Angelina Jolie makes donation to boys' charity lemonade stand
Angelina Jolie surprised two young boys from East London by making a generous donation to their lemonade stand. The stall was designed to raise money for children in war-torn Yemen, where 24 million are estimated to need humanitarian aid to survive.
The actress is said to have read about the efforts of six-year-old Ayaan Moosa and Mikaeel Ishaaq in the news, and then contacted her UK representative who had reached out to the families directly. Jolie sent a note applauding their work, along with a "a very generous donation", according to Moosa's mother. She added that the boys hadn't known who Jolie was initially, but their "their dads were very excited".
Jolie's note read: "Dear Ayaan and Mikaeel. Thank you for what you and your friends are doing to help children in Yemen. I'm sorry I'm not able to buy a lemonade from you, but I'd still like to make a donation to your stand. Love, [signed by Angelina]."
To date, the boys' online campaign, Lemonade for Yemen-Aid, has raised an impressive £67,000. The two best friends responded to Jolie's donation with a video, in which they thanked her for her help and said: "If you ever come to London, feel free to buy a glass of fresh lemonade."
Thank you message for @angelinajolie.offiicial 💙 #yemen #lemonaidboys #yemencrisis #angelinajolie
A post shared by LemonAid for Yemen-Aid (@lemonaidboys) on Sep 8, 2020 at 7:07am PDT
The actress, who is also a UNHCR special envoy, has spoken about the crisis in Yemen before, having called for a ceasefire and an end to the conflict which has killed thousands. In 2018, she commented how the world has been "shamefully slow" to act.
“We have watched the situation deteriorate to the point that Yemen is now on the brink of man-made famine, and facing the worst cholera epidemic in the world in decades," she said. "When conflict develops to this extent, many people have no choice but to flee if they are to have any chance of survival. The only way to enable refugees to return home, and to bring down the overall numbers worldwide, is to end conflicts themselves."
In need of some at-home inspiration? Sign up to our free weekly newsletter for skincare and self-care, the latest cultural hits to read and download, and the little luxuries that make staying in so much more satisfying.
Plus, sign up here to get Harper’s Bazaar magazine delivered straight to your door.
You Might Also Like
