Charlize Theron says helping children in Africa is "everything" to her.
The ‘Bombshell’ star – who adopted her two kids August and Jackson – admits it is a job of a lifetime and it "keeps her going" to help children across the world as part of her Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Program (CTAOP).
She said: "It really is everything. You can see the effect that a little bit of work that we do here has for people who so desperately need it. That’s the thing that keeps me going because this work will break you down."
And the 44-year-old actress learned her caring nature from her mother.
She added: "This is how I was taught. It’s the right thing to do.
"Listen, I’ve had an incredible few [months]. I feel ridiculously spoiled. It makes it even more special to be able to give back."
Charlize also spoke about one particular session, where she desperately wanted to help others open up about taboo topics.
She told People magazine: "We wanted to get young people to talk about the things they could take control of to save their own lives. The thing about South Africa is, it’s very conservative when it comes to that kind of conversation … I remember sitting in our first class and everybody didn’t want to say a word. They were embarrassed and had been told their whole lives this is a subject you don’t talk about. I remember that night and Ashlee George, our Executive Director, and I just cried. We were like, ‘This is never going to change. How are we going to get young people to engage?’"
Charlize Theron: Helping children is ‘everything’
