Wyclef Jean weeps on Oprah, Gawker calls him out on Yele Haiti

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While I was eating an early dinner yesterday afternoon (my eating habits are like a senior citizen’s), I watched the first ten minutes of Oprah. She had Wyclef Jean on, and he broke my heart. Within five minutes of clips and discussion about the situation in Haiti, Wyclef’s voice broke and tears started rolling down his cheek. It was genuine – Wyclef has spent a large part of the past two weeks in Haiti, trying to find his friends, employees, family members and just people. People who are trapped, people who have lost everything, people who don’t have water or hospitals or food or communication.

Later on, I was reading Gawker and I came across this interesting summary/essay/appeal to Wyclef in regards to his Oprah appearance and the continuing reports that Wyclef’s charity, Yele Haiti, is perhaps not the best charity to be donating to at this time. In a piece called “Wyclef Jean: Give The Millions You’ve Raised To Those Who Can Help Haiti Now,” Gawker’s John Cook makes it clear that while he completely respects and has sympathy for Wyclef and the truly genuine heartbreak Wyclef is feeling, the best thing for everyone would be if Wyclef pulled back:

Ego and financial improprieties aside, Wyclef Jean has demonstrated a genuine desire to help the people of Haiti. To do that, it’s time he acknowledge his personal foundation isn’t equipped to provide disaster relief and donate to those who can.

We and others have demonstrated this week that his charity Yele Haiti is fraught with chronic management problems that make it less effective, transparent, and ethically managed than any charity ought to be. And this afternoon, Jean appeared on Oprah to address some of those concerns.

During the show he offered abundant proof of his anguish over what has happened to his homeland. When he spoke of what he has seen there, he was earnest, heartfelt, and moving. He told Winfrey about the friend who was crushed when a building collapsed onto his car, and how it took him two days to get the body out. About the 14-year-old he pulled out of the rubble alive. About the school for artists that his charity, Yele Haiti, sponsored that was “wiped out,” killing everyone inside.

He was there to witness it, and deserves credit for that. He also deserves credit for the extent to which he has used his celebrity to draw attention to the problems facing Haiti before and after the earthquake.

In the years before the earthquake, Jean has done some undeniable good for Haiti. Pwoje Lari Pwop, a Yele-affiliated program that employs 2,500 elderly Haitians a day to collect garbage on the streets of Port-au-Prince, has been repeatedly cited to us by even the charity’s harshest internal critics as an example of what Yele is capable of doing. The organization has sponsored thousands of schoolchildren in primary schools. They host rap competitions and soccer matches.

There will be a time, hopefully soon, when clean streets, scholarships, and rap competitions will number once again among Haiti’s most urgent needs. But right now, Haiti needs, as Jean himself put it, “logistics on the ground—the helicopters, the trucks.”

One day, Yele Haiti may outgrow its ethical and administrative failings, but today Yele simply doesn’t have enough of those things to make a dent.

As of 2007, the last year for which it has released a tax return, Yele Haiti was running close to a half million dollar deficit, its president and his deputy were resigning amid a “crisis” brought about by Yele’s failure to reimburse its employees own expenses, and its programs in Haiti were often being administered in what one source who worked for Yele there described as a slapdash and unprofessional fashion. It simply does not have the immediately available organizational capacity to provide the people of Haiti the help that Jean desperately wants them to have.

Which is why the best way for Jean to help is to do what George Clooney is doing: Deploy his celebrity to raise money, and then direct that money to the people who best know how to help. Yele Haiti stands to raise millions of dollars on Friday night as one of five charities participating in the “Hope for Haiti” telethon — vast multiples of the sorts of funds it’s previously had access to. Jean may see this crisis has an opportunity to achieve the ambitions for Yele that he laid out for Winfrey. But it’s not a time for ego.

It’s time for him to remove himself from the equation. He can offer the millions of dollars that have been pledged to Yele to one of the other worthy organizations that will benefit from Friday’s telethon — Partners in Health, the Red Cross, Oxfam and UNICEF — or others who already have helicopters and trucks in Haiti. It would be a laudatory move, which would assure Yele’s future donors — who are going to be vital if Jean wants to expand and beef up its ongoing programs — that its plans are not interwined with its founder’s ego. The appearance that Yele is attempting to take advantage of this situation to transform itself from a shaky if well-intentioned personal foundation into a disaster relief organization does a great injustice both to Yele’s donors and the Haitians they are trying to help.

