Globe and Mail;
A prominent donor to WE Charity has alleged that the charity was “duplicitous” in its relationships with donors and has failed to provide a proper accounting of its use of donor funds in Kenya.
Reed Cowan, a U.S. television journalist who estimates that he has mobilized millions of dollars for WE Charity, told a House of Commons committee that the charity had misled donors by promising sponsorship of the same Kenyan school to different groups without their knowledge.
Mr. Cowan said he has repeatedly asked the charity for a full accounting of all funds raised by him and his team of donors. “As of this date, I have not been provided that accounting,” he told the committee on Friday.[…]
Mr. Cowan had travelled to Kenya in 2007, on the first anniversary of his son’s death, to open a school in his son’s name. He said he was inspired by seeing Craig Kielburger, co-founder of WE Charity, speaking about the schools on an episode of Oprah Winfrey’s television show.
Recently, however, he discovered a video of the same school, emblazoned with the name of another U.S. philanthropist. The video, he said, “suggests damningly” that the charity had already held an opening celebration at the same school for a different donor.
Less than two weeks later, the same ceremony was held again for Mr. Cowan’s donor group with the “same people, same songs, same everything – different plaques,” he said.
His opening statement can be viewed here.