BOONE, North Carolina — Celebrities who embrace humanitarian causes evoke both criticism and praise. When an individual is in the spotlight, motive is in the spotlight alongside them. The belief is that charitable celebrities could be more concerned with the publicity than with the humanity. But cynicism aside, the celebrities on this list are so famous they do not need the extra attention and seem to care deeply for their chosen causes. Here are 5 photos of celebrity humanitarians.
1. Oprah
Oprah has donated millions of dollars to a multitude of charities during her career. In addition to donating to charities, Oprah has also built schools and founded multiple foundations that support causes like AIDS, education for women, domestic abuse victims, etc.
Source: Listosaur
Photo: Limite Magazine
2. Charlize Theron
Before being appointed messenger of peace for the United Nations, with a special focus on ending violence against women, Theron founded Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project, designed to reduce the spread of AIDS among African youth. Theron has also campaigned for LGBTQ individuals’ equal rights, and insists she will not marry until marriage between same-sex couples is made legal in every state in the United States.
Source: Listosaur
Photo: CNN
3. George Clooney
Clooney’s current mission is to stop the genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan, though he focuses a lot of his energy on helping those suffering from poverty. When Clooney is not busy on the United Way’s Board of Trustees, he is also known for giving hefty donations to support the homeless.
Source: Listosaur
Photo: Viagem
4. Angelina Jolie
Jolie is a U.N. Goodwill Ambassador and has been on multiple field missions in different parts of the world to personally meeting with refugees. On top of her time spent abroad, Jolie has donated millions of dollars to many charities, mainly those specializing in education and under-privlaged children, and has been recognized for her work by the United Nations with the Global Humanitarian Award.
Source: Listosaur
Photo: Standard
5. Bono
As far as recognition for humanitarian work, Bono is at the top of the list with three Nobel Peace Prize nominations and an honorary knighthood for his humanitarian work. While Bono donates and leads a variety of organizations, he works intently to promote international debt relief, and fight against poverty and hunger. The lead singer of U2 was unsurprisingly named the most politically effective celebrity of all time by the National Journal.
Source: Listosaur
Photo: Britannica
– Audrey Grace
Feature Photo: Girl Talk HQ