Global electronics and printer manufacturer, Epson, has launched a celebrity-driven Back-to-School campaign in South Africa. The initiative aims to support targeted local communication. Pop singer and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Shakira joins the initiative, which will motivate South African children to build confidence through hands-on, creative educational activities.
The campaign encompasses a range of after-school programmes, both in-person and online, when purchasing selected Epson EcoTank printers from participating retailers. The promotion also includes one-on-one online learning with a dedicated tutor in Maths, English, Science and other subjects in partnership with JustTutors.
In addition to online tutoring, children can take part in sports, coding workshops and other educational activities designed to spark creativity and build essential skills. Programmes are hosted in partnership with local organisations to ensure relevance for South African learners.
Research commissioned by NASA showed that children’s creativity can decline as they progress through formal schooling, with 98% of children aged four to five in the study displaying creative genius, which dropped to just 2% in adulthood. The Epson campaign aims to counter this by providing engaging learning experiences outside the classroom, helping students gain confidence, develop skills, and express themselves freely.
Gareth Jay, Regional Sales Director for Epson Africa, says that nurturing the unbridled creativity inherent in children is key to building crucial life and professional skills later on. “Creativity is key to preparing students for the future, and while academic success is often seen as the primary goal when it comes to a child’s development, our goal is to help students build curiosity, confidence and problem-solving skills. The activities and online resources that are available are designed to complement classroom learning and empower children to thrive.
"As an international artist and advocate for children’s learning, Shakira embodies the campaign’s vision of inspiring imagination, innovation, and self-expression among South African students."
The campaign is applicable on select Epson EcoTank printer models only and will run from January across South Africa.
