NOBEL Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai visited Edinburgh to mark the launch of a charity collaboration aimed at supporting thousands of homeless
and displaced people around
the world.
Her organisation, Malala Fund, is partnering with Social Bite in an international tie-up, called World’s Big Sleepout. Under the plan, Social Bite’s Sleep in the Park – which has raised millions of pounds in Scotland over the last two years – will be extended to other countries.
“Organisers hope about 50,000 people will sleep outside on the same night in December. Education campaigner Yousafzai, whose fund is a key partner and a beneficiary in the project, visited Social Bite’s Edinburgh restaurant Vesta for a private lunch before speaking at an evening dinner at the city’s EICC, where Nicola Sturgeon announced £400,000 of Scottish Government funding to help disadvantaged women and girls in Pakistan complete their education.
The 21-year-old, who survived being shot in the head by the Taliban in her native Pakistan in 2012, said: “Educated girls have the power to transform our world, but without a home or access to education, millions of refugee and displaced girls are unable to fulfil their potential.
“I am excited to partner with Social Bite and have its support for Malala Fund’s work to get refugee girls back to school.”
The project will also work with Unicef USA and the Institute of Global Homelessness to support homeless and displaced people with the funds raised. Social Bite co-founder Josh Littlejohn MBE said: “It was such an honour for Social Bite to host Malala’s visit to Scotland and I’m thrilled that her visit marks the announcement of our World’s Big Sleepout campaign.
“We have seen the power of the events in Scotland in terms of raising significant funds to make a difference to homeless people and shining the political spotlight on this issue.”
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