Hearing Their Voices, Speaking Their Lives- Hosted by the Amazing June Sarpong.
Our girls are beyond excited for their first ever webinar with the world!
This Wednesday, June 10 at 3pm UK time / 10 am EST, they’ll take part in a live webinar with five of Malaika’s students. This is a unique opportunity to hear directly from these girls about the difficulties they’re facing in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, their lives in general and the importance of school for them and their futures.
None of these amazing girls have electricity at home, and of the five only three have nearby access to water. All of them travel long distances on foot to secure basic needs and to help their parents work in the fields. A solid education is absolutely key to opening up the endless potential that exists in their futures. This is their video conference debut, and they are truly overjoyed to have the opportunity to share their stories with a global audience and to connect with those who have been committed to supporting them for years.
We’re very fortunate to have June Sarpong OBE hosting the event! June is the BBC’s first director of creative diversity. She has written a book on diversity, Diversify (2017), and is a longtime Malaika supporter. June brings not only her love for our girls but her extensive and relevant experience to this event.
In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, Malaika has taken immediate action to support the Kalebuka community after the DRC government closed schools on March 19. We’ve distributed food and other necessities to more than 2,100 individuals so far. We’re addressing other emerging and crucial needs by sewing face masks, having our girls create face shields with our 3D printer, giving out soap and educating the community on the most effective hygiene and sanitation practices. Our teachers and volunteers are even giving out homework packets to their students in their villages, in order to continue their education. We want to give local people the necessities they need to survive and thrive during this global crisis.
This is a special opportunity to hear directly from Suze, Dorcas, Jeanne, Carmelie and Louise – we’d love to see you there!