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French Montana has been honored with an “Innovator Award” for his philanthropic contributions to the Ugandan healthcare system.
The award ceremony was held at the Pencils of Promise Gala on the night of October 20th, as he was handed the Innovator Award for his humanitarian efforts in Africa.
The Moroccan-born rapper has always been the type to support his African roots. He helped raise $226 million for healthcare in Uganda as well as financed the Budondo Suubi Hope Health Center. The facility is the primary source of healthcare for new mothers and their babies in an otherwise desolate region of Uganda.
In an appreciation post, Montana captioned a screenshot of TMZ covering the story, “MAKING MORE HISTORY FOR MY PEOPLE! Thank you @pencilsofpromise for honoring me with the Innovator Award at last night’s gala.” “Healthcare and education are fundamental parts of our human rights and should be accessible across the globe. I’m grateful to PoP for acknowledging my work in maternal healthcare in Africa. “PoP is doing groundbreaking work globally to keep kids in school and make sure they have a safe environment to learn,” he added.
The BET Hip-Hop Award winner began his humanitarian efforts in Uganda in 2017 by traveling to the country to shoot the video of his diamond-selling hit song, “Unforgettable,” after stumbling on a video of Ugandan kids dancing barefoot in rocky muddy terrain. In an interview with Billboard, French said the kids reminded him of his own childhood growing up in Africa.
The Unforgettable crooner was awarded the title of Global Citizen Ambassador by the company’s CEO, Hugh Evans, in New York City after building a hospital in Uganda that served over 300,000 people at the time of the award. The Bronx rapper has also extended his philanthropic hands to his country of birth, Morocco, by providing funds for new computers, books, and faculty to enhance the education system.
French told TMZ he was honored to receive the award and thanked his partners, Global Citizen, and Mama Hope. “PoP is doing groundbreaking work globally to keep kids in school and make sure they have a safe environment to learn in. This reminds me of my humble beginnings growing up in Morocco when I didn’t know how to speak English,” he said.
Also honored at the event was Paul Walker’s daughter and model, Meadow, who received the activist award for her role within the Wash program, helping to uplift young girls out of impoverished situations.
