ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai has found an unexpected ally in Swedish pop star Zara Larsson, whose newly launched Midnight Sun smoothie aims to support the global fight for girls’ education through a partnership with California-based organic retailer Erewhon.
Zara Larsson teams up with Erewhon for a new “Midnight Sun” smoothie, with proceeds supporting the Malala Fund. https://t.co/5m95mFLzFQ
— Pop Rhyme (@PopRhyme) October 9, 2026
Blending celebrity culture with a humanitarian cause, the collaboration will direct proceeds from sales of the colourful pink-purple drink to the Malala Fund, which campaigns for every girl to have access to 12 years of free, safe and quality education.
A colourful smoothie with a humanitarian mission
Inspired by Larsson’s latest album of the same name, the Midnight Sun smoothie combines organic ingredients, including coconut milk, blueberries, banana, whey protein, strawberries, pineapple, mango, coconut water, carrot juice and vanilla.
The drink is available at most Erewhon locations and through the retailer’s mobile application. Customers in New York can also order it through Uber Eats and Postmates.
The partnership brings together the singer’s musical brand and the education campaign associated with Yousafzai, offering fans a way to support a cause extending beyond the entertainment industry.
Read Also: From Global Icon to Intimate Voice: Malala’s New Memoir Reveals Her True Self
Malala fund’s education initiatives in Pakistan and beyond
Co-founded by Yousafzai and her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, the Malala Fund supports initiatives aimed at removing barriers that prevent girls from attending school, particularly in communities affected by poverty, discrimination and conflict.
In Pakistan, the fund’s recent initiatives include Rs95 million in grants for organisations working to promote education in Sindh and Gilgit-Baltistan. It has also collaborated with local partners to provide free transportation to students in 10 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, helping address difficulties that can keep children, particularly girls, out of school.
The organisation also supports girls’ education and emergency relief internationally. In January, it pledged $300,000 for girls’ education and humanitarian relief in Gaza, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In September 2025, it pledged a further $100,000 to support Palestinian refugees from Gaza in Egypt.
🥤| Zara Larsson partners with Erewhon to drop the Midnight Sun Smoothie.
— Proceeds will support the Malala Fund, helping ensure every girl has access to 12 years of free, safe and quality education. https://t.co/VGb6fdANS8
— Zara Larsson Updates (@ZLUpdating) October 8, 2026
Afghanistan’s girls face continuing education restrictions
Yousafzai has also committed $3 million towards efforts to restore girls’ education in Afghanistan, where Taliban authorities have barred girls from secondary schools and women from universities.
The restrictions have made Afghanistan a major focus of international advocacy for girls’ educational rights.
Read Also: Nobel Prize Winner Malala Yousafzai Strongly Condemns EU for Inviting Taliban for Talks
Larsson’s Midnight Sun campaign adds a pop-culture dimension to these efforts, connecting a celebrity-branded product with the Malala Fund’s broader mission of expanding educational opportunities for girls in Pakistan and around the world.
