The first ever Share a Pencil Day takes place on May 17. Pupils will be asked to share a pencil for a single lesson, an afternoon or the whole day to experience what learning is really like for many children across the globe.
The event will give pupils in schools across the UK the opportunity to learn about the issues faced by 124 million children around the world trying to access an education while living in zones affected by conflict, natural disasters or extreme poverty, and who lack the basic tools they need to learn.
Evan Lewis, the founder of Hope, the organisation behind Share a Pencil Day, explained: “Education is the single most important thing a child can have to lift themselves and their families out of poverty. By experiencing the difficulty of learning without the basic classroom materials on just one day, our school children can start to understand the daily struggle faced by millions just to receive the education they deserve.”
Proceeds from the special Share a Pencil Day pencils will go towards Hope’s Bright Futures mission in partnership with Plan International UK, supporting the charity’s education projects worldwide, including helping children in Pakistan get an education, and the training of 275 female teachers in Sierra Leone.
- For more information, visit www.hope.co.uk where you can sign up to receive lesson plans, posters and videos