WE Charity’s rise to prominence and unexpected fall episode artwork

EPISODE · Sep 14, 2020 · 28 MIN

WE Charity’s rise to prominence and unexpected fall

from Front Burner

Back in 1995, a 12-year-old in Thornhill, Ontario, was so moved by a newspaper story about the death of a boy in Pakistan who fought against child labour, that he created a charity called Free the Children. Craig Kielburger, along with his brother Mark, went on to create a mass movement of youth activism. But 25 years later, and following a political controversy related to a student volunteer grant program, the Kielburgers announced they were stepping down and closing the Canadian arm of WE Charity. Today, Marie-Danielle Smith and Jason Markusoff of Maclean’s magazine report on the stratospheric rise – and the unexpected fall – of WE.

Back in 1995, a 12-year-old in Thornhill, Ontario, was so moved by a newspaper story about the death of a boy in Pakistan who fought against child labour, that he created a charity called Free the Children. Craig Kielburger, along with his brother Mark, went on to create a mass movement of youth activism. But 25 years later, and following a political controversy related to a student volunteer grant program, the Kielburgers announced they were stepping down and closing the Canadian arm of WE Charity. Today, Marie-Danielle Smith and Jason Markusoff of Maclean’s magazine report on the stratospheric rise – and the unexpected fall – of WE.

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WE Charity’s rise to prominence and unexpected fall

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Back in 1995, a 12-year-old in Thornhill, Ontario, was so moved by a newspaper story about the death of a boy in Pakistan who fought against child labour, that he created a charity called Free the Children. Craig Kielburger, along with his brother...

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