Inclusive Education, One Pen at a Time

For the seventh consecutive year, South Africa’s most loved pen, BIC®- through its partnership with the Read Educational Trust – is on a mission to distribute 1.2 million pens to learners at disadvantaged schools across South Africa. To achieve this, BIC® is embarking on a national educational roadshow, ‘Power Their Potential’, to equip over 500 primary schools in the country’s townships and rural areas with stationery.

According to Lillian Henderson, the Marketing Director at BIC®, “With 55.5% of South Africans living in poverty, according to the latest Poverty Trends Report, many parents are forced to prioritise putting food on the table over purchasing school supplies. For their kids, however, lack of access to essentials like pens is one of the biggest obstacles to school participation and academic achievement. Our aim with our annual pen distribution drive is to make education inclusive for all and promote a culture of lifelong learning.”

Since 2011, BIC® has supplied 7.3 million children with the stationery needed to fulfil their basic educational needs through its ‘Buy a Pen, Donate a Pen’ programme. Now, the children at this year’s beneficiary schools will no longer have to share a pencil or pen, each child will have an equal chance to access a key resource to excel in the classroom.

Henderson adds, “With many schools operating under very difficult circumstances and often lacking basic teaching and educational resources such as stationery, it’s the teachers who often purchase stationery from their own pockets, so BIC® contributes, albeit in a small way, to alleviate their pressures.”

Running alongside the ‘Power Their Potential’ roadshow, a talent workshop has been developed that recognises young talent and inspires learners to get creative.Giving children the right learning tools can make a significant difference to their lives. BIC® wants to help young people pursue the opportunities and talents that will allow them to ‘Power Their Potential’ and future,” Henderson concludes.

Show your support for ‘Power Their Potential’ by buying any specially marked BIC® ‘Buy a Pen, Donate a Pen’ pack, and in this way you are helping BIC provide the tools the youth needs to change their lives.