Chinese singer-songwriter Wang Yuan visits UNICEF programmes for children in Malawi

Beijing/Lilongwe, 2 September 2024 – The highly popular Chinese musician, actor and UNICEF Ambassador Wang Yuan has returned from his first international mission with UNICEF to Malawi, where he visited China-supported UNICEF programmes for children. From 26 to 30 August, Wang Yuan, a member of the boy band TFBOYS, visited families and projects to learn about the long-term impact of the Government of China’s support for UNICEF’s humanitarian aid to children and families affected by Cyclone Idai in 2019, as well as the organization’s programmes on girls’ education and early childhood development.

"During my visit to Malawi, I saw first-hand and was impressed by the results of the collaboration between China and UNICEF," Wang Yuan said. “I was particularly impressed that parents had been trained how to better care for their children, especially in the area of nutrition. During our visit, we observed a mother preparing a balanced lunch despite the limited resources available. It was heartening to see the enduring impact of the programme for children. My biggest hope for this visit is to help people in China learn about the situation in Malawi and to draw more attention to vulnerable children and the support that they need.”

Wang Yuan was appointed UNICEF Special Advocate for Education in China in June 2017. He has served as UNICEF Ambassador since 2018. During the visit, Wang Yuan met children and families who were supported after the cyclone and discussed how their life has improved since. The UNICEF delegation also engaged with health workers who have been trained by UNICEF in emergency response, as well as ongoing prevention of malaria and malnutrition.

Another focus of the visit was UNICEF’s education programme. Wang Yuan talked to students and teachers to learn about UNICEF Malawi’s scholarship programme, which enables children from poor and vulnerable backgrounds to go to secondary school.

Besides, Wang Yuan and the UNICEF delegation visited a community-based childcare centre with 3D-printed infrastructure and facilities. The centre provides early childhood development service for 179 children aged 2-6 from about eight surrounding villages. “This is the first high-level international visit with Ambassador Wang Yuan to showcase the positive results of UNICEF’s international cooperation with the Government of China,” said UNICEF China Deputy Representative Amanda Bissex. “This collaboration is much needed, particularly during emergencies when a rapid response is essential to save children’s lives. Through this, UNICEF is also supporting China to put children at the centre of its humanitarian aid.”

Malawi is one of 22 countries in Africa and Asia where the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) funds UNICEF programmes for children in areas such as education, emergency response, immunization, malnutrition and maternal and child health. This cooperation is rapidly expanding, with new projects in Cambodia and Myanmar soon to be implemented.

Located in southeastern Africa, Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking 172 in the UN Human Development Index of 193 countries. It was heavily hit by Cyclone Idai in 2019. Almost one million people were affected, half of them children, with around 125,000 displaced or left homeless.

The Government of China provided US $1 million to UNICEF, to help children and families recover. This included funds for water treatment chemicals, therapeutic food, iron and folic acid supplements for adolescent girls, school and recreation materials, and early childhood development kits.

“We are very grateful for China’s support to our humanitarian assistance for children and families affected by Cyclone Idai and look forward to continued cooperation,” said UNICEF Malawi Acting Representative Gerrit Maritz. “Malawi has experienced several climate-related shocks since Cyclone Idai in 2019, with Tropical Storm Ana in 2022, Cyclone Freddy in 2023, and the current drought and food insecurity affecting over 5.7 million people.”

“Assistance from development partners like China enables UNICEF to prevent malnutrition in children, increase access to safe water, and build the resilience of vulnerable communities for their long-term development,” he added.

Download photos and video from the visit:

High resolution photos and video can be downloaded here:
https://pan.baidu.com/s/1EEIvku7i5RMMcYuE7wr59A?pwd=u7m2

About Wang Yuan

In his role as UNICEF Ambassador and UNICEF Special Advocate for Education, 23-year-old Wang Yuan has been participating and speaking at UN high-level events, joining field visits, and using digital platforms to advocate for children’s right to quality education and child online protection. He has been supporting UNICEF’s overall engagement for children’s rights on many occasions including particularly around World Children's Day on 20 November. In 2021, he launched a song “In the Future” for World Children’s Day.