In explaining why he’s been able to raise an astonishing $1 million a day through text donations, Jean told Winfrey that people who wanted to help said, “We’re gonna give our money to Wyclef, because he came from Haiti, he’s been doing this.” That’s a sad and telling misreading of the shocked and horified Americans who want to help. No one wants to give their money to Wyclef. They want to give it to Haiti. And he can help them do that by turning it over to the professionals.

Giving the money Yele’s raised in the immediate aftermath of the quake to other non-profits would also preserve Jean’s credibility as the most prominent celebrity voice in America when it comes to Haiti. Because he does himself and his homeland a disservice when he goes on Oprah and tells embarrassing lies like, “I put my first $1 million into the charity.” That claim is contradicted both by Yele’s founding executive director and the internal financial documents we reported on earlier today. Or when he flatly — and dishonestly — insists to Winfrey that he has “never in any form taken payment for myself” from Yele, despite clear and repeated evidence to the contrary in Yele’s tax returns and in internal financial documents. Lies do not inspire confidence that Jean and Yele have turned the corner just yet.

[From Gawker]

I think John Cook explains his position really well, and I agree. It’s not about finding fault with Wyclef for what he is and is not doing, or giving him credit for what he’s already done or what he will do – it’s about what can help the Haitian people in real terms, here and now, with an eye towards pragmatism and realistic goals. It’s not about Wyclef, and I’m saying that even though I really do admire him, admire his good heart and his love and passion for Haiti.

Wyclef in Miami, recording a message for Haiti on January 16, 2010. Credit: Johnny Louis/WENN.com

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29 Responses to “Wyclef Jean weeps on Oprah, Gawker calls him out on Yele Haiti”

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  1. lucy2 says:

    Good article and I agree with it completely.
    It sounds like he’s done a lot of good over the years and his efforts are very sincere, but if you are going to accept other people’s money as a charity, you HAVE to make sure it’s managed well.
    It would be good if he could join forces and have Yele work in conjunction with one of the better managed groups.
    It is time to take ego out of it, admit there were problems in the past, promise that every penny now will be wisely spent, and the best way would be to connect with another group.

  2. sam says:

    Agreed. He is better at things like education, job creation etc. Relief efforts are best handled by others who have done this before and are tapped into those networks. This is not to say his charity is bad..but that this is not YET his strength.

  3. YeaRight! says:

    This is exactly why I am skeptical of all these celebrities foundations. Sure they use their celebrity status to bring “awareness” to situations around the world. However, the only way no one would know about the devastation in Haiti, if they were living under a rock, this last week and a half.
    These foundations reek, of tax shelters, for the rich. The percentage paid out in ACTUAL charities vs, how much is paid to “handlers” or laundered through other foundations, is questionable, to say the least.
    Not to mention all the PR that the celebrity gets, for being a good doer, then the story becomes about the celebrity themselves, rather then the “awareness” they are trying to bring.

  4. Oenix says:

    To say that Wyclef is an artist is stating the obvious isn’t it? What is admirable is that he is using his celebrity and status to highlight the plights of his compatriots – he could have easily turned his back and focus solely on his career. But he has not. We like to criticize people who actually do something because they didn’t do it right/ correctly/ perfectly…. It is so easy to criticise when you’re anonymous and your only involvement consists of reading the news from a place of comfort and then dip your pen in poison to write a vitriolic letter. Instead of the thinly disguised suggestion that implies Wyclef is stealing what don’t you make helpful suggestions? Perhaps he should hire a great accountant? Perhaps he should get business people involved in managing the finances? may be he should take classes or read about business management and accounting? Not to mention a good PR. Give the guy a break!!!!! He needs to hire the right people and have regular meetings with them. It is sad that he is being the frontman taking the bullet.

  5. great says:

    i gave a hundred bucks to yele haiti. lesson learned. sad part is that i don’t have that money to give again.

  6. BitterBetty says:

    Off Topic – he is ugly as sin.

  7. Annabelle says:

    He’s a thief. Corrupt “charity” and I don’t care how kind he appears- no sympathy for his failed “charity.”

