The White Saviors

Olusola Adeogun

Just try to imagine raising hundreds of thousands of dollars in honour of a late child to help build schools in Kenya, only to find out that the schools had already been built and that they were dedicated to someone else’s child? Or how about being promised a school—a place to learn, play and grow—and never getting it, no brick or book in sight? Unfortunately, these (alleged) scenarios were all too common when it came to the Kielburger brothers running the WE Charity. Donors and volunteers who were trying to turn pain into purpose later discovered the false assurances, lies, and deeply embroiled scandals associated with this organization. The White Saviors, a Canadaland production, takes you on an eye-opening journey exposing a foundation seemingly built on “kids helping kids,” but in turn ends up being a cult-like family preying on middle-class citizens using emotional manipulation. It’s a classic example of how non-profit organizations gain for-profit interests at the expense of those they intend to serve. Shockingly revealing, this podcast is a must-listen.

- Andrea Lysenko