BIC, a world leader in stationery, recently concluded the celebration of its fifth Global Education Week (GEW), globally and regionally. Worldwide, the company has donated 2.5 million writing tools to schools in need. In Nigeria, BIC collaborated with select educational institutions and individuals to contribute towards elevating the sector in the country.
Global Education Week is a cornerstone of BIC’s commitment to improving learning conditions for 250 million children globally by 2025, one of five major commitments set in 2018 as part of Writing The Future, Together, the company’s forward-looking sustainability program.
To kick off Global Education Week activity, BIC donated products and made a financial commitment to Let it Shine Academy (LISA), an organization that provides equal opportunity, resources, and a healthy environment to students who cannot afford and/or do not have access to learning.
BIC Nigeria has also collaborated with Raising Star Africa Foundation, a non-governmental organization that was formed to support, empower, and inspire quality education and life skills among differently abled and underprivileged children throughout Africa.
The firm donated essential writing tools; renovated three classrooms; and held colouring and mentorship sessions with students to provide guidance and empower them to express themselves.
Commenting on the Global Education Week activities in Nigeria, Guillaume Groues, General Manager of BIC, said: “Education is a cornerstone for us at BIC. The work we do on a regular basis to support the communities in which we operate is essential.
“We are ecstatic to leverage our brand portfolio to support students across Nigeria and contribute towards the challenge of the lack of resources in the education space. Year-on-year we witness further progress in the educational institutions that we work with. We are confident that we will be able to touch more students as we provide them with the essential tools for education and self-expression.”
In 2023, BIC will kick off its partnership with two Nigerian educators, Opeifa Olasunkami and Oluwaseun Kayode, with the aim of launching a yearlong nationwide program that supports and empowers youth in Nigeria.
Merging Opeifa’s edutainment approach to learning, Oluwaseun’s training methodology of teachers and school leaders, and BIC’s support of education, the program will tackle key challenges in the Nigerian educational space, with the aim of impacting local communities and supporting the upcoming generation.
BIC has been participating in Global Education Week for the past five years and uses it as an opportunity to mobilize the company’s global workforce to help improve learning conditions for students. The company is proud to contribute to ensuring equal access to quality education for all and promoting lifelong learning opportunities, one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN in September 2015.
Each year, BIC reimagines its giving strategy to identify and fill operational or financial gaps where it matters most, based on real-time needs in the communities where BIC operates.