Rihanna is known for churning out smash hits, strutting in outfits from her street-smart fashion line, and keeping it real while sitting courtside at the NBA Finals. But if footage from a new video is any indication, maybe her next role will be working as a math teacher.
OK, she probably won’t end up teaching subtraction full time. But watching the clip below and seeing how excited RiRi is in front of a classroom of eager students, it’s clear that she’s backing an ambitious goal: making 2017 the year of education.
[quote position="left" is_quote="true"]263 million children between the ages of 6 and 17 are out of school.[/quote]
To that end, the footage in the video comes from RiRi’s January visit to Malawi in East Africa, which she took with advocacy group Global Citizen as part of her role as founder of the Clara Lionel Foundation and as the Global Ambassador for the Global Partnership for Education. The nongovernmental organization works in developing nations to achieve the United Nation’s goal of universal education by 2030. According to a 2016 report from the UNESCO Institute of Statistics, “Globally, 263 million children, adolescents, and youth between the ages of 6 and 17 are currently out of school.” GPE hopes to raise $3.1 billion to ensure those kids—and hundreds of millions more—are educated by 2020.
“I’m really here to see it—it’s one thing to read statistics—but I want to see it firsthand and find out all that can be done and where to start first,” Rihanna says to a room of experts and officials.
What Rihanna sees during her visit is that primary schools in Malawi sometimes have as many as 100 students in one room. Teachers might work without basic resources—such as chalk—and their impoverished students come to school hungry. “I don’t worry that I don’t eat in the morning because I believe in the future when I will be a businessman, I will have more food,” says one student in the video. But a government official tells Rihanna that, even though the students are smart, they “are dropping out because of poverty.”
The video also dives into the specific challenges girls in Malawi face while trying to get an education. Local officials explain that girls often walk long distances, endangering their physical safety, making them reluctant to go to class. And although they may finish primary school, girls are less likely to go to middle or high school because their parents arrange marriages for them, which, along with not getting to earn a diploma, could also affect girls’ health. In the video, one girl shares that “parents might choose someone who maybe has HIV/AIDS without getting that person tested.”
Overall, the sweetness of the kids in the video steals your heart—particularly toward the end when the boy who wants to be a businessman sings a song about how learning “together is powerful.” As for Rihanna, in February she was named Humanitarian of the Year by Harvard University. Not that Harvard is asking, but if she keeps advocating for issues like this, she has my vote for getting that award again.
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Grieving couple comforting each other
This response to someone grieving a friend might be the best internet comment ever
When someone is hit with the sudden loss of a friend or loved one, words rarely feel like enough. Yet, more than a decade ago, a wise Redditor named GSnow shared thoughts so profound they still bring comfort to grieving hearts today.
Originally posted around 2011, the now-famous reply was rediscovered when Upvoted, an official Reddit publication, featured it again to remind everyone of its enduring truth. It began as a simple plea for help: “My friend just died. I don't know what to do.”
What followed was a piece of writing that many consider one of the internet’s best comments of all time. It remains shared across social media, grief forums, and personal messages to this day because its honesty and metaphor speak to the raw reality of loss and the slow, irregular path toward healing.
Below is GSnow’s full reply, unchanged, in all its gentle, wave-crashing beauty:
Why this advice still matters
Mental health professionals and grief counselors often describe bereavement in stages or phases, but GSnow’s “wave theory” gives an image more relatable for many. Rather than a linear process, grief surges and retreats—sometimes triggered by a song, a place, or a simple morning cup of coffee.
In recent years, this metaphor has found renewed relevance. Communities on Reddit, TikTok, and grief support groups frequently reshare it to help explain the unpredictable nature of mourning.
Many readers say this analogy helps them feel less alone, giving them permission to ride each wave of grief rather than fight it.
Finding comfort in shared wisdom
Since this comment first surfaced, countless people have posted their own stories underneath it, thanking GSnow and passing the words to others facing fresh heartbreak. It’s proof that sometimes, the internet can feel like a global support group—strangers linked by shared loss and hope.
For those searching for more support today, organizations like The Dougy Center, GriefShare, and local bereavement groups offer compassionate resources. If you or someone you know is struggling with intense grief, please reach out to mental health professionals who can help navigate these deep waters.
When grief comes crashing like the ocean, remember these words—and hang on. There is life between the waves.
This article originally appeared four years ago.