Back in September, singer Wyclef Jean and actor Matt Damon traveled to Haiti to assist with relief programs and draw attention the plight of those living there. The country had been rocked by Tropical Storm Hanna and Hurricane Ike leaving thousands starving, villages flooded, and desperation rampant.

Now, Wyclef has written an entry on Anderson Cooper’s 360 blog detailing that experience and his efforts to assist through his foundation YÉLE HAITI. Here’s a brief highlight from the article,

“I returned to Toronto for an annual Gala for a partner of YÉLE’s, ONE X ONE. At the Gala, I shared the devastation of Haiti with my friend and remarkable human being, Matt Damon. I was concerned that Hurricane Ike which was approaching Texas, along with all the Presidential election coverage including the announcement of the Republican Vice Presidential candidate would take all the media attention away from the four hurricanes that had really devastated not only Haiti, but many other Caribbean islands, such as Cuba. Thousands of people had lost their homes, children, family members, and were left without food and water.

Imagine Katrina’s impact on New Orleans and multiply it by 1000.

What pains me most, and much like most Americans were angered by the response to Katrina, is that these are poor people without means. Matt immediately volunteered to come with me so we could gain global media attention. Five days later, we were in Haiti.

Click here to continue reading about Wyclef’s organization and the work him and Damon put in during their time in Haiti.

Categories: Causes
Tags: matt damon, wyclef jean.

About Michael dEstries

Michael has been blogging since 2005 on issues such as sustainability, renewable energy, philanthropy, and healthy living. He regularly contributes to a slew of publications, as well as consulting with companies looking to make an impact using the web and social media. He lives in Ithaca, NY with his family on an apple farm.

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