Utah-based supplier Denik (PPAI 766866) specializes in working with artists to create custom notebooks and journals, but the company’s true mission is supporting and enhancing education for children worldwide.

Founded in 2011, Denik’s “Art Can Change The World” initiative has led to the funding of schools in Mali, Ghana, Laos, Guatemala and Nicaragua. For every notebook sold, a portion is donated to the project.

With support from Denik’s distributor partners and its project partner BuildOn, the list of new schools has now grown to seven. Construction on an updated building in Senegal has just been completed.

A Transformation

According to Denik, Senegal currently ranks 164 out of 189 countries on the UN Human Development Index. Almost half of all Senegalese people over the age of 15 are illiterate and more than 6 million (38% of the total population) are living below the poverty line of $1.90 a day. Nearly half of all children living in rural areas are not enrolled in school.

“This school will provide a safe, proper school with the necessary amenities for the students,” says Jeremy Winn, vice president of custom sales at Denik. “The school will have latrines, clean water and provide vital protection from the elements.”

Ibrahima Diaw, a seven-year-old first grader at Nguebeul Primary, loves studying French and wants to become the President of Senegal when he grows up. Until now, though, Ibrahima’s experiences in school had been limited to learning in provisional classrooms.

“I didn’t like to come to school because of the heat in the classroom,” he said. “It was overcrowded and had too much dust. We used to feel very scared because scorpions used to hide inside the class and they could sting us at any time. That’s why I couldn’t listen well when the teacher was explaining.”

The old classroom at Nguebeul Primary was constructed from zinc sheets, which attracted a lot of heat and made learning challenging for Ibrahima and his classmates.

The updated classrooms are spacious and well-ventilated, which has decreased the indoor temperature. The classrooms are also furnished, ensuring that every student has a place to sit and a desk on which to set their learning materials.

Supporting The Mission

“Every notebook sold supports this effort to create generational change in developing countries through education,” Winn says.

For more information on Denik’s “Art Can Change The World” initiative, click here.