CBC's False Reporting
The Fifth Estate’s reporting on WE Charity was false. This website shows you what CBC did not: evidence, documents, and video that demonstrate CBC lied to its viewers.
CBC claimed that WE Charity deceived its donors, but the donors disagreed. WE Charity donors responsible for funding the vast majority of the projects in Kenya signed open letters rejecting the CBC’s false narrative about donor deception. Donors further stated they visited the projects they helped fund in Kenya and knew first-hand how their money was used.
CBC ignored the overwhelming evidence that its story was wrong and violated CBC’s own standards for investigative journalism. As this website shows, CBC knew that its reporting was wrong even before it aired.
WE Charity has filed a lawsuit in the United States, where the charity continues to operate. This lawsuit aims to set the record straight and hold CBC accountable.
What you should know
Mark Kelley consistently misrepresented WE Charity's work in Kenya. He reported that 360 schools were built, when he was provided evidence, multiple times, that WE Charity had built and renovated 852 schoolrooms in Kenya alone. This included classrooms, libraries, science labs, dorms and other structures essential for learning.
CBC’s reporting lacked transparency, notably in showcasing permissions for school visits, explaining their method of counting schools, and describing how
WE Charity used donor funds.
There is a lack of local knowledge and understanding, given the limited experience of their lead producer in developing countries and their reliance on a non-journalist for guidance in Kenya.
CBC's misconduct - see for yourself
CBC lied about the number of schools WE Charity funded (in Kenya)
CBC falsely claimed that WE Charity built only 360 schoolrooms in Kenya. They said the number “360” was WE Charity’s own count. From the outset of its reporting, CBC knew that WE Charity built far more than 360 schoolrooms in Kenya but lied about the figure because the real number contradicted their false story about missing schoolrooms.
CBC falsely claimed WE Charity counted latrines as schoolrooms
The CBC falsely claimed that WE Charity “inflated” the number of schools it funded in Kenya by including latrines in its count of 852 schoolrooms. From the outset of its reporting, the CBC knew this allegation was false but lied because its entire donor deception story was premised on WE Charity’s full count of 852 schoolrooms being wrong.
CBC lied about WE Charity obstructing their investigation
The CBC falsely claimed that WE Charity was engaged in a cover-up to “block the scrutiny” by the CBC’s investigation. CBC's false claims of obstruction were essential to its preconceived narrative because it gave them an excuse not to visit or verify the 852 schools and schoolrooms WE Charity funded.