Stationery manufacturer BIC has donated one million writing tools to students across Kenya in the past three years.
The donation drive is a part of the company’s flagship Buy Me and BIC a Pen campaign launched in 2020.
The campaign’s main objective is to provide school students with the necessary writing tools in the classroom and stems from BIC’s commitment to improving learning conditions for 250 million students by the year 2025.
The announcement was made at an event at Magoso Primary School, in Kibra.
Over the past three years, BIC has partnered with renowned not-for-profit organizations in Kenya to run the campaign.
This year, in partnership with CFK Africa, BIC distributed more than 300,000 writing tools to over 150,000 students in eight counties across the country, including Machakos, Kajiado, Nakuru, Mombasa, Kilifi, Kiambu and Kisumu.
''We are proud of the milestone we have achieved today. Lack of resources is one of the major reasons for school dropouts and student demotivation. Through our product portfolio, we are able to help fill a gap in the education space, with the aim of elevating learning conditions for students,'' said BIC East Africa Marketing Manager, Salome Ngugi.
'' Our Buy Me and BIC Will Donate a Pen campaign has allowed us to donate one pen for every stationery item sold in the country. We are proud of the impact that this has had on students to date and look forward to more to come.”
Joshua Omweno, Project Officer, Education, CFK Africa said: they are delighted to be working with private companies such as BIC who share their vision to keep children in school.
''Writing tools are a crucial element of student’s learning experience and their ability to actively engage in the classroom,'' he said.
Mogoso Primary School headteacher Daniel Ochieng thanked BIC for the donation of writing tools and explained that writing tools are crucial in the learning experience but are often underrated.
''For parents, the main focus is on the safety and nutrition of their children during the school day, while teachers often primarily focus on content and curriculum. We are grateful to partner with like-minded organizations like BIC that help us fill an important gap in a student’s learning experience,'' he said.
Expressing excitement about his BIC stationery, a class eight student at Magoso Primary School, Evans Otieno, said that people don’t understand how important writing tools are for them.
'' Students who have talent can use pens to draw, while those who love to write can use them to jot down their emotions or write poems to express themselves. Students who can’t afford to purchase stationery will now also feel adequate and equal,'' he said.
Last year, BIC East Africa partnered with Save the Children to donate school supplies to more than 290 thousand students.
The Buy Me and BIC Will Donate a Pen campaign are one of the many education-driven initiatives run by the company.
In 2022, BIC launched the first round-table on education, EduTalk, where private and public sector representatives came together to discuss challenges and opportunities in the education sector in Kenya.