Wyclef Jean Asks For Donations For Haitian Quake Victims

Wyclef Jean is asking for help on behalf of victims of yesterday’s devastating earthquake in Haiti.

Details of damage in the country are still sketchy, but the singer wasted no time in using his Twitter page to ask for donations.

“Please text ‘Yele’ to 501501 to donate $5 to YELE HAITI,” he wrote in the hours following the quake. “Your money will help with relief efforts. They need our help… please help if you can.”

Donations will go to the Yéle Haiti Foundation, an organization established by the singer that uses music, sports and the media to reinforce projects that are making a difference in education, health, environment and community development in his native Haiti.

“Haiti today faced a natural disaster of unprecedented proportion, an earthquake unlike anything the country has ever experienced,” Jean told The Insider. "The magnitude 7.0 earthquake — and several very strong aftershocks — struck only 10 miles from Port-au-Prince.

“I cannot stress enough what a human disaster this is, and idle hands will only make this tragedy worse. The over 2 million people in Port-au-Prince tonight face catastrophe alone. We must act now.

“President Obama has already said that the U.S. stands ‘ready to assist’ the Haitian people. The U.S. Military is the only group trained and prepared to offer that assistance immediately. They must do so as soon as possible. The international community must also rise to the occasion and help the Haitian people in every way possible.”