pencilsofpromise.org

Founder’s StoryThe Education CrisisHistoryOur MissionThe Power of EducationFounding PrinciplesHow We BuildCase Study: Pha TheungThe 49%How to Get Involved

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CONTENTS

— Rainer Maria Rile

pencilsofpromise.org <PoP

PA Announcement, 6:09am, January 27, 2005:

“EvEryONE puT ON yOur lifE jaCkETS,STay OuT Of ThE ElEvaTOrS, hElp allwOmEN aNd ChildrEN up ThE STairS,aNd gET TO ThE fifTh flOOr Or highEraS SOON aS yOu CaN!”

amongst the townships of South Africa, orphan-filleddumpsters of Cambodia, youth protests of Bolivia andbeggar stations of India.It didn’t take much time to realize that responding totiny outstretched hands with pens and pencils remediedmuch more than a dollar bill ever could, so hundreds of writing utensils were brought on every trip.It was these experiences that inspired the name of ourorganization. The next time you see a child with askingeyes, give them something they canwrite or draw with and observe theexpression of joy that overtakes theirsmiling face.52 countries, 6 continents, 3 ter-rible attempts at a beard, 1 dustybackpack, and countless sharedsmiles later, I moved into New YorkCity to start a career. In post-collegeworking life I heard a repeated senti-ment among friends and peers — the desire to participate

in something fullling but lacking connection to any one

organization. And the idea that a small amount of moneymakes no difference. They would then pay their $30 bartab without realizing that the same $30 could put a childthrough several years of basic education in the developingworld.Pencils of Promise (PoP) began as a small project to build

one school, but within a week of the rst fundraiser, every

-thing changed. I began receiving messages almost dailyfrom friends and strangers looking to get involved. Each of them was looking for a way to channel their skills and abili-

ties into a tangible non-prot. It was immediately clear that

PoP could empower both children abroad

and

passionateindividuals at home.We simply needed a dynamic non-profit that gaveevery contributor, in particular motivated youth, a deepsense of connectivity and ownership. Most importantly,

we needed a non-prot that valued both major and minor

forms of support.This is the fundamental belief from which Pencils of Promise was born: no ripple of effort is so small that it

should be viewed as insignicant. The rst school we con

-structed demonstrates this — it wasfunded by nearly 2,000 individualcontributions of less than $100 each.That is the grass root-style movementwe hope to create and build upon aswe grow.My personal journey began with asingle wave of unfathomable destruc-tive force. When waves approach weoften look exclusively at their peak,forgetting that the power lies at the base. You are ourbase. Consider what would have happened if someone hadnever placed a pencil in your hand. It is only through yourparticipation that we can begin to break down the forces of poverty, crime, discrimination and disease with toweringwaves of educational promise.From all of us who belief in this shared mission, weextend a deep thank you for choosing to get involved. Thisis now your organization. Welcome to the movement.Adam Braun

it n't te c te toee tt esonn totn otstetce nst ens n encseee c oe tn o  ee co.

In January of 2005, as a Junior at Brown University,I attended the Semester at Sea study abroad programexpecting to see ten new countries and explore indepen-dent travel. Thirteen days into the voyage our ship wasbeing battered by three storm fronts and we were struckhead-on by a 55-foot rogue wave. The wave shattered the

bulletproof glass on the 6th oor where all navigational

equipment was housed, knocking out engine power andleaving the ship in a state of mass hysteria. Left to themercy of the surrounding 40-foot swells, prayer circles andscreams could be heard for hours. Somehow, we miracu-lously survived the certain-death experience.In one day everything had changed. All the things thateach of us on that ship had previously prioritized seemedto be in a dynamic state of alteration.It was under these circumstances that my backpack-ing travels across the globe began. Driven by a newfounddesire to connect with the people, cultures, and beauty of the developing world, I spent the next three years back-packing as often as possible. Days and nights were spent