The BIC East Africa, in partnership with Carolina for Kibera (CFK), an International Non-governmental organization, has donated over 300,000 Bic pens, to assist needy students across the country.
The BIC Pens are a donation through an initiative the ‘‘Buy Me, and BIC will Donate a Pen’’ Campaign, that started in 2020 in response to the prevailing issue of students, attending school without essential supplies.
Speaking at the event, CFK Executive Director, Jeffrey Okoro, said that the Organization works and abides through partnership, and had started the collaboration with BIC East Africa 23 years ago, terming it a long-term commitment.
Okoro noted, it is important to have a basic item such as a pen for students to use in writing as it plays a key role and determines their education.
“We address issues with government and through continued engagement with both community and partners, which has enabled CFK to move away and key in a couple of needs which has assisted over 100,000 needy students each year, who are direct beneficiaries,” said Okoro.
The Executive Director who was speaking, Thursday at CFK Headquarters at Olympics, Kibera, in Nairobi, said the Organization has introduced learning and figure rating, adding that it has also set out a project for providing students with awards, to observe if it will have an impact on school attendance.
“We selected a few schools and gave the students the awards at the end of every term, to see what extent will that affect the student’s school attendance,” he added.
Koori at the same time, added that CFK in its previous engagement, learned that students’ reward, motivation, and school support, play a key role in supporting students whose retention and completion have challenges.
‘‘We set forth to engage over 100,000 learners across the country and believe that this will play a key role in determining the students’ education outcome,” he stated.
Okoro added “We are very serious in student sensitization and equally track student attendance, in at least 26 schools in Kibera,’’.
He also assured of BIC East Africa’s commitment, to addressing equity in education, by supporting community education across the country, noting that the Organization has had a long-term commitment to the Kibera community, not only for the students, but also for schools.
In her remarks, the BIC Marketing Manager, Salome Odhiambo, said that partnership aims at solving problems the students are facing and ensuring the BIC pens reach the students.
“It is a global thing that targets to impact at least 250 million students by 2025, we are hoping to achieve the target,’’ she said.
By Sharon Atieno
