Rihanna continues to ride for the education of the underprivileged. Following her philanthropic visit to the African nation in June, the Anti singer is further effecting change on the education front in Malawi in an unconventional way.
Teaming up with American outfit OFO, a company that describes itself as “The world’s first ‘non-docking’ bike sharing platform operated by a mobile app,” Rihanna’s Clara Lionel Foundation is donating bikes to scholarship earners in order to help them get to school. The 5-year partnership will particularly target Malawi, where there are 4.8 million primary-school age children, only eight percent of which complete secondary school. The 1 KM campaign aims to give hundreds of Malawi girls an efficient means of traveling to and from school in a place where a lack of transportation is one of the major factors contributing to high dropout rates.
According to Rihanna’s foundation, the first bikes have been deployed and are already being used by Malawian students. In a statement about her latest humanitarian undertaking, the music superstar said “I’m so happy about the Clara Lionel Foundation’s new partnership with ofo because it will help so many young people around the world receive a quality education, and also help the young girls of Malawi get to school safely, cutting down those very long walks they make to and from school all alone.”
Way to go, Ms. Fenty. Keep the good works rolling.