As the sun began to set in the west, a courtyard in a children's welfare center was filled with laughter. Many African orphans sat on the ground, joyfully sharing small gifts brought by the inspection team, their faces lit up with content smiles. This scene provided the perfect backdrop for the cameras.
Matthew sat on a chair not far from the children, using them as a backdrop while giving interviews to reporters.
He wasn't the only one; just a few dozen meters away, Emma Watson was doing the same thing.
In terms of perfecting one's public image with African children as a backdrop, the one who mastered this was none other than the Princess of Wales. After all, this was part of how she earned the title "The People's Princess."
Compared to her, Matthew felt he had even more reason to feel proud. Not only did his public actions have significant media impact, but the money his two foundations had donated was several times more than hers.
Sitting there, occasionally glancing at the dark-skinned children playing behind him, Matthew began to feel, for a moment, that he was truly a philanthropist.
Old Wang and Xiao Li were among the group of journalists interviewing Matthew. Both were fluent in English, and after hearing the Hollywood star's responses, they raised their hands to ask a question.
Matthew had already noticed the two black-haired, black-eyed reporters, and based on their appearance, he could guess where they were from.
When they raised their hands, he gestured to the UNHCR official beside him, who then allowed Old Wang to ask his question.
"Mr. Matthew Horner, hello," Old Wang, a traditional and seasoned journalist focused on political affairs, asked formally, "What do you think is the root cause of Africa's refugee crisis, and how should it be resolved?"
Matthew furrowed his brows slightly. That seemed like a question more suited for the UN Secretary-General or Gutierrez, didn't it?
However, since the question was out there, he didn't avoid it. After a moment of thought, he replied, "Africa suffers from frequent regional conflicts and natural disasters. Religious tensions and political struggles undermine national unity, leading to division and humanitarian crises."
This kind of question didn't stump him.
The question had been formal, and Matthew responded just as formally. "Many African nations have been long troubled by refugee issues. The international community should help Africa prevent conflicts, peacefully resolve disputes, and support poverty reduction and development."
Of course, after these standard answers, Matthew didn't forget to highlight his own efforts. "Over the past year, my two foundations have increased emergency humanitarian aid, but we are facing severe shortages in both funds and manpower."
Old Wang couldn't help but feel that Matthew, despite his deep-set foreign features, was giving answers reminiscent of the nightly news broadcast back home.
Before Old Wang could fully process it, Matthew continued, speaking with righteous conviction, "We must strengthen our unity and take shared responsibility to address the refugee crisis and humanitarian emergencies. The African region is long-suffering from severe humanitarian crises, compounded by issues like poverty, the Ebola epidemic, AIDS, debt, and climate change. If the international community doesn't pay attention to Africa's refugee problem, it will only lead to greater humanitarian disasters."
Old Wang's feeling of watching a nightly news program only grew stronger.
"And what do you think should be done to solve this issue?" Old Wang couldn't resist asking again.
Matthew thought for a moment and said, "I have four main suggestions! First, we need to increase investment in Africa's refugee crisis, ensuring timely and adequate aid commitments. Second, improve coordination to make relief efforts more effective. Third, adhere to the principles of objectivity, neutrality, and humanity, avoiding the politicization of the refugee issue. And fourth, resolve disputes peacefully and focus on preventing conflicts to address the root causes of the refugee crisis."
Old Wang was left speechless for a moment. Had this foreigner been binge-watching the nightly news before coming here? Why stay a Hollywood star? He should switch nationalities and become a news anchor!
The reporter's question had been lofty, and Matthew's answer equally so, brimming with the feel of someone taking a high-level view of things.
Whether it was empty talk or not wasn't something Matthew concerned himself with, as he had some real action plans to announce shortly, not just words.
The next to stand up was Xiao Li. Unlike the more rigid, old-school approach of Old Wang, Xiao Li belonged to a new generation of more pragmatic journalists.
He asked, "Mr. Horner, what do you think is the most urgent issue in addressing the refugee crisis right now?"
Without hesitation, Matthew replied, "The issues facing women and children, especially children."
This answer surprised Old Wang, who had expected another news-broadcast-style response from Matthew.
Given the more practical nature of the question, Matthew avoided lofty language.
"Take Kenya, for example. Over half the refugees here are women and children, and children make up a third of the population."
His tone grew heavier. "The challenges faced by refugee children are dire. They lack access to food and water, and the vast majority suffer from malnutrition or diseases like malaria. In the first two years, my foundations invested over ten million dollars to help these children, but even then, we could only reach a small fraction, and only ensure their basic survival."
