From an Affluent Image to Asking for Donations: The Paradox of Maa Bio’s Fundraiser

Ivorian influencer Yelen Kouamé, known as Maa Bio, launched a fundraiser to buy a home after saying several landlords had refused to rent to her. She hopes to become a homeowner for her 37th birthday and says she will contribute 10 million CFA francs herself, along with a share of her partnership income. The fundraiser collected 500,000 CFA francs in its first hour, but calls to boycott it also followed. The controversy stems in part from the affluent image Maa Bio projects through her cars and trips.