The Power of Collective Action in Promoting Children’s Education

In a world where education remains a cornerstone of progress and development, Pencils of Promise (PoP), a New York-based nonprofit organization, is removing children’s barriers to quality education. Many believe this is the foundational pathway to future opportunities and success.

“Education means a lot of things. It is not just reading, writing and competencies of academia,” says Kailee Scales. Scales is the CEO of Pencils of Promise and a longtime advocate of equity in educational opportunities. “It’s understanding how to take care of yourself, how to take care of each other and what you mean as you exist in the world.”

Pencils of Promise focuses on those elements by working hand in hand with governments and community leaders in places like Ghana, Guatemala and Laos to address the educational needs of children in some of the most rural and overlooked communities—ones that are off the beaten path and far from urban areas.

“And we make sure that those students have all the things that they need to be successful in a primary school environment, thereby setting them up either to go into the workforce…or to continue on to secondary school and beyond,” Scales says.

The history of Pencils of Promise

The origins of Pencils of Promise can be traced back to 2008, when a young backpacker named Adam Braun met a boy begging in the streets of India. Braun asked the boy what he wanted most in the world. “A pencil,” the boy replied. This moment stuck with Braun during his travels, as he witnessed firsthand the inequalities in educational opportunities that children in underserved communities faced.

Inspired by his experiences, Braun set out to create an organization that would provide access to education while empowering communities to build sustainable learning environments.

Approaching education through a holistic lens

What sets Pencils of Promise apart is its holistic approach to education. Beyond building the physical infrastructure of schools, the organization also invests in teacher training; basic hygiene, sanitation and wash programs; and community outreach and engagement.

“We train teachers in all areas with a strong emphasis in socio-emotional learning, so that our teachers understand the best ways to engage with their students,” Scales says. By involving local stakeholders in the process, Pencils of Promise ensures that its impact of giving back is sustainable and long-term beyond just the build process.

Closing the gap between gender inequality

Scales is also proud of the work Pencils of Promise does for the physical, emotional and psychological well-being of girls to achieve gender parity—especially as it relates to menstruation. In a Pencils of Promise internal study done in the Volta Region of Ghana, 40% of girls said they were not allowed to take part in some activities during their periods, which then has a ripple effect on other aspects of their development.

“We see that, at the onset of periods, girls start to fall behind. Girls start to leave school. And they do not go on to secondary school, which means that their opportunities in life are limited,” Scales says. “So, we have a particular focus and emphasis on menstrual hygiene and health.” Pencils of Promise ensures that girls have the materials they need “to understand their bodies and understand what it means to be a woman as they grow older.”

Pencils of Promise also conducts workshops with parents, community members and even boys in schools to make sure everybody understands why it is important for girls to attend school, why opportunities for women and girls are important and how everyone can work together to support girls and women in these environments.

Educational access around the world

Since its inception, Pencils of Promise reports that they have built over 600 schools across Asia, Africa and Latin America, providing more than 250,000 children with access to quality education. But perhaps even more impressive is the effect of these efforts beyond the classroom. Nearly 890,000 community members have benefited from the workshops and learnings. And, by empowering individuals and locals through education, entrepreneurship and a sense of purpose, it is laying the foundation for long-term change.

Scales stresses that the organization’s central mission is its commitment to collaboration with local leaders, stakeholders, governments and members to ensure transparency and accountability. This “symbiotic relationship” proves that interventions can be implemented effectively because each entity plays a vital role in the outcome. The outcome of providing quality education to underserved communities. It also helps Pencils of Promise create a lasting impact while empowering people to drive their development.

As part of the initial area assessment, Pencils of Promise works with a country’s ministry of education to identify areas that value education for their children. In many of the places Pencils of Promise works, the earlier generations had limited or nonexistent educational opportunities. And they know firsthand the limitations and impact that had on their lives. So, they want to change that for their children and come to the table fully vested and motivated to make a difference.

Community commitment 

To that effect, Pencils of Promise says that 20% of a build project’s cost is undertaken by the community, which is paid through labor, food and sometimes raw materials. Even the programmatic assessment for the schools takes into consideration the unique needs and requirements of the people as a whole, along with any existing educational foundation, to create a custom and targeted program that has a higher chance of success.

The majority of the team in the places that Pencils of Promise operates are also nationals from that country. So, they understand, relate to and, in many cases, have experienced the educational system for themselves. “We don’t just come and build a school and move on,” Scales says. “It’s a model where we all work together.”

Learn more about how you can make a difference at pencilsofpromise.org.

This article appears in the September/October issue of Success Magazine. Photo courtesy of Pencils of Promise.

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