A school is fundraising to support the education and safety of three girls in Africa.
Roedean School in Brighton has committed to support the girls, Natasha, Esther and Josephine, from Zambia and Zimbabwe, in partnership with the Catalyst Foundation.
Each girl receives monthly support from the school to cover educational materials and daily meals.
Josephine, aged 12, said: “I feel most inspired when I look at my mother because she taught me that education is very important.
“Looking at my future, I am so excited one day to become a nurse, because I want to show other girls that anything is possible.”
To further support their journey, the school took on a sponsored challenge at the end of the spring term to cycle the equivalent distance from Brighton to Harare, Zimbabwe – 8,350km.
Donations can be made at justgiving.com/page/roedean-she.
Students and staff contributed throughout the final seven days of term by cycling, running and walking.
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Two spin bikes were stationed in the school reception and one in one of the houses, with participants logging their progress during free periods.
The group collectively surpassed their target, covering nearly 150km beyond Harare.
Dr Ross Barrand, deputy head of Roedean School, said: “Two of the girls walk over 4.5 kilometres each way to school every day. Unfortunately, it is apparently on these journeys that schoolgirls are often attacked.
“Following advice from the Catalyst Foundation, and to help them get to school more quickly and more safely, we decided that we would like to buy each of the girls a bike and that is the focus of our fundraising effort on the spin bikes.
“We are determined to do as much as we can to ensure that Natasha, Esther and Josephine do not become part of the 52 million statistic.
“We hope that these three girls can remain in education as long as possible, so that they can chase their bold dreams.”
The girls regularly send video diaries to the Roedean community to update them on their progress, and students respond with messages of support.
The school continues to raise funds to purchase bicycles for each of the girls.