3. Name: Pencils of Promise

What it does: Launches campaigns that people can participate in by (for example) buying pencils. These campaigns are aimed at building schools and establishing educational initiatives around the world.

How it works: Campaigns such as ‘Made With Pencils’ includes initiatives such as ‘The Pencil Shop’, where visitors to the site can choose to buy one or more of a collection that contains six pencils, (whose costs vary within $25 and $25,000 each). Manufactured by Faber-Castell, the pencils display phrases like “This pencil educates ten children”, according to the buyer’s contribution.

Why the idea works: The Pencils of Promise organization can educate a child for one whole year on only $25, and an entire classroom can be built for $10,000.“People said to us over and over, ‘I love Pencils of Promise so much, but I want to have a reason to talk about it. I want people to ask me so I can tell them more.’” says Adam Braun, the 28-year old founder of the company. “I find that the people that are purchasing our pencils are those who want to make a character statement about their personal values.”