Pamela, once burdened by an exhausting journey to school, says she now has newfound hope. 

Before receiving a Buffalo Bicycle, Pamela would spend two hours walking the 8 kms to school. By the time she arrived, her classmates had already finished their first period of the day. 

“It’s like your friends have already learned, yet you haven’t, which can make you fail an examination,” said Pamela. “It’s a burden to a girl child because if a girl is not educated, she will have problems in her life.” 

In May, Pamela and 1,475 students in the Zomba district of Malawi were selected to receive Buffalo Bicycles. And, immediately, Pamela felt the trajectory of her life change. 

“Now that I have received this bike, it means I won’t be late for school anymore. I will be arriving at school in good time and much earlier than before,” she said. “I am extremely excited. I am overwhelmed with joy. I don’t know what I can say.”

Today, Pamela is on track to achieve her dream of becoming a nurse and can already help care for her family through access to health and markets. Pamela also found something she didn’t realize she was missing: joy. 

Just months after receiving her bicycle, Pamela shared this note of gratitude for all those who helped her reach for her dreams:

A year after she first received her bicycle, Pamela says she’s doing better than ever.

“My education is going well. I have a lot of time to study. I am going to school at a good time, and I am able to get to class on time.”

She’s now 5th position in her class of 95.

Pamela also had some advice to share with other girls like her:

“I encourage fellow girls that they should work hard in their education. They should not stop working hard. They should not be playing around. We should remain in school and work hard.”