Richest YouTuber accused of ‘kindness for clicks’

WORLD-RENOWNED YouTuber MrBeast is no stranger to controversy.

Despite his overwhelming popularity online, the world’s richest YouTuber has often been criticised for the way he’s garnered views on his popular YouTube channel.

In January, the 25-year-old appeared in a video on his channel showing how he helped scores of blind people from the US and across the world remove their cataracts with the help of a not-for-profit organisation.

Critics then accused him of using their suffering to increase his wealth and fame.

Now MrBeast, real name Jimmy Donaldson, has been accused of using a struggling South African orphanage to garner views for his channel.

Recently, the Youtuber uploaded a video on the reconstruction of the

Baphumelele orphanage in Cape Town, in which he boasts of rebuilding it.

Donaldson ploughed millions of dollars into filming the reconstruction of the orphanage, and in days of uploading the video, the video had garnered well over 15 million views.

But while he said he had good intentions to help, it is alleged he ignored pleas from humanitarian groups to stop his “philanthropic stunt” amid concerns that orphanages were a haven for “violence, abuse and neglect”.

The movement to end orphanages worldwide and instead, find families for children, is backed by the UN, EU, Commonwealth and the South African government. In 2019, a UN General Assembly Resolution on Rights of the Child, urged member states to progressively replace orphanages with quality alternative care, such as foster networks and social workers.

Lourenza Foghill, from Hope and Homes for Children, said MrBeast had chosen to “ignore” those voices.

The Saturday Star attempted to contact MrBeast and Baphumelele orphanage this week, but was unable to.

Supplied MRBEAST, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, has been accused of using a struggling South African orphanage to garner views for his channel. |