By Finlay Young for ProPublica |
In the wake of a ProPublica investigation into More Than Me, the charity scrambled this week to answer questions about inaccuracies in its tax returns. One of its largest donors suspended funding, citing a violation of trust. And the charity confirmed another board member has resigned, as well as a member of its Liberian advisory board.
The story and documentary showed how the American charity, which set out to save Liberian girls from sexual exploitation, missed opportunities to prevent the rape of its students by a key employee who had AIDS when he died. The charity has since said it will provide private, schoolwide HIV testing for students at its academy. Officials issued an apology, for the first time acknowledging they failed the girls who were raped, and announced two independent audits.
In Liberia, where a multi-agency government investigation is underway, other journalism outlets are asking their own questions, adding to the pressure on the charity. The calls for accountability are intense, but so are pleas from the students of More Than Me for their academy to remain open.
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