Pop Icon Rihanna’s Latest Move to Save the World Is Bikes for Girls

Rihanna is on a roll. The iconic singer has been on a cinematic and humanitarian spree lately, this time partnering with a bike-sharing company to provide better access to education for girls across Malawi.

With her Clara Lionel Foundation and ofo, a prominent bike-sharing platform based in China, Rihanna announced a five-year partnership called “1 KM Action” that will donate bikes to scholarship recipients. Why bikes? They’re expected to help alleviate the challenges of attending school in Malawi, where the drop-out rates are exceedingly high; only 8 percent of students complete secondary school, with girls especially finding themselves at a disadvantage. There are approximately 4.6 million primary-school-age children in Malawi, according to the Foundation, and transportation across long distances is an issue.

“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,” the singer said in a statement.

According to the Foundation, the first batch of bikes have already been put into use in the African nation. This is not Rihanna’s first endeavor in Malawi, nor is it her first foray into the world of girls’ education. In January 2017, she visited Malawi as an ambassador for the Global Partnership for Education with Global Citizen, where she visited local schools and spent time with the children understanding their concerns and helping in classrooms. She has also been vocal about asking world leaders to commit to funding education.