Karmagawa’s Impact with Pencils of Promise
Pencils of Promise couldn’t be more thrilled that Karmagawa is part of our PoP Family. Karmagawa has recognized the potential of quality learning and has made it part of their mission to support education in communities that are in need of everyday resources like safe school structures. The devoted, intelligent and dedicated co-founder of Karmagawa, Timothy Sykes, was introduced to Pencils of Promise through our generous supporter Lewis Howes. Through this introduction, Karmagawa decided, in early 2015, to first get involved by helping build two schools in Laos: the Pha Sanin Preschool and Primary School and the Thong Pha Nib Preschool and Primary School.
Shortly after joining our PoP Family, Timothy attended our 2016 PoP Gala and then traveled to Laos to see firsthand the impact of the first school builds that Karmagawa generously helped make possible. While in Laos, he announced at a school inauguration Karmagawa’s decision to give PoP a gift of $1M—the largest single donation PoP has received to date. This generous donation has helped build 30 primary schools across Ghana, Guatemala and Laos between 2017 and 2019. Additionally, Karmagawa’s gift is funding PoP’s Innovation Pipeline to enhance the tools utilized by PoP teachers who receive Teacher Support to improve literacy in the classroom and to further support students through WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) programming.
After joining the Advisory Board, Timothy traveled with our team to Guatemala on a #PoPFieldTrip in March 2017, and again in August 2018. During his time in Guatemala, he’s helped support our teams in painting schools, scouting new build sites and engaging with community members and students.
Karmagawa, our Pencils of Promise team is so grateful for all that you have provided to our students and communities. Your generosity will impact thousands of students and we thank you for partnering with us to make quality education possible for students who need it most.
Global Impact
Thanks to Karmagawa’s support, we’ve had a very busy (and exciting!) start to 2020. We are well on our way to serving thousands more students around the world.
Updates from Ghana
The Adaklu Kodzobi Community…
Previously, students of Adaklu Kodzobi attended class in overcrowded conditions. Grades were split between two community-built structures, all of which lacked the proper space for students to learn. Thanks to Karmagawa’s support, we’ve completed a new three-unit classroom block as of April 2019! This structural update provides adequate room for each student to attend class in a high-quality learning environment. The entire community is so grateful for your commitment to providing quality education to students in Adaklu Kodzobi and around the world!
The Ahlepedo Community…
A number of primary grade students were being taught under a thatched tent built by the Ahlepedo community. With no formal doors or walls, the students and teachers were left exposed to the elements. These conditions posed a hazard to student safety and well-being, as well as to engagement and learning. Through Karmagawa’s support, PoP was able to partner with the Ahlepedo community to complete a beautiful new structure. This school has provided the appropriate amount of space for all students, with new classrooms, walls, windows and doors. The Ahlepedo D.A Basic School officially broke ground in August 2018, and completed construction in April 2019 with an inauguration ceremony shortly thereafter. Thanks to your incredible support, students have access to a learning environment that supports their full potential and promise.
The Aflao Aflagatigorme Community…
Previously, the students of Aflao Aflagatigorme were learning in conditions not conducive to student engagement and safety. The kindergarten and first-grade students had no classroom and shared a veranda as a learning space. Multiple grades were combined into one classroom, while others were learning in an old structure that has design blocks as windows. The third and fifth-grade students were learning under a tent and pavilion, where heat and rain disturbed their classes frequently. To address these conditions, PoP and the Aflao Aflagatigorme community built a six-classroom school that provides a safe and quality learning environment for the 893 current students. The school broke ground in May of 2018 and has been completed in July 2019, thanks to the community’s commitment and hardwork!
Updates from Guatemala
The Línea B-18, San José La Máquina, Suchitepéquez Community…
Students in Línea B-18 previously experienced overcrowding and attended class in an environment that was both distracting and unsafe. The second-grade students attended class in a structure made of metallic mesh sheet and wood with no foundation, while fourth graders attended class in a similar structure also used as a gallery and stage for school activities. Thanks to Karmagawa’s support and the community’s dedication, we officially broke ground on a new school in June 2018 and completed the construction in September of the same year. On behalf of the entire community, thank you for providing students with a school that supports each child’s potential.
The Línea B-2, Sector Sis Community…
Previously, students in Línea B-2, Sector Sis experienced overcrowding, with multiple grades assigned to single classrooms. There were no formal division structures for the rooms, causing a distraction for both students and teachers alike. Karmagawa’s support has changed this — we’ve officially completed a new school here! The new structure provides a safe and secure environment for students to learn and thrive, with sufficient space for every child. We officially broke ground in August 2018 and completed the new school in November 2018. The students of Línea B-2, Sector Sis are so excited to have access to a high-quality learning environment!
The Aldea El Paraiso Community…
Prior to Karmagawa’s support, the Aldea El Paraiso school had eight classrooms: five formal and three provisional. Two out of the three provisional classrooms were previously built by the community without any technical specifications. For example, structures have a twenty-centimeter deep foundation, which made them seismically unsafe. Because of the lack of specifications, students were subjected to unsafe conditions every day. Thanks to Karmagawa’s dedication to quality education, PoP, and the Aldea El Paraiso community have completed a brand new, three-classroom school. The school includes seven bathrooms, which will benefit 192 students from preschool to sixth grade. PoP and the Aldea El Paraiso community are thrilled to provide students with a stable and encouraging learning environment!
Updates from Laos
The Thong Pha Nib Community…
Previously, students of the Thong Pha Nib Preschool and Primary School attended class in a structure made of wood and bamboo, with a thatched roof and dirt floors. Whenever it would rain, the roof would leak and the floors would flood, thus students would not be allowed to attend school that day. Those unsafe learning environments significantly affected the quality of the students’ learning. Thanks to Karmagawa’s support, PoP and the Thong Pha Nib community officially completed a four-classroom build in September 2016! Students are so excited that they now have access to a safe and positive learning environment.
The Bouam Kor Community…
Previously, the school structure in Bouam Kor, Laos was a provisional structure made of bamboo and old metal, with community-built furniture. The fourth and fifth graders shared one classroom, causing overcrowding and safety hazards for both students and teachers. In addition to the safety concerns the structure posed, the school was also built in a way that left no room for physical activity for students. To address these issues, PoP and the Bouam Kor community completed a three-classroom school to replace the previous community-built structure. The new school provides more space and a learning environment to support each student’s promise and potential. The community and students are so excited!
The Phon Kham Community…
The students of Phon Kham previously class in a community-built structure. This school was half cement and extremely dilapidated, rendering the structure unsafe for students to be in. In addition to the poor learning environment, the students in the Phon Kham Primary School did not have a bathroom to use. PoP and the community broke ground on a new three-classroom school structure in November of 2017. The community provided the necessary 20% of costs for the new school—through the collection of materials like sand and water, and through personal labor—and completed this build in February 2018. This school is now providing a safe and quality learning environment for the over 250 students it will impact throughout its lifetime, thanks to Karmagawa!