Celebrity

From Hollywood Star To Philanthropist: Angelina Jolie’s Journey

Ashley - August 1, 2023

Fighting For Women’s Rights

Angelina Jolie has never shied away from hard-hitting issues, including women’s rights. She started the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative in an effort to defend women, with the intention of researching sexual assault and combating it. She’s also dedicated herself to speaking out about the violence women experience in society and the need for legal provisions to protect women. In February 2022, Jolie went to Washington, D.C., to speak on the issue of the Violence Against Women Act. While standing before an audience, Jolie said, “When there is silence from a Congress too busy to renew the Violence Against Women Act for a decade, it reinforces that sense of worthlessness.” The star spoke about the necessity of renewing this crucial law and advocated adding provisions for Kayden’s Law. She used her social media to bring further awareness to these issues and remains a vocal proponent of women’s rights.

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Participating In Disaster Relief Programs

One of the many charitable causes Angelina Jolie has worked with through the years is disaster relief. Many people are affected by natural disasters every year, in countries all around the world, and Jolie has always been determined to do what she can to help. She visited Pakistan in 2010 after a severe flood to advocate for continued support for those displaced and otherwise affected by the disaster. She’d previously visited the country in 2005 after a horrific earthquake left millions affected and voiced her concern that people were dismissing the domino effect of both disasters. Jolie stressed the need for continuing support in an interview with UNHCR and said, “One problem does not negate the other, one headline should not pull focus from the many complexities of the situation in Pakistan.”

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Supporting Causes Close To Home

While Jolie does spend a significant amount of time traveling around the world to help those in impoverished nations, she’s also dedicated to supporting causes closer to home. Back in 2011, a tornado ripped through Missouri. The tornado led to 161 deaths, more than 1,300 injuries, and nearly $3 billion worth of damages. The horrific disaster immediately caught the attention of Jolie, who donated $500,000 from the Maddox Jolie-Pitt Foundation to help rebuild the city. The star has never shied away from donating significant funds to help rebuild after disasters. In 2010, Haiti experienced an unprecedented earthquake that left over 1.5 million people homeless. Jolie donated $1 million to disaster relief and victim aid efforts for Haiti.

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Raising Awareness For Ukraine

One of Jolie’s more recent endeavors has been to raise awareness for the crisis happening in Ukraine. Jolie visited Lviv, Ukraine, in late 2022 to meet with those displaced by the war. She visited with some of the organizations offering support to the victims and used this opportunity to raise awareness for the situation happening there. Jolie didn’t visit as an official Special Envoy of the UNHCR, as they technically had no involvement in the war. Instead, she visited in a “personal capacity,” though there was no doubt her intentions were to raise awareness for the people affected by the war. Jolie’s visit was a surprise, but she spent her time listening to the stories of the people in Lviv and learning more about the relief efforts taking place.

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Calling For Change

Jolie has stated on multiple occasions that she hopes her efforts to raise awareness for the serious humanitarian crises throughout the world would enact true, actionable change. In 2019, Jolie visited Syria again and called for serious change. The country had been in a state of crisis for eight long years, during which time nearly 6 million people lived as refugees in the nation, and millions more were being internally displaced. Jolie spoke out about the crisis faced by those in Syria and stated, “In the meantime, the gap between what Syrian refugees and IDPs need to survive, and the humanitarian assistance available to them, is growing by the day. There are Syrians inside the country who are trying to rebuild their lives around the rubble, without the necessary support.” She advocated for true change, an end to violence, and better living conditions for all.

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Visiting Bangladesh To Support Humanitarian Efforts

One of the many places Jolie visited in an effort to raise awareness and support for humanitarian efforts is Bangladesh. Back in 2019, Jolie visited this country in the midst of a refugee crisis. Bangladesh was heavily affected by a sudden influx of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. The country was hosting nearly a million refugees, and the majority of people were crammed into a single area, which led to unhealthy living conditions. Jolie underwent a three-day mission to assess the humanitarian needs of the Rohingya refugees and other humanitarian issues in the country. Her work in Bangladesh and other countries was invaluable in raising awareness and helping the people receive essential aid and support.

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Jolie Made Time To Inspire Her Children

Despite her extensive humanitarian work, Jolie always made time to encourage, support, and inspire her children. She devoted herself to being a good mother and leading by example. Jolie’s daughter, Zahara Jolie-Pitt, started her own jewelry collection. She worked together with the famous jeweler Robert Procop to bring The Zahara Collection to life. Inspired by her mother’s continued selflessness, Zahara transferred all the money raised from her collection to the Los Angeles-based House of Ruth Shelters. This non-profit organization helps to provide transitional housing for battered women and children. We can only imagine how incredibly proud Jolie was of her daughter’s efforts!

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She Takes Inspiration From Her Kids

Jolie is constantly working on new projects and improving herself. When her young son Maddox expressed an interest in planes, Jolie knew she had to help her son realize his dream. She accomplished this by taking flying lessons and eventually earned her pilot’s license in 2004. She has since owned several planes and used her newfound knowledge to continue supporting and encouraging her son’s dreams. Jolie took this one step further and also acquired her helicopter’s pilot license! Her son must have been thrilled to have such a devoted mother who was willing to take him through the skies if it meant encouraging his passions.

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Stepping Down As UNHCR’s Special Envoy

In December 2022, Angelina Jolie announced she was stepping down as Special Envoy with the UNHCR. Jolie had this to say about her decision, “I am grateful for the privilege and opportunity I have had to work with so many outstanding and dedicated UNHCR field officers and other colleagues doing lifesaving work globally, and to serve as Special Envoy. I will continue to do everything in my power in the years to come to support refugees and other displaced people.” She’s committed herself to continuing to work with refugees and people in need of aid throughout the world. She has said she wants to work with a broader range of humanitarian services and more local organizations. UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, had this to say about Jolie’s dedication to the UNHCR and her decision to move on, “We are grateful for her decades of service, her commitment, and the difference she has made for refugees and people forced to flee. After a long and successful time with UNHCR, I appreciate her desire to shift her engagement and support her decision.”

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