A Girl and a Bike

Part of NCP's Give a Girl a  Chance program

In rural areas of the southern African country of Malawi, there are many reasons why a child may not go beyond elementary school. Poverty, hunger, distance, crocodiles. Yep! More flooding due to climate change brings crocs close to the paths they walk to go to school!

 

NCP is working on all these things in one way or another, but Katherine (here riding a borrowed bike) and other girls are specifically asking for our help with the tuition and transportation. That's because while the elementary school is "only" a two mile walk, high school is seven miles away - the girls have to leave home at 5 a.m. to get to school by 7:30, and that can get discouraging! Plus, there are school fees, and many of the families have trouble raising this money, especially since climate change is making it hard for them to grow crops to sell for income. And there is not as high a priority on educating girls, compared to boys.

 

So in collaboration with our partner Creative Solutions for the Environment, a grassroots Malawian organization, we came up with A Girl and a Bike!

 

Along with the $45 tuition for the first term's tuition (they will come up with the other two terms there), having a bike for the daily commute to school makes attendance much easier. Since bikes cost $65, for $110 a girl and her bike can roll on to school!

 

And our partner tells us there's a ripple effect - younger girls are studying harder in hopes of getting a bike and a scholarship themselves, as this may be the only way they can go to high school!

 

We've sent funds for dozens of girls, but many, many more want to benefit - so let’s ride! Make a donation yourself and/or have a fund-raiser at your school or congregation, sorority or scout troop. Donate the $110 or more or less - anything helps! And as always, we send 100 percent of contributions to the programs.