MUMBAI: Philanthropist and Hollywood superstar Angelina Jolie has opened yet another school for girls in Afghanistan. Reportedly, the actress is planning to fund the school from the profits of a jewelry line that she helped to design.
After funding one girl’s school in eastern Afghanistan in 2010, Angeline Jolie, a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), has now funded the girls-only primary school in an area outside Kabul. The region has a high refugee population.
The school opened in November 2012 and educates 200-300 girls. Insiders reveal that Jolie has plans to pay for more such schools by selling a ‘Style of Jolie’ jewelry line (A fashion jewelry line she has created alongside Robert Procop who designed her own engagement ring.)
Angelina said, “Beyond enjoying the artistic satisfaction of designing these jewels, we are inspired by knowing our work is also serving the mutual goal of providing for children in need.”
Procop’s website announces, “first funds from our collaboration together have been dedicated to the Education Partnership for Children in Conflict (founded by Jolie) to build a school in Afghanistan.”
Interestingly, Angelina is not the first celebrity to open schools in third world countries. Hollywood’s famous television personality Oprah Winfrey and pop singer Madonna earlier had funded the building of schools in South Africa and Malawi. However, both courted their share of controversy. Madonna’s project ran into trouble over costs and mismanagement, while a staff member at Winfrey’s school was arrested on charges of assault and abuse of students.