36 John Street, Holborn | London, WC1N 2AT +44(0) 20 7421 6010 london@malawihighcommission.co.uk

Earlier today, the Malawi High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, His Excellency Dr Thomas Bisika, presided over the departure ceremony of the Pedal With A Purpose riders.

 

 "I wish the riders the best of luck on their ambitious cycle ride. I’m very happy that through this project, so many Malawians based in the UK are supporting this event. This in turn enables Think Malawi to fund education projects which are run by Malawian organisations, a virtuous circle which benefits thousands of children in Malawi. I hope that the British public will give their support as well to this worthy endeavour."

 

About Pedal With a Purpose

Pedal With a Purpose is a team of four intrepid riders who will cycle 500 miles from London To Glasgow over six days. The riders are paying for the costs of the ride themselves. So far they have raised over £4,000 for Think Malawi’s education projects in Malawi, and they hope to increase this total before the end of the ride. Click here to help the team with a donation.

 

About Think Malawi

The organization works hand in hand with Malawians to improve access to quality education, allowing them to fulfil their ambitions, improve their quality of life and contribute to Malawi’s development. Think Malawi is a UK based charity (UK reg. charity no. 1141352) dedicated to supporting educational projects in Malawi.

It is a team of knowledgeable and dedicated trustees and volunteers who operate the charity, this enables over 90% of all donations to go direct to the education projects in Malawi which they support.

Since forming in 2011, they have worked hand in hand with various education projects to deliver the maximum possible impact for the beneficiaries, the children and young people of Malawi.

Projects they have funded include provision of textbooks, classroom construction, a feeding programme, school water and sanitation projects and teacher training. In addition, we are very proud of our Her Education Matters programme, which enables girls to stay in school when they have their periods by providing them with reusable sanitary pads and changing rooms at school. Without these provisions, girls in Malawi miss up to five days of school per month.

In Commonwealth member countries, 2023 is the Year of Youth. At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2022, leaders declared 2023 as a year dedicated to youth-led action for sustainable and inclusive development. Leaders of the 56 Commonwealth countries have demonstrated their commitment to tackling the endemic challenges facing children and young people. Their landmark declaration at the end of the 2-day Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) came on the heels of the devastating global pandemic that released a tsunami of health, education, economic, employment and safe-guarding challenges, and aimed to get youth development on track for global-agreed development goals deadlines.

 

Their 22-page communique included commitments which will specifically benefit young people such as the landmark Kigali Declaration on Child Care and Protection Reform. Among ten key commitments in the bold, standalone declaration, Heads pledged to: make health systems strong enough to withstand the shocks of future pandemics - particularly with a specific focus on protecting children; boost child protection and safeguarding resources and tackle the root issues that lead to children needing to be put into care and protection; collaborate with development agencies to boost aid and development assistance for children and young people; and support data collection so that interventions are targeted, and evidence-based.

 

Other key commitments at the end of their meeting included: To implement the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and tailoring support to those with disabilities to address the unique challenges of Covid-19. To prioritise the education reforms agreed at the 21st Commonwealth Conference of Education Ministers, which focused on resilience and sustainability; learning technologies; leadership in education; transitions within and outside the education system; addressing disparities; and financing of education. Critically, they are committed to offering 12 years of quality and inclusive education and ensuring children can catch up on the learning they lost during the pandemic.

 

The Commonwealth Secretariat’s youth development work is delivered through the Commonwealth Youth Programme, which has been supporting member countries for 50 years. The Commonwealth sees young people aged 15 to 29 as assets to a country’s development who should be empowered to realise their potential. Young people have a proven capability to lead change, and are a vital and valuable investment for now and the future.

In the feature picture, Malawi High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr. Thomas Bisika, interacts with Pierre- Emeric Aubamayeng, a striker for Premier League side Chelsea Football Club.

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