Hearing Matthew's words, the reporters around him grew more serious. Whatever his motivations, it was clear this man had helped many people.
Such a person was worthy of respect, and they felt it was their duty to share his story with the world through their pens and cameras.
"The needs of children are urgent..." Matthew said, turning to look at the orphans playing on the lawn behind him. "Their education is equally important."
At that moment, Emma Watson walked over, standing just behind the group of reporters facing Matthew.
Matthew glanced at Emma before continuing. "The impact of education on refugee children is far-reaching. Right now, over ninety-five percent of children in the Dadaab refugee camp are unable to receive an education."
He spread his hands, his tone somber. "Ladies and gentlemen, do you understand what that means?"
Emma Watson, listening to Matthew, began to look thoughtful. As a highly educated person herself, she understood the terrifying implications of such a situation.
Matthew spoke earnestly. "Without education, these children, and by extension, their countries, will remain on the edge of disaster."
The room fell silent. Even Old Wang, who had always looked down on film stars, found himself nodding in agreement. Matthew's words made perfect sense.
The state of education worldwide has its challenges, but for those who never receive any formal education, the chance of breaking out of the cycle of poverty is slim.
They are destined to struggle like their parents before them, and if the majority of a country's children are in such a state, the country's future is bleak.
Suddenly, in the eyes of those present, Matthew's figure grew larger.
This man had clearly put in significant work for his charitable efforts.
Emma Watson stood silently, watching Matthew from a short distance away. She couldn't help but lower the smile she often wore. Compared to Matthew, she realized just how inexperienced she was.
When it came to charity and addressing the issues facing women and children, she still had a long way to go. Fortunately, she had Matthew as a role model to learn from.
In fact, her entire team wasn't as well-prepared as Matthew. Coming to Africa for publicity was something they hadn't planned thoroughly enough.
A reporter then stood up and asked, "Mr. Matthew Horner, the issues you've mentioned are indeed urgent. Do you have any concrete measures to address them?"
Hearing this pre-arranged question, Matthew glanced at the reporter, who had been planted there by Helen Herman.
He had long prepared the answer for this. Slowly, he said, "My two foundations are currently raising funds and developing targeted solutions. We've already established close partnerships with UNHCR and UNICEF, and starting next month, we plan to set up schools in the refugee camps to provide basic education to the children."
Everyone listened intently, as Matthew wasn't spouting empty words.
"Due to various constraints, we can only offer elementary-level education in the short term," Matthew said realistically. The reporters had seen the conditions in the camps themselves, and no one would foolishly believe in grandiose promises of large-scale programs. "I hope that all of you, through your media platforms, will help spread the word. We need many volunteers, compassionate people willing to help these children."
Suddenly, the area fell quiet, with only Matthew's voice echoing through the space.
Though his voice wasn't loud, his words were powerful. "One person's strength is limited. If we truly want to solve these problems, we need more people to get involved."
Emma Watson stood quietly, watching Matthew from several meters away. She couldn't help but shake her head. Before they entered the camp, she had spoken with Matthew and knew he understood the real situation—that these problems were, in essence, unsolvable.
Though young, she knew well that changing human nature was one of the hardest things to do.
In the end, Matthew was simply using the African refugee crisis to boost his own image. However, his methods were so sophisticated that even if others knew what he was doing, they couldn't criticize him.
This was a rare opportunity, and the room was filled with journalists from some of the world's largest media outlets and news agencies. Their coverage would far surpass the reach of mere entertainment news.
Matthew, while talking about so many things, gradually steered the conversation to the most pressing project he needed to promote. "To raise more funds, I've reached an agreement with my friend and business partner, Mr. David Ellison of Skydance Media."
Because of his previous comments, every journalist was paying close attention,
believing that Matthew was about to announce a major donation.
Matthew raised his voice slightly and said, "The movie Fast & Furious 4, which I co-produced with Mr. David Ellison, is set to be released in mid-May. We have decided to donate all the profits from this film to improve education for African children."
The notion of donating all the profits sounded impressive, but there was a lot of room for maneuvering within that promise.
Matthew and David Ellison were no fools—they wouldn't make a losing deal.
The room erupted in applause, with journalists, including Old Wang and Xiao Li, joining in.
Even Emma Watson clapped.
Compared to her own modest attempts, Matthew's approach was far more masterful.
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!]
[w w w . p a t r e o n .com / INNIT]
[+50 PowerStones = +1 Chapter] [+5 Reviews = +1 Chapter]