MEXICO CITY — Last week, Salma Hayek’s humanitarian aid raised more than $314,000 with Crowdrise Campaign after the earthquake in Mexico. The Salma Hayek Foundation raises awareness for women and children suffering from “violence, drugs and lack of education” in the country.
“Anything you can give will make a big difference…help the families that are going through this nightmare right now in Mexico,” Hayek said. The Mexican actress lived through a similarly devastating earthquake in the region in 1985, and told her Instagram followers that she knew the implications of a “disaster of this magnitude.”
This is not the first time the award-winning actress has raised awareness for the disadvantaged. In 2012, Salma Hayek’s humanitarian aid included founding the Chime For Change campaign along with Beyonce and Gucci. UNICEF supported the campaign, which focused on girls’ and women’s empowerment.
To advocate for Chime for Change, Hayek visited Syria in an effort to raise awareness for refugees displaced by conflict in the country. In 2015, the actress witnessed the devastation across the region, with 2.6 million children out of school and close to two million living as refugees in neighboring countries.
“I plead to everyone who is grateful for the peace and stability in their lives to show compassion for those who have lost it all and to help,” Hayek said concerning the Syrian crisis.
Additionally, in 2013, Salma Hayek’s humanitarian aid called attention to the domestic abuse of women during the Avon Communication Awards at the United Nations. Hayek gave a moving speech about how the issue needed to be addressed at the social level, especially by men.
In 2015, Salma Hayek’s humanitarian aid won her the humanitarian award at the seventeenth annual Kahlil Gibran Spirit of Humanity Gala in Washington D.C. Hayek has been a passionate activist for more than 22 years and continues to advocate for the world’s disadvantaged.
– Ashley Howard
Photo: Flickr