It is a sweltering June day in Comunidad Candelaria, a community in the Rio Bravo, Boca Costa Region of Guatemala, and it seems the entire 750-person population has gathered at the local primary school to watch a box—labeled Caja des Mis Sueños, or "box of my dreams"—be buried. It carries the wishes of 198 students: "There will be an architect in the community," "I will be a psychologist," "I hope to be a teacher one day," "I want to be a doctor." Right now the box sits beneath a plot of rocks and dirt, but three months from now, one of five new classrooms currently under construction will be standing in its place.
Gerson Noé Ixchoc Mas, an 11-year-old fourth-grade student, is excited at the prospect of no longer learning in a makeshift space. The current school was built five years ago but resembles more of a shed with its metal sheet roof and dirt floor, and classes are often taught under trees because of the incredible heat. PoP's plan is to build five classrooms and seven bathrooms―a necessity considering some kids travel 30 minutes to go home just to use a restroom. "It was so hot and noisy. When the teacher spoke, it was hard to hear her and understand what she is explaining," Gerson says. The new classroom, he thinks, will help him "feel more comfortable learning."
NICK ONKEN
Comunidad Candelaria is one of the newest builds by Pencils of Promise (PoP), a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating schools and educational programs for communities in need in developing countries; currently it's in Guatemala, Ghana, and Laos. On this day, the kids' handmade "welcome" and "thank-you" signs, along with a plaque that will soon hang at the school, all bear one name: Stuart Weitzman. This is the first of three schools the shoe company will build―an emblem of the brand's long-term dedication to positive impact.
The story of the yellow shoe
The partnership between Stuart Weitzman and Pencils of Promise began when vice president of retail Lori Sigismondo met Pencils of Promise founder Adam Braun at a wedding. Stuart Weitzman has a history of working with women-focused initiatives, like ovarian and breast cancer research, but were on the lookout for a new partnership.
In April, Stuart Weitzman debuted the limited edition Pencils of Promise NearlyNude shoe ($398) in PoP's signature yellow color. The shoe has already been seen on the likes of Gigi Hadid, Olivia Culpo, Solange Knowles, and Joan Smalls. One hundred percent of the shoe's proceeds go toward PoP, and those funds are solely dedicated to building three schools, one each in Guatemala, Ghana, and Laos.
STUART WEITZMAN
"Education is the basis of everything. We just felt that this was a right fit," chief marketing officer Susan Duffy tells ELLE.com. "We really invest a lot of people power, advertising money, it was really a 360-degree approach. Everyone in the company was 200 percent behind it."
Visiting Guatemala
The partnership didn't end with the creation of the now sold-out shoe. Last month, the SW team headed to Guatemala, where 2 million children do not attend school, 30 percent of students don't finish the first grade, and 44 percent of kids living in poverty have no literacy skills at all. Donor trips—in which sponsors are brought to meet students, teachers, and community leaders; take part in workshops with the kids; and help with building activities—are a big priority for the organization. "You can see photos, you can see pictures, but actually meeting the individuals and local employees is very important," Natalie Ebel, director of marketing for Pencils of Promise, says. On this particular trip, the Stuart Weitzman team visited five schools, where they met teachers, kids, and parents. At one point a man even invited the team inside his home, a bare-bones single room without running water that was shared by a family of seven. "That was an incredibly moving moment," Duffy says. "I was touched by the gratitude."
PoP Guatemala country director Jorge Bolom broke down exactly how PoP helps. "It's important that the community take the lead in their own development, that they take ownership of the project. As an organization, we are a guide leading them toward the development to succeed," he says. This is accomplished a few ways. PoP's schools are built with 20 percent participation from the community―through manual labor or fundraising for the cost of building materials. A teacher support program helps train educators. "Promise Committees" made up of adult volunteers (equally split between men and women) ensure PoP's model is being successfully carried out even after the PoP team leaves. So far, 100 percent of the 353 schools that the organization has built are still up and running, educating students daily.
NICK ONKEN
"My goal is to help people, and a lot of indigenous people don't get support," Bolom says. It's a cause that hits close to home for him. He grew up in rural northeast Guatemala and attended a school that lacked resources. People in these towns, he says, "don't have the opportunity to get an education, and as a result their futures are limited. They often stay in their village." Ultimately, Bolom ended up going to college in the States. "If I didn't go to college, I probably would be in my village right now with five or six kids already," he says. "When the donors visit and create a relationship, seeing them helps inspire many of these kids to get an education."
NICK ONKEN
Breaking ground
"Pencils of Promise's investment is a huge support," says Alba Julia Agustín de León, a teacher at Comunidad Candelaria. "In the past, a lot of other organizations came to visit our school to take pictures and collect data, but they left and never returned." She also says she looks forward to having "dignified" classrooms for the students. Lack of furniture was especially a challenge with 198 students and just nine teachers. "My hope is for [the students] to have a vision and mission―to exceed expectations to become a part of the future of this country," she says.
NICK ONKEN
As Stuart Weitzman's school progresses, the local PoP team will be visiting to ensure everything is running properly. PoP will also be sending Stuart Weitzman continuous updates on the school's progress. That is something Duffy looks forward to: "The smiles on their faces were just incredible," she says. "I'm just seeing their eyes filled with hope."
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