*A new documentary short follows Rihanna as she teaches math, mingles with students and learns about the numerous challenges facing the educational system in rural Malawi.
The singer’s trip was part of her role as founder of the Clara Lionel Foundation and Global Ambassador for the Global Partnership for Education.
Cameras followed Rihanna to the Muzu primary school, giving viewers a detailed glimpse of how issues like education, poverty, hunger and women’s rights intersect in Malawi, particularly in rural areas.
As the clip shows, one teacher is often responsible for up to 100 students, many of whom don’t have proper access to food. Furthermore, classroom materials are often as scarce as school buildings, and this poor infrastructure puts young women at a disadvantage and forces many to make a lengthy and potentially dangerous walk to-and-from school every day.
Despite the multiple issues facing Malawi’s education system, the video shows flashes of hope, including remarks from an optimistic student at Muzu and a passionate young woman, who speaks out against arranged marriages. Elsewhere, Rihanna adorably helps a student solve a math problem, cheers on a girls’ rugby squad and discusses the unique way many students learn at Muzu.
“I love that they learn in melody,” she says. “That’s like my favorite thing because kids, they adopt melody really, really quickly. And so if you can use that as a learning tool, I think that’s the most brilliant, brilliant thing.”
Rihanna is calling on fans around the world to help donate to the Global Partnership for Education’s efforts to raise $3.1 billion to bring quality education to over 870 million children in 89 countries between 2018 and 2020.
Watch the documentary below:
