NGOs working in Haiti.
- Good Energies Foundation
commits to catalyzing the development of renewable energy in Haiti
through research, and will support the installation of solar systems
for rural health centers at Partners In Health clinics.
- Habitat for Humanity International
will invest $7 million to repair 1,500 homes, build 1,000 new homes,
provide financial support and training for 300 tradespersons and
micro-entrepreneurs in the low-income construction sector, and train
1,000 families in disaster prevention and mitigation.
This announcement is part of the final plenary session featuring closing remarks by President Clinton to conclude the fourth annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative. Watch the final session today live via webcast.
You can help, too. What will your commitment be?
Highlights from the Program Today:
PLENARY SESSION: The Global Impact of Rural Innovation
Friday 9/26/08, 9:00 A.M. – 10:00 A.M.
Program Participants:
Steve Gunderson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Council on Foundations
Wangari Muta Maathai, Founder, Green Belt Movement, Kenya
Elsie Meeks, President and Chief Executive Officer, First Nations Oweesta Corporation
Rick Warren, Pastor, Saddleback Church
Muhammad Yunus, Founder and Managing Director, Grameen Bank
SPECIAL SESSION: Poverty Alleviation in Unique Environments
Friday 9/26/08, 12:00 P.M. – 1:00 P.M.
Program Participants:
President René Preval, Republic of Haiti
Tony Blair, Former Prime Minister, United Kingdom
President Ernest Bai Koroma, Republic of Sierra Leone
Helene Gayle, President and Chief Executive Officer, CARE USA
CLOSING PLENARY
Friday 9/26/08, 1:00 P.M. – 2:30 P.M.
Summary by President Clinton.
View Program Via Webcast
Make Your Commitment
Madera Group is honored to play a role in assisting CGI and the Clinton Foundation with its email messaging strategy related to the unfolding of this event.