  8. jeannified says:

    I gave $100.00, too. I just hope that ultimately, it is used well. Fingers crossed, prayers said!

  9. djork says:

    The RED CROSS?! Yeah, remember how all the money donated after Katrina DIDN’T get to New Orleans? No, of course people don’t. And BitterBetty? You’re an a**whole.

  10. Pont Neuf says:

    Annabelle: I couldn’t agree more with you.

    No matter how many crocodile tears he sheds for the sake of appearing genuinely concerned, the truth is that the funds gathered by his so-called “charity” have mysteriously disappeared over the years.

    John Cook’s article seems to be deliberately trying to gloss over the fact that this guy is a thief, plain and simple.

    Yes, the focus right now should be on relief efforts, not finger-pointing, but let’s not forget that millions have been donated to the “Yele Haiti” sham (or should I say, scam?), and it’s dubious that they will eventually reach the victims of this disaster.

    He can cry as much as he wants. He isn’t Haiti’s saviour, and he can’t use this to try to hide his dishonesty.

  11. Cheyenne says:

    Anybody wanting to donate money to Haiti should check this link first:

    http://www.charitynavigator.org

    When you get on the site, click on Help Survivors of the Earthquake in Haiti — See the List of Charities. They rate all the charities according to how effective they have been and list all the pros and cons. Charities are rated four stars (best) to one star (worst). The Red Cross got rated at three. I sent $50 to Doctors Without Borders, which has an excellent track record. Partners in Health is also very good, as is Americares. This website will help you to donate wisely. Check it out.

  12. lucy2 says:

    For those who donated to Yele – at least now that this info is out there, they will be forced to be much more accountable with the funds or face major public backlash, or worse. There’s a better chance now that the money will be used well than if this story hadn’t come out.

  13. lambchops says:

    70% of money given to the Red Cross goes to their administration fees. Research charities on-line first before giving. Sometimes smaller charities do more on the ground than you might think. Financial information on charities can be found on-line and are public information.

  14. Sumodo says:

    I am going to wait until all of this shakes out and supplies aren’t rotting on a runway.

  15. Cheyenne says:

    @ lambchops: According to Charity Navigator, last year the Red Cross spent 90% of their revenue on program expenses, 6% on administrative expenses, and 4% on fundraising. However, their CEO gets paid a whopping $565,000 per year and that really put me off. Doctors Without Borders spent 87% on program expenses, 1% on administrative expenses and 12% on fundraising. Their CEO gets paid $115,000 a year. Partners in Health spent 95% on program expenses, 3% on administrative expenses and 2% on fundraising. Their executive directior gets paid $74,000 a year.

    Check out all the details of each charity you’re interested in on Charity Navigator and see where you want your money to go.

  16. lucy2 says:

    @Cheyenne, you are correct about the Red Cross and thanks for putting up the info.
    The high CEO salaries of some of these charities put me off too, but I do KIND OF get it – the Red Cross is a $3 billion charity, and you need someone well qualified and experienced to run it. However, it still is a lot of money, and one can only hope that these high paid executives are charitable as well.

    Americares is another one I chose to give to for Haiti – 98.7% goes to program expenses.

  17. texasmom says:

    I think Gawker is exactly right. Wyclef should give the money over to organizations that are able to mobilize it NOW. I do respect him for at least trying to help, not just now, but ever since he has had real wealth. Before the earthquake, I’d bet the #1 reason any non-Haitian in America had heard of Haiti was because of him. His music, his charity, all show that his love for Haiti is sincere. It looks like Yele was a bit f@*$ed up but he has still done a lot of good and is in the position to do much more.

    We gave to Partners in Health and I have been feeling good about it. They have a 20-year history in Haiti and have been able to mobilize as fast as any group I’ve seen. They send updates (and solicitations!) often and what I see is stuff I am happy to help pay for. I just wish I had more to give. Maybe later this year — God knows Haiti is going to need a lot of help for a long time.

  18. BitterBetty says:

    Whats an asswhole?

  19. bambam says:

    Wyclef’s charity got a cool $1 million from People Magazine thanks to the exclusive picture of a pregnant Angelina Jolie visiting Haiti. Apparently that was the single biggest donation Yele Haiti got before the earthquake, what happened to that money who knows. No wonder Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie chose to donate $1 million recently to Doctors Without Borders instead of Yele Haiti.

