Pencils of Promise Comes to UHart

Pencils of Promise helps underprivileged children around the world reach their potential through education.

Pencils of Promise (PoP) is a nongovernmental organization founded on the idea of helping underprivileged kids around the world reach their potential through education.

When founder Adam Braun was traveling through the streets of India, he asked a small boy what he wanted most in the world. The boy's reply was simple and heartbreaking: "a pencil." This was the spark that ignited Braun’s quest to raise money for education for countries in need.

Since its founding in 2008, PoP has established over 100 schools across the globe.

Victoria Williams '14 has chartered a chapter of PoP at the University of Hartford. PoP meets every other Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Fireside Lounge in Regents Park. All students who are looking to make a change for the better in the world are welcome to join PoP. The next meetings will be held on Wednesday, March 20, and Wednesday, April 3.

If you wish to help the cause, there is a table set up in Suisman Lounge in Gengras Student Union for students to purchase “bricks” that represent the strong foundation of a school building. Bricks will be stacked along the window in Gengras to symbolically show the progress of the growth of a school that the donations are funding.

For more on the amazing work that PoP does, visit http://www.pencilsofpromise.org/ or contact Eliza Newman at elnewman@hartford.edu for more information about getting involved on campus.