Blake Envelopes: Giving hope through education in Tanzania

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Renowned for its commitment to supporting those in need, Blake Envelopes has recently collaborated with partners at the School In A Bag charity to bring the learning equipment which is so desperately sought after to young children in areas of extreme impoverishment in Iringa, Tanzania, in the pursuit of ‘Giving Hope Through Education’.

Working alongside IRUDI (Iringa Rural Development Initiative), a non-governmental organisation local to the region of Iringa, Blake has succeeded in distributing the 120 ‘SchoolBags’ it sponsored to children from primary schools in the small rural villages of Lyamgungwe and Malagosi, which are situated some 45 to 55 km from Iringa town.

It was very important to Blake that the donations had the biggest impact possible and the SchoolBags were distributed to those areas where the children were in the greatest need. Within these two villages, most of the population are engaged with peasant farming. The extreme poverty and difficult living conditions mean that some families cannot even afford to buy their young ones a pen or pencil: the most basic of learning equipment. But that’s not all…

As a result of a terrible HIV pandemic, many of the children from the Lyamgungwe and Malagosi villages have lost one or both of their parents, leaving them responsible for the care of younger siblings or their remaining parent, some of whom are in a very weak state and require close care and assistance.

Recognising the desperate need in these areas, Blake was very pleased to be able to make a crucial difference in the lives of these young children, providing them with all the equipment needed to learn and be educated – something that could be their passport out of a life of hardship and poverty.

Tim Browning, creative director at Blake, said: ‘It means a tremendous amount to all of us at Blake to make our first bag distribution in Tanzania, especially knowing that this will have a profound effect on the children’s education which will provide a route out of their very difficult circumstances. The need is so great for these children but we are glad our ‘Giving Hope Through Education’ programme is really making a difference.’

Luke Simon, founder of School in a Bag, said: ‘We are delighted with the fantastic contribution that Blake Envelopes has made this autumn, funding SchoolBags in Africa and Asia with our established School in a Bag partners in Tanzania and Nepal. The need in both of these countries is colossal and we are extremely grateful that through our ongoing partnership with Blake Envelopes, we have been able to provide more needy children with vital SchoolBags to help transform their learning capabilities. Thank you Blake Envelopes.’