Charity - Haiti Observer Blog

Beside the many well-intentioned young children who usually take non profit mission trips to poor countries such as Haiti and others, some college-bound students are engaged in them just to increase their chances in getting into a good university. Frank Bruni who wrote the article: "To Get to Harvard, Go to Haiti?" calls it "drive-by charity work" in a the interest to impress admission staff.

He gave examples where some friends post on Snapchat and Instagram "typically showing one of them "with some poor brown child aged 2 to 6 on their knee" and explained "while many are well-intentioned, some seem not to notice poverty until an exotic trip comes with it."

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According to a report released Thursday by Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, The American Red Cross Spent almost $125 million or 25 Percent of donated fund after the 2010 Haiti earthquake on its own internal expenses. This is far more than the organization had previously disclosed. Red Cross had reported in the past that only 9 percent of donated money were used to cover international expenses. The following is a partial list of some of the abuses reported by the report released by Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley:

In 2010, the American Red Cross issued a check for $4.3 million to its sister organization the International Federation of the Red Cross. The purpose is disaster preparedness.

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On Thursday, December 17, 2015, Dieudonne Pierre Bélizaire, better known as Sister Dona, the Director and founder of the orphanage of 'Sisters Redemptive of Nazareth", has been cleared of kidnapping charges in a criminal court in Port-au-Prince, and was released immediately. She was detained in the Civil Prison of Petion-ville since 21 June 2012 without any jury assistance in connection with the disappearance of Raphaël Chenet, a minor child from her orphanage on Sunday, June 5, 2011.

She was held in custody following a complaint filed by Alfred Chenet, the father of the child, accusing she had sold his child although she had consistently claimed her innocence. He acquitted Sister Dona on charges of kidnapping, child trafficking and criminal conspiracy in the criminal court of the Palace of Justice of Port-au-Prince although as per the Registry records of the Kenscoff Peace Court, dated July 18, 2011, the culprit, a former employee of the orphanage Djimmy Mémé, did confess his crime. It further states that no person in the orphanage was involved in the crime. Moreover, it was a noted fact that Sister Dona was not in Haiti during the time of the crime.

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Sean Penn might be doing lots of good things in Haiti with his Haitian Relief Organization (HRO). However, he is also doing very well for himself in the process. According to his tax return for 2013, his Haiti relief charity over $126,000 on travel in a single year. Due to his celebrity status, Sean Penn couldn't travel just you or me in economy class. The Haitian Relief Organization (HRO) had to pick-up the tab on the actor's first-class flights for his status and security reasons. At least he paid out of his own pocked when he went to Mexico back in October to meet kingpin El Chapo

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This year, the third annual Help Haiti Home benefit dinner party organized by Sean Penn was held at the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills, California on January 11, 2014. The event raised close to $6 million for the J/P Haitian Relief Organization and there were many surprised and drama.

Among the internationally known individuals, you find Bette Midler, Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow, Charlize Theron, Piers Morgan, Chelsea Handler, Sarah Silverman and Idris Elba just to name a few.

The biggest surprise was the apparition of U2, the Irish rock band from Dublin. The popular musical band was formed in 1976.

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Here is a picture of Rocco, Madonna's son in Haiti with a group of deprived children. In this particular picture, he is sharing a candid pictures as he is taking a group of children to something that looks to be one of the their charity work. Eske Li reellman necesè pou yo montre ti moun yo san pantalon?

Mon cher, mwen kapab di-ou, si pou yon moun kompran ke pou li fè moin Kado yon bagay, fok li himilye-m, mwen pa bezoin li.

I think that for a boy like Rocco, the son of a multi Million dollar artist to be thinking about poor, deprived children from a poor country such as Haiti, it is to be commended. However, my question stands: Why the humiliation, why can't you give me something why giving me all the respects I deserve.

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This is something I am not willing to do and I know many other are also not in the mood for. Jack Gleeson who plays the successful character Joffrey Baratheon on HBO's "Game of Thrones" want to leave acting where he is likely to earn multi million dollars and work as volonteer, doing charity works.

"Mezanmi oukwè Ti bonnom sa Byen nan Tèt Li?"

What is surprising is that charity work is not something new to Jack Gleeson. The actor has recently been to Haiti with aid agency Goal, which he called "inspiring."

Moin ouè coman "Piram" nan Pyes teyat "Pelin Tèt" tape repon kesyon sa" Lajan, Lajan Oui"

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The Superstar, Queen of Pop Madonna is currently in Haiti to visit . She was invited by her ex-husband Sean Penn

Sean Penn revealed that he has maintained good friendship with Madonna and he had invited her to come down to Haiti on many occasions.

Madonna finally decided to com to Haiti with her son Rocco.

According to Sean Penn, the family has been in Haiti a few day ago and was not certain as to whe they will leave.

J/P Haiti Relief Organization humanitarian efforts has been in Haiti since the 2010 earthquake that killed more than 100,000 people.

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Demonstrating her desire to be a part of the solution to Haiti's dire circumstance as the poorest nation in the western hemisphere, still reeling from the effects of 2010's earthquake, former star of Baywatch and one of the most iconic faces and names in popular culture, Pamela Anderson announced, in the same way all new high-profile bits of information gets released nowadays, via twitter, that she will be running in the New York Marathon this year, hoping to raise funds to benefit the Caribbean country.

The charity the actress, model, and mom wishes to raise money for is the J/P Relief Organization, the darling of her friend and associate, actor, Sean Penn, whose own interest in Haiti and its relief since the earthquake has been well documented. At last count, she'd raised nearly $8,500, but, with a benchmark of $500,000, the former wife of rocker, Tommy Lee, has a mountain to surmount in time for the marathon.

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America's queen of pop, the ever-current Madonna, has hopped on a plane and flown to Haiti after the encouragement of an old friend with ties to the country's rebuilding efforts. At the behest of her former husband, Oscar-winning actor Sean Penn, the 'Like a virgin' singer has come to the country for a few days' visit with her small son, Rocco.

The two divorced at the end of the 80's after a whirlwind romance and four years of marriage, but remained such good friends that Penn was able to wear her down and convince her that the trip would be worthwhile. The effort seems worth it as Madonna has taken photos, including one at the Mirebalais University Hospital, along with its staff, and posted them on Instagram, shedding light on her trip and giving attention to the cause to the millions of people across Instagram's huge social platform.

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