Nelly Furtado donates $1 million from Qaddafi performance to charity
(CBS) Nelly Furtado announced on Tuesday that she will be donating the $1 million she earned to perform for members of former Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi's family to Free The Children, an international charity that works with educating girls around the world.
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The money will specifically go towards two new Free The Children programs in the the Maasai Mara region of Kenya and in the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA), which are currently suffering from the effects of political instability and a massive drought, as well as a challenge grant that will match donations dollar for dollar up to $500,000.
"My charitable mission is to empower girls around the world to realize their full potential," Furtado said in a statement. "I left a piece of my heart in Kenya earlier this year and I can't wait to get started on helping girls like the ones I met build a brighter future for themselves, their families and communities."
The Grammy-winner announced the donation during the Children's We Day concert in Toronto, Canada. She had previously worked with Free The Children when she traveled to Kenya to help build an all-girls secondary school.
Furtado announced in February that she would donate the money.
"In 2007, I received 1million$ from the Gaddafi clan to perform a 45 min. show for guests at a hotel in Italy. I am going to donate the $," she tweeted at the time.
Usher, Mariah Carey, Beyonce and 50 Cent also have pledged to donate or have already donated their appearance fees from private concerts for the Qaddafi family.
