Gaga embarked on her Born This Way Ball tour in April with stops in Asia, Europe, and South America. It grossed over $160 million and a North American leg was later added, though it was cut short because Gaga had to undergo hip surgery. Gaga broke her hip so badly during the tour, it was almost beyond repair.
Still, that didn't stop Gaga. Instead, she focused her efforts on giving back and launched the Born This Way Foundation with her mother, Cynthia Germanotta. The goal of the organization is to support the wellness of young people and empower them to create a kinder and braver world and focus on issues like self-confidence, well-being, anti-bullying, mentoring, and career development. Gaga and Cynthia launched the initiative with the help of Oprah Winfrey and Deepak Chopra at Harvard University in February 2012.
"This is about transformative change in culture over a period of time," she said in her speech. "This is a youth empowerment foundation. This is about changing the climate of the school environment and not putting the power in the hands of the teachers or the government. It is about the bubble effect. I don't believe that they have the answers, I believe that you do."
Gaga capped off the year by teaming up with UNICEF and spearheading a global youth empowerment program. "On behalf of my fans and The Born This Way Foundation, I will be traveling the world to visit and assist families, orphanages, and communities in need," Gaga said in a statement. "During each visit I seek to empower the youth to be brave in their struggles, and find strength in their ability to persevere." The singer visited families, orphans, and communities in need around the world, including South Africa and Peru.
