Pencils of Promise (PoP) is a
non-profit organization
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
that builds schools and increases educational opportunities in the
developing world. Pencils of Promise was founded by Adam Braun. Since its founding in October 2008, the
501(c)(3) organization has built 554 schools across
Laos,
Guatemala and
Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
. More than 110,000 students attend the schools globally. Â
Activities
Origin of name
While visiting India in 2005 as a student on the
Semester at Sea
Semester at Sea (SaS) is a study-abroad program which was founded in 1963 and managed by the Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE) in Fort Collins, Colorado. Colorado State University is the current academic sponsor and the program is condu ...
study abroad program, Braun met a young child who shared his wish for a pencil. Realizing how important education was in many developing countries, Braun visited more than 50 countries distributing pencils to children wherever he went. I
October 2008 he established the charity with the aim of providing quality education to children in some of the most underserved countries around the world.
Mission
Pencils of Promise believes every child should have access to quality education. They create schools, programs, and global communities around the common goal of education for all. Pencils of Promise focuses on building strong structures and sustainable education programs by forming long-lasting, collaborative relationships with communities. Sites are picked taking into account need, sustainability, cost efficiency, impact and commitment. The facilities are built with local labor and material. The charity also supports projects through ongoing teacher training, progression scholarships and WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) programming.
Each school and office is led by staff and teachers from the region.
Support
The charity is supported by a number of celebrities and most prominently by
Scooter Braun
Scott Samuel "Scooter" Braun (born June 18, 1981) is an American entrepreneur, investor, and entertainment executive. Known as the manager for artists such as Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, J Balvin, Demi Lovato, The Kid Laroi and other artists ...
, a well-known entertainment manager, and elder brother of the founder. Also involved from the first days of the organization is one of Scooter Braun's biggest acts,
Justin Bieber
Justin Drew Bieber ( ; born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer. Bieber is recognized for his genre-melding musicianship and has played an influential role in modern-day popular music. He was discovered by American record executive Scooter ...
who has lent his voice as a
international celebrity spokesmanfor the organization by running ads for the charity and its campaign Schools4All and promising to visit schools that donate the most funds to the organization. Bieber takes part in the annual charity's fundraising gala and donates a portion of proceeds from his concerts and line of fragrances "Someday" and various merchandising to the charity.
DJ
3LAU is also a major supporter of the charity. With the proceeds from his remix "Back to New",
3LAU raised $25,000 for the charity and helped to build Justo Rufino Primary School in
Guatemala, raising over $10,000 towards building a second school for the charity.
The current board leadership includes investor
Gary Vaynerchuk
Gary Vaynerchuk (born Gennady Vaynerchuk; November 14, 1975; , ), commonly known as Gary Vee, is a Soviet-born American entrepreneur, author, speaker, and Internet personality. He is a co-founder of the restaurant reservation software company Res ...
, journalist
Michael Weiss Michael Weiss may refer to:
Sports
* Michael Weiss (figure skater) (born 1976), American former figure skater
* Michael Weiss (swimmer) (born 1991), American swimmer
* Michael Weiss (triathlete) (born 1981), Austrian triathlete and cyclist
* Mich ...
and scholar
Meighan Stone. Actress
Sophia Bush
Sophia Anna Bush Hughes (born July 8, 1982) is an American actress. She starred as Brooke Davis in The WB/ CW drama series ''One Tree Hill'' (2003–2012), and as Erin Lindsay in the NBC police procedural drama series ''Chicago P.D.'' (2014†...
also sits on the advisory board. In 2019, Netflix CMO
Bozoma Saint John joined the organization as th
first global ambassador to Ghana.
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Organizations established in 2008
Charities based in New York (state)
Foreign charities operating in Laos
Children's charities based in the United States
Foreign charities operating in Ghana
Foreign charities operating in Guatemala
Foreign charities operating in Nicaragua