There comes a point when you travel when you start feeling like it’s starting to lose its meaning. These days, the travel scene seems to be all about selfies, heading to the most scenic destinations and cramming as many things to do in a short time. It’s become a checklist of the most popular “must see” or “must do” activities and less about meaningful experiences or connecting with people.

As a travel writer and blogger who frequently writes list articles on things to do in certain destinations, I feel guilty for perpetuating this bucketlist mentality. I’ve been feeling pretty burned out with my trips, trying to complete my own personal travel goals and have been wondering if there’s something I can do to make a difference.

On my most recent trip, I got to learn more about meaningful travels from one of the frontrunners of VolunTourism (volunteering + tourism) in the Philippines.

“It all started with a bag of pencils,” photographer Mon Corpuz, the founder of Black Pencil Project told us over breakfast in our homestay below the lighthouse in Sabtang Island, one of the three inhabited islands in Batanes, the northernmost province in the Philippines.

Black Pencil Project, in partnership with the Tourism Promotions Board Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program distributed school supplies in remote village schools on the island as part of the yearly back-to-school campaign supporting Department of Education’s #BrigadaEskwela campaign.

As a photographer, Corpuz’s work and personal trips have taken him to many remote communities around the Philippines. During a photo safari in a remote village in Banaue in June 2008, he brought a bag of black pencils to give out to children. Classes were about to start and he thought it would be better to give them something they could use in school rather than candies, chocolates or worse, cash. The pencils were so well received by the kids from the community, that he vowed to bring more supplies the next time he visited.

From that spark, the group Black Pencil Project was born with founding members and an active core group composed of mountaineers, photojournalists, artists, missionaries and avid travelers. The social media-based, civilian volunteer organisation now works in remote and indigenous Philippine communities, aiming to help promote child’s primary education and welfare, “one pencil at a time.”

Why pencils? “Pencils are universal. It’s something everyone uses. It’s something everyone can relate to.” Providing free school supplies and learning aids during the crucial back-to-school season can encourage children in remote and indigenous communities to take education seriously.

It may not seem like much, but as we visited the different village schools around the tiny island of Sabtang, I saw how something we may take for granted can mean a lot for kids by the way they peered into the bags filled with notebooks, pencils and crayons, comparing what they got with their friend’s and classmates. The free study packs (composed of primary pencils, HB pencils, ballpens, pad paper, ruler, crayons, writing and composition notebooks depending on the grade level in canvas bags) aim to help students kick-start the school year opening.

For over a decade since they started, Black Pencil Project has reached various cultural communities in the Philippines and established networks with the Ivatans of Batanes, Ifugao of the Cordilleras, Aetas of eastern Zambales mountain range, Dumagats of Rizal, Mangyans of Mindoro, Manobo-Matigsalog tribe of Bukidnon, Tidurays of Maguindanaos, Palawanon of Palawan to the Tausugs and Badjaos of Sulu Islands, making it easy for different groups who want to partner with them for different programs. 

Their work entails connecting partners like TPB to empower barrio schools and their surrounding communities. The small advocacy has spread garnering support from private individuals, mountaineering groups, photography clubs, foreign tourists and Filipinos based overseas through social media. In 2013, they worked with more than 13,000 elementary school children in 18 barrio schools. 

Voluntourism has its share of criticism and can do more harm then good especially if you go into a community without knowing what they need or if done for the wrong reasons. But Corpuz suggests travelers can start small in their own capacity.

“You have to listen. You have to talk to the locals. Sure, be a tourist, be a traveler but talk to the people. Try to connect and just listen. Yung bankgero mo may anak yan. Pakinggan mo lang kung ano yung kailangan nila. That can be your meeting point. From there, you can start helping, one family at a time,” says Corpuz.

“Masarap yung feeling to connect with people in different areas. Once you become a voluntourist, hindi ka turista lang. It’s like you have relatives and a family wherever you go. You build a better community” he adds.

Beyond the pencils, the campaign aims to inspire people to start a cause “no matter how small.” It harnesses the idea of combining travel and volunteerism for experiential advocacy. This is definitely something I’d like to explore in the future.

HOW CAN YOU HELP / VOLUNTEER?

• DONATE PENCILS: Donate pencils, pens and crayons or help the group collect light school materials. These are sent to project communities to replenish supplies provisions regularly. 
• DONATE STUDY PACKS: Donate grade and culture-sensitive study packs to kick-start the school year opening. These are proven helpful in increasing class enrolment and school participation.
• DONATE A COMPLETE SCHOOL PACKAGE: Sponsor a barrio school with complete grade and culture-sensitive study packs, teacher’s kits, sports equipment and other learning resources. These will equip the school for the year.
• ORGANIZE PENCIL DRIVES: Organize pencil drives to collect pencils, pens and crayons from schools, homes, offices and communities (which you can turn over to The Black Pencil Project).
• JOIN THE VOLUNTOURISM PROGRAM: Experience a unique cultural immersion with Black Pencil Project VolunTourism programs in key project communities.
• BE A PENCIL SHERPA: Help the group by delivering pencils to remotest Philippine communities as pencil couriers and sherpas.

To learn more about Black Pencil Project, follow @penciltreks on Twitter / IG or visit www.blackpencilproject.org. Follow their facebook/blackpencilproject for events and volunteering opportunities or email: info@blackpencilproject.org

Prefer to make inquiries via phone? You can SMS or call them at
(+63) 917-796-1378  between 10:00 am and noon, look for Mon Corpuz.

Black Pencil Project Organization is a social media-based volunteer organization and doesn’t have a physical office at the moment. Should you wish to reach them via post, you may reach them at their temporary postal  address below c/o of Mon Corpuz

Black Pencil Project Organisation
c/o Mon Corpuz (+63 917-796-1378)
28B TheIcon Residences
De Jesus Oval, Bonifacio Global City
Taguig 1630, Philippines