  20. Charity is Chic says:

    Yeahright you are my hero!!!!

  21. CaramelKiss14 says:

    asswhole vs. asshole….Your whole ass (from head to toe that is) is entirely an asshole…but I digress.

    I could give two shits about the river he’s crying. (No sympathy for someone who fleeces his own people) He wasn’t crying those big alligator tears when he told his OWN charity to cut him a check for $100K, did he? Here’s the thing: Are those tears of being found out or tears of remorse? Here’s the thing…starting a non-profit charity is a ginormous undertaking (due diligence, research, and interviewing colleagues would’ve proven that) and not for those looking for a way to make some extra money…**cough** Wyclef.
    I, too, agree, it is easy to sit back and judge however, I’ve worked for non-profits and planned on pursuing it as a profession (grant writing, etc.) however, when I found out how publicly funded non-profits have to fight to stay above water, I realized that it wasn’t my cup of tea. In Wyclef’s case, it seems as though in trying to help the plight of his people he pursued a plan that wasn’t well conceptualized or well thought out nor delivered well either. Hopefully, if he truly has the interest of his compatriots in mind, he will make wiser decisions moving forward.

  22. Cheyenne says:

    @Lucy2: Americares is excellent, and they have a very good track record for getting aid where it’s supposed to go. I got introduced to them four years ago through the New York Daily News, which recommended them as the charity that was doing the best job in sending aid after Katrina. The Red Cross really dropped the ball on that one.

    @bambam: Pitt and Jolie donated $1 million to Doctors Without Borders through the Jolie-Pitt Foundation, and I heard they also sent another donation to Partners in Health.

    @everybody: Again, check out charitynavigator.org before you send your donation so you will know how your money is likely to be spent.

  23. BitterBetty says:

    Okay… but the pronoun “you” already states that I, including every part of me, is an asshole. so isn’t “asswhole” a redundant adjective?

  24. DD says:

    No offense but I would never give to a celebrity foundation to help in a disaster like this. They don’t have the experience or resources to deal with problems of a massive scale on their own.

  25. lucy2 says:

    I just read about Tyler Perry’s foundation, and it brings up the question of these celebrity charities. First, let me be clear there are NO signs of any poor management of Perry’s group, it sounds great, and I think it’s wonderful he’s made a very large donation to help. But :
    “Perry said he thought about the many people who may want to give but didn’t have the ability to vet some of the organizations seeking donations. So, he said on the Web site, people can donate to the Tyler Perry Foundation and the donations will go to various organizations.”
    I don’t get it. Why give to them so they can turn it over to someone else? Why not give directly? Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know where to donate. On his website he even mentions Yele and DWB as two he will give to. And chances are, if you are able to find and use Perry’s website, you are able to use charitynavigator, find the way to text a donation, find a list of good charities, or even give right to the two he mentions directly! Heck, practically every commercial break on TV has Michelle Obama and others giving out information on how to help. While it’s very nice of Perry to open up another way of helping and I don’t doubt for a second that every penny would go to the efforts, why add a middle man?

  26. Gigohead says:

    Tom Brokaw said it best. Wait three months to donate. That’s when the need is great: as they rebuilt that’s when the money is needed. That’s also the time folks forget about the tragedy and the funds dwindle.

    I do hope that the 25 bucks I sent to Wyclef can go to programs that allow folks to go back to school or elders to get paid to pick up trash. It’s like back to normal for these folks.

    I do hope now the unwanted attention will lead to a good change for his charity.

  27. jaundicemachine says:

    I think the article was really well written. I appreciate that Cook gave Wyclef the benefit of the doubt – which is fair given how visibly distraught the man is. I think Wyclef has every intention to help, he simply doesn’t have the resources to help with a disaster of this level.

    Cheyenne – thanks for providing that website.

  28. Leek says:

    That’s too bad. It’s sad to see someone fail at something they care about. He should go pluck a grad student from the public policy program at CMU and see if some little genius with a heart of gold and a brain to match could turn things around for Yele because after all the fundraisers are over the Haitians will find themselves alone again. It’s like the depression after a funeral for someone you love. The loneliness.

  29. coucou says:

    BitterBetty, redundant adjectives, redundant questioning, “asswhole” is just a play on words, and it’s kind of clever. Me likey.