Uniting for Education: BIC and Paralympian Mpumelelo Mhlongo Foster Learning Opportunities

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education collaboration

BIC has teamed up with Paralympian Mpumelelo Mhlongo to help disadvantaged students in South Africa ahead of the Paris 2024 Paralympics. BIC’s ‘Together We Can Write the Future’ initiative aims to tackle high school dropout rates by giving academic materials to students, with the company having already donated 15 million writing instruments since the ‘Buy a Pen Donate a Pen’ scheme began in 2012. The partnership with Mhlongo is a significant step towards promoting positive change in South Africa.

BIC and Paralympian Mpumelelo Mhlongo team up for education

Global stationery major BIC has partnered with South African Paralympian Mpumelelo Mhlongo to enhance educational opportunities for disadvantaged students ahead of the Paris 2024 Paralympics. BIC’s ‘Together We Can Write the Future’ initiative seeks to combat high school dropout rates in South Africa by giving academic materials to students. BIC has already donated 15 million writing instruments to needy students since the ‘Buy a Pen Donate a Pen’ initiative began in 2012. The company aims to donate another million writing tools this year. The partnership with Mhlongo is a step towards promoting positive change in South Africa.

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BIC and Mhlongo Forge a Powerful Alliance

In a substantial step toward augmenting educational opportunities, global stationery major, BIC, has established a collaboration with renowned South African Paralympian, Mpumelelo Mhlongo. This collaboration is designed to enhance the educational potential of disadvantaged students in the run-up to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. This partnership brilliantly exemplifies BIC’s ‘Together We Can Write the Future’ initiative, a determined drive to counter high school dropout rates in South Africa by providing crucial academic materials to students.

Lilian Henderson, who holds the position of Marketing Director for Southern and East Africa at BIC, highlighted the importance of this collaboration. She spotlighted Mhlongo’s motivational journey as a powerful example of the transformative effect of having access to necessary resources and a nurturing environment. Henderson stated, “Mhlongo’s life story serves as an example of how the right resources and support can enable individuals to flourish in any setting. As a brand devoted to education, we trust that change initiates with one person who has faith in you, be it a teacher, organization, or parent.”

BIC’s Legacy of Educational Support

Indeed, BIC’s dedication to backing education is not a recent development. Since its inception in 2012, the ‘Buy a Pen Donate a Pen’ initiative has enabled the donation of more than 15 million writing instruments to needy students. This year, the company has set its sights on reaching the landmark of an additional 1 million donations. To realize this goal, BIC is encouraging consumers to contribute to this cause by purchasing pens. These donations are subsequently disseminated during BIC’s annual roadshows, held from March to June.

Mhlongo, in contrast, voiced his fervent excitement for the collaboration. Drawing from his personal journey, he comprehends the profound influence that community support can exert on a child’s life. “As a child who gained from community support, I recognize its profound effect. I aspire to be that support for today’s students, and I’m thrilled to collaborate with BIC, a brand that values the significance of this mission.” he affirmed.

Fostering a Brighter Future through Education

BIC’s commitment to promoting education goes beyond South Africa’s borders. The stationery behemoth has a worldwide goal to enhance the learning conditions for 250 million students by 2025. In South Africa, the ‘Buy a Pen Donate a Pen’ initiative has evolved into a powerful CSR platform, aiming to slash the staggering 41% high school dropout rate. Its strategy is to ensure students receive the necessary writing tools for academic success.

The partnership with Mhlongo represents a significant step in promoting positive change within South Africa. More than just a business collaboration, this partnership symbolizes a mutual pledge to forge a brighter future – one pen at a time. It stands as a testament to how corporations and individuals can unite, leveraging their resources and platforms to foster a learning-friendly environment and thereby empower future generations.

1. What is BIC’s ‘Together We Can Write the Future’ initiative?

BIC’s ‘Together We Can Write the Future’ initiative is a program aimed at combatting high school dropout rates in South Africa by providing academic materials to students. BIC has already donated 15 million writing instruments to needy students since the ‘Buy a Pen Donate a Pen’ initiative began in 2012, and the company aims to donate another million writing tools this year.

2. Who has BIC partnered with to enhance educational opportunities for disadvantaged students?

BIC has partnered with South African Paralympian Mpumelelo Mhlongo to enhance educational opportunities for disadvantaged students in South Africa ahead of the Paris 2024 Paralympics.

3. What is the importance of BIC’s partnership with Mhlongo?

BIC’s partnership with Mhlongo is a significant step toward promoting positive change in South Africa. Mhlongo’s motivational journey serves as a powerful example of the transformative effect of having access to necessary resources and a nurturing environment.

4. How has BIC supported education in the past?

BIC’s ‘Buy a Pen Donate a Pen’ initiative has enabled the donation of more than 15 million writing instruments to needy students since its inception in 2012. This year, the company has set its sights on an additional 1 million donations.

5. What is BIC’s worldwide goal regarding education?

BIC’s worldwide goal is to enhance the learning conditions for 250 million students by 2025.

6. How does the partnership with Mhlongo represent positive change within South Africa?

The partnership with Mhlongo represents a significant step in promoting positive change within South Africa. It stands as a testament to how corporations and individuals can unite, leveraging their resources and platforms to foster a learning-friendly environment and thereby empower future generations.

Aiden Abrahams is a Cape Town-based journalist who chronicles the city’s shifting political landscape for the Weekend Argus and Daily Maverick. Whether tracking parliamentary debates or tracing the legacy of District Six through his family’s own displacement, he roots every story in the voices that braid the Peninsula’s many cultures. Off deadline you’ll find him pacing the Sea Point promenade, debating Kaapse klopse rhythms with anyone who’ll listen.

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