Why does bono do charity work

See these insights for all celebrities Contact Bono. Buy Vision Give Sight. Ebola: Waiting. Your email address:. I respect his desire to do good. But criticism is inevitable when you harness the power of celebrity to push your pet cause, especially if your glossy organisation then sins. The singer has said he would like to meet the abuse victims to apologise in person. This woman told me how she is traumatised by her experiences working for a group that claims to fight for female equality.

Her confidence is shattered, her marriage broken. Like too many others, she joined full of excitement and commitment to the cause only to find her illusions shattered along with her career. Yet in his apology, the singer said that when he learned of these allegations they made him question what he was doing. Let us pray that is true. For a start, he could retire that jaded aid narrative, not least since he runs an organisation that to its credit relies on corporate donors.

Then he could stop arguing for countries to meet the silly 0. But the incident has always irked me. Bono, the self-proclaimed protector of the great masses of Africa especially, was at the site of a revolt in a country run by a demonstrably corrupt government that had for years accepted millions in foreign aid yet done almost nothing to lift its people — especially women — out of poverty or educate them.

And now a man with a much-used international megaphone declined to say anything. Now in that same town it is against the law to make music. They beat you if you play the blues. They jail you if you make music. Over the years, it has often been shown that what Bono says and what he does are two different things. Fine — except in the ensuing years Bono and his charity One earned kudos for insisting countries, corporations and people pay taxes in pursuit of a fairer society.

Next month, for instance, we have the Hollywood Humanitarian awards — although my favourite will always be an event from a couple of years back. Organised by the same people who were going to send Paris Hilton on a mercy mission to Rwanda a pledge on which the celebutante still has to make good , the Playing For Good International Philanthropic Summit was a three-day event on Mallorca — hosted by Eva Longoria!

Were the impression of a neuron-killing luxury jolly not complete, let me add that the climax of the summit was a black tie, gala presentation of the Awards of Charitable Excellence, with the big award presented by none other than Paris herself, in her first formal appearance since being released from jail. What can you say? Other than caring never looked so hot. Bono: the celebrity who just keeps giving. U2 singer Bono and the rise of the celebrity humanitarians.