Angelina 'Must Be a Saint,' Say Bicycle-Receiving Namibian Kids

By PopEater Staff Posted Aug 19th 2009 08:23AM

Back in 2006, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt earned their charitable reputation when they agreed to donate a reported $4 million to children in Africa from selling photographs of baby Shiloh. Part of the donation -- about $10,000 -- went specifically to buy 72 bicycles for children in two schools in northern Namibia. In a new 'Life & Style' feature story given exclusively to PopEater, the magazine talked to children who say Angelina helped give them a better future.

Without a bicycle, some children had very difficult routes to get to school that would impair their studies and leave them struggling.

"I had to get up at 5 a.m. and leave home in the dark to get to school on time," 16-year-old student Emiliana Shikongo told Life & Style. "It made me very tired." Using a bicycle, courtesy of Jolie, takes just minutes.

"Now I can stay at school until 4 or 5 p.m. to finish my homework and still get home before dark," she said. "Now my teachers and parents are happy with my performance - already I have improved my average, and my aim is to be getting 100 percent. I know with the bicycle I can do it."

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Angelina's Bike Donations

Life & Style travels to Namibia, where hundreds of children say Angelina Jolie has given them hope for a better future.

Life & Style Magazine

Angelinas Bike Donations

Life & Style travels to Namibia, where hundreds of children say Angelina Jolie has given them hope for a better future.

Life & Style Magazine

The children attending the Okanimekwa school in Namibia have never seen an Angelina Jolie movie or read about her and Brad Pitt in magazines. Yet they're certain how they feel about the star. "She's a very special person, and we'll never forget her," 16-year-old student Emiliana Shikongo tells Life & Style. "She must be a holy person," adds another student.

Life & Style Magazine

Angelina changed the lives of the 589 children at the school - along with thousands of other Namibians - after giving birth to daughter Shiloh in the African nation in 2006. When Angie and Brad sold Shiloh's baby pictures, they said that the proceeds, a reported $4 million, would go to help children in Africa and other parts of the world.

Life & Style Magazine

"She's a very special person, and we'll never forget her," Shikongo said of Jolie.

"I think Angelina Jolie must be a saint," said student Andreas Kristofelius, 17.

Improving their marks in school can change the lives of the Namibian students, who, with an education, could grow up to become doctors or teachers and help improve the future generations of Namibia.
"The bicycles have made a huge difference," said math teacher Daniel Kapendye. "It's become easier to motivate kids to learn and do well."

To help set up the charitable organization, Jolie reached out to former Miss Universe Michelle McLean. Together, McLean and Jolie helped send money and donations to not just schools but orphanages, soup kitchens and early-childhood-development training for teachers.

"Angelina said the donation was Shiloh's legacy to Namibia," McLean told Life & Style. "She was excited about the bicycle project. She knows vast distances prevent a large number of kids from attending school every day."

Tags: angelina jolie, AngelinaJolie, brad pitt, BradPitt

Comments

(282)

Saturday 22 August

By martin

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Oh, please.

By MoYenBX

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Anybody that complains about, "WHAT ABOUT AMERICAN CHILDREN?!?!" Are the kind of people that don't ever lend a hand to charitable causes in America, anyway. They just need something to yap about. If someone were so concerned with charity, they wouldn't be busy bad mouthing celebs at such an early hour. They'd be out there doing it. So all you people that are so concerned about American children, please get busy helping them. Maybe you can start by supporting more affordable or free healthcare for children.

By savannah

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

ANGELINA IS NOT A SAINT. SHE IS A WOMAN WHO LURES A MARRIED MAN TO LEAVE HIS WIFE. NO AMOUNT OF HELPING CHILDREN WILL EVER CHANGE WHO SHE REALLY IS.

By yesy

awww what happened savannah? did your husband leave you too??? is that why you hate Angelina so much?? God Bless you! i hope you find a man that will help you be a better person like Angelina did with Brad.

By msskt

It would seem so much nicer had they reached into their pockets and given the money instead of selling pictures of their baby. Since the average movie requires only a few months of work for either one of the two actors, and since they demand and get over $20,000,000 for those few months, it would seem that their greed could give way to a greater need. But it is good to see that they still can figure out a way to get credit for doing little,

By chokea

They knew that the press would be dogging them for baby photos until the paparazzi secured them. The photographers would have made the big bucks. They decided to bow to the inevitable and use the money for a good cause.

ANGELINA DESTROYS ANOTHER WOMANS MARRIAGE AND THEN TRIES TO WASH IT OVER WITH GIFTS TO OTHERS. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN FAR BETTER TO BE A GOOD ROLE MODEL AS A WOMAN,...THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A BETTER HELP TO A WORLD OF CHILDREN WHO WATCH MARRIAGES FALL APART BECAUSE OF PEOPLE LIKE HER.

By Yesy

NO! ANGELINA HAS BEEN ADOPTING AND DONATING WAY BEFORE BRAD!!! MAYBE THIS IS WHY BRAD FELL INLOVE WITH HER!!! Please keep your bitter comments to yourself! Jennifer cannot compare to Angie!

By cr

Every time I browse these comments, I'm amazed at how many stupid people there are in this world.

By Michele

I couldn't agree with you more. These comment boards have become forums for some people to display their negative perspectives, to show that they have very little knowledge of the issue(s) which they are commenting about and that they are insensitive to the plight of others. Just reading these comment boards gives me a better understanding of the mentality of some of the people who live in this country and why our country is in such a sad state.

By wendysmom

me too,cr

By tquoosa1

I've never been a fan of Angelina Jolie. But I have to say after reading this article. I have a newfound respect for her. I don't have to like her to respect her actions, do I?

Exactly!

By aidaedmiston1

If she is a Christian she is a saint as with all other Christians. Read the letters of Paul in the New Testament.

By pedro

For 72 bikes she gets publicity from AOL for 5 days now! AOL should be closed for crappy news...

By Lisa

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No man can be "loared" if he doesn't want to be. Many people marry only to figure out that they married the wrong person. You only know what you read in the tabloids, you don't know the truth.

Exactly Lisa. How much did Brad acomplish with Jennifer?? it was obviously not the right connection. Its too bad for Jennifer but its the truth.

By Noneya

Why does everyone help African kids? whats the matter with AMERICAN kids? I don't watch either one of their films!!

By Joyous

I would much prefer to see what Jolie is doing with the money she and Brad made from the pictures of Shiloh than hear about the private school for girls that Oprah built. There have already been two incidents of sexual abuse in that school. And listen to what these children in Namibia are saying about Angelina for nothing more than receiving a bike. I applaud her and Brad for their charitable work. Shiloh was born there and they were well cared for by the Namibians. She's returning that with the donation of the bikes. They are also building houses in New Orleans. They have charitable foundations to do all this good work. So does Bill Gates, so does Bill Clinton. I applaud them all. Oprah built a "monument" to herself. She's the selfish one.

Was does supporting one person have to be coupled with a comparison that tears someone else down?

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