SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah-based Mali Rising Foundation and Denik, a Logan-based notebook manufacturer, are teaming up to build a new school in the village of Sebela, Mali.
“Our team is thrilled to match the donations for this new school in Mali. It's an honor to hear the stories of the students whose lives will change for the better,” Tyler Tolson, Denik’s founder and CEO, said in a statement. “Our customers have been so supportive. It's because of their help that we're able to provide the contribution to this school, as well as the three other schools we've previously funded in Laos, Guatemala and Mali.”
The village of Sebela provided half the cost of the school, and Denik will provide the other half by matching funds from individual donors up to $12,000. The company will also provide free notebooks for the first 50 donors who contribute $30 or more.
Individual donors will also have a chance to name the new school. Each gift of $100 (and every increment of $100) provides an entry to win the naming rights. Donors can learn more and give at razoo.com/story/Newschool.
Denik, which was started by Utah State University students, gathers artists from across the globe and puts their work on journals, notebooks and sketchbooks. With every product sold, a portion of the proceeds goes directly to building schools and to support the artist.
Mali Rising Foundation’s mission is to empower the children of Mali by expanding and improving educational opportunities for them within their own villages. Since 2004, Mali Rising has partnered with remote villages to build 20 schools, educating more than 13,000 children.