Love army for Somalia “illustrates the power of social” says YouTube star Casey Neistat

Less than 24 hours after setting up a Go Fund Me page, YouTube stars Casey Neistat and Jerome Jarre, with the help of Ben Stiller, have reached their ten-day target goal of $1 million for aid relief in Somalia.

It’s an incredibly inspiring moment, and one that proves the power of social media and how the stars of tomorrow are influencing today’s generation.

‘Using social to raise a million dollars for those in need in less than a day really illustrates the power of social,’ Casey told Metro.co.uk.

‘The world of media and communication is changing quickly.’

The drought in Somalia has caused an historic famine that is affecting at least 5 million people; in early March 110 people from the same region died within 48 hours according to the country’s prime minister.

After Jerome, a French Vine and Snapchat star, read about the famine he set up a movement called Love Army For Somalia with the hope that social media pressure may be able to convince Turkish Airlines, the only company to fly to the African country, to use one flight to send a shipment of aid and food.

Within days he had the support of A-list stars including Ben Stiller and Ed Norton, as well as NFL player Colin Kaepernick, and Turkish Airlines had agreed to make available one cargo flight which will take 60 tonnes of food to the region on March 27.

They will also allow Love Army For Somalia to ship food containers on commercial aircrafts to the country until the end of the famine.