It’s all in the pencil – Bank of Stationery founder says the right tool can make or break children’s writing interest
What started out as a hobby and Facebook page has now become a charitable operation that also reduces office waste
Stationery enthusiast Joel Chung Yin-chai believes having the right pencil could have a positive impact on a child’s life. This has prompted him to set up a stationery bank to collect and distribute writing tools for underprivileged children in Hong Kong.
“A pencil can have a certain effect on a child’s life,” the 52-year-old founder of Bank of Stationery said.
“Without a proper pencil, a child’s posture can be affected and he or she may suffer from muscle pain. Their penmanship can also be affected, which can lead to the loss of interest in writing.”
Chung, a former curator, said he loved visiting old-school stationery shops in the city. Before setting up the bank last December, he had been collecting items he bought from these stores. While for Chung, this counts as a hobby, he also donates most of what he buys.
Some of the shops he used to visit were forced to close due to urban redevelopment, and the owners had given Chung their supplies.