Wyclef Jean helps Haiti earthquake victims with Yele

Haitian multi-platinum musician, rapper, and record producer Wyclef Jean established the Yéle Haiti Foundation in 2005. In light of the post-earthquake crisis in Haiti on Tuesday, Wyclef Jean is putting his organization into action to help thousands of people who are now homeless or severely injured as a result of the earthquake. From Twitter to CNN, the musician who was born in Haiti is reaching out and asking for support for the people in Haiti.


The Yéle Haiti Foundation

Jean has been active in his support of his native country. He created Yéle Haiti to provide humanitarian aid and assistance to Haiti.

In its first year of operation, the foundation, with funding by Comcel, provided scholarships to 3,600 children in Gonaïves, Haiti, after the devastation by Hurricane Jeanne. In its second year of operation, it is almost doubling the amount of the scholarships and spreading them throughout Haiti, providing tuition in 5 regions. The foundation aims to provide 6,800 scholarships to children in Port-au-Prince, Gonaïves, Les Cayes, Port-de-Paix, and Cap-Haïtien.

Wyclef has most recently been working on raising money to build the Yéle Center, which would be a facility that consists of a sports center, Wyclef Jean School of the Arts, and a cultural center focusing on the environment.

Earthquake in Haiti, January 12, 2010

The earthquake that hit Haiti on Tuesday had a magnitude of 7.3 and was followed by at least two aftershocks. The International Red Cross said some 3 million people may have been affected and there are reports that there may be upwards of 500,000 people who have died in the earthquake.

How Wyclef Jean proposes to help victims

On his blog, Wyclef Jean issued a statement that asks for help in this human disaster.

"Many people have already reached out to see what they can do right now. We are asking those interested to please do one of two things: Either you can use your cell phone to text “Yele” to 501501, which will automatically donate $5 to the Yele Haiti Earthquake Fund (it will be charged to your cell phone bill), or you can visit Yele.org and click on DONATE."