A BIC helping hand wrote a different chapter for the children at Mbuyisa Makhubu Primary School, where the stationery company ended its delivery of 1.2 million pens to 1 369 primary schools across the country.
On a sunny August 16, Choose BIC and Change a Future arrived at the Soweto school to hand out stationery hampers. BIC representatives received a warm welcome, with the school choir singing and the dancers performing a traditional Zulu dance – all to the cheers of their classmates.
Principal Makhotso Sambo thanked Tynago Communications, the public relations company that helped put together the initiative, as well as BIC’s marketing manager of stationery, Millicent Qouilin, for the hampers they donated, which included a bag filled with stationery.
“With these pens learners shall learn more; with these pens let the teachers of this school teach these learners more and more; and let the parents of these learners appreciate the education of this school. BIC thank you very much,” said Sambo.
Qouilin added: “Today’s ceremony celebrates the completion of our campaign. Every year parents spend millions on stationery to equip their children for the new year, yet sadly many learners go through the school year without much-needed stationery such as ballpoint pens. This year, we have increased the number of pens given away by 20%, thanks to consumers.”
The campaign was launched in 2011. BIC and READ Educational Trust, a South African NGO that operates in the education and literacy sectors broadly and in educator training and school resource provision specifically, put smiles on the faces of the young schoolchildren, who held their pink and blue bags aloft.
“Over 30 different BIC products carry a Choose BIC and Change a Future sticker. For every pack sold, we committed to donating a pen to a disadvantaged child,” Qouilin explained.
Lizelle Langford, the READ fundraising manager, said: “The ability to read and write is essential to ensure success at school or later, career advancement and tertiary study. The skill of writing is something that is learned and can be perfected by practise. In a large number of households in rural areas, a pen is not always readily available and sometimes it is shared among everyone in the household. BIC’s contribution therefore makes it possible for 1.2 million children to access their own pens.”
Named after Mbuyisa Makhubu, the youngster who picked up and carried the body of Hector Pieterson after he was shot on 16 June 1976 by apartheid security forces – captured in the famous photo by Sam Nzima, the school will end the year with an open book that will see them writing a new chapter when they start next year with their new stationery.
Mr Tshabalala, a teacher, also gave thanks. “We want to see every child being able to read and write with ease, so READ together with BIC, thank you and may God bless you for all your good deeds,” he said.
Next year’s drive begins in November this year, when back-to-school stationery buying begins. “As a company, we care about the future of our children. That’s why we are going all out to partner with our consumers to put pens in the hands of as many learners as we can,” Qouilin concluded.
For more information about Choose BIC and Change a Future, visit the website.