copywriter
The Ponchila
Made of 80 recycled plastic bottles we designed a backpack that incorporates a poncho, enabling students to stay warm and comfortable while carrying their books to school. The name "Ponchila" combines two Spanish words: poncho plus mochila, meaning backpack.
Many students in the Andes region of Peru walk for miles to school each day. Due to the elevation and mountainous terrain, the weather is often cold and rainy. In this rural area, many families live in poverty, making it difficult for them to purchase coats or other warm clothing for their children.
Pacífico Health Insurance joined forces with other companies, including the Coca-Cola Company
and a leading retailer in Perú, to discuss how could help local schoolchildren, and that's how
the Ponchila was born.
The first phase, which began in December 2016, was wildly successful; more than 20 other companies joined the effort. Together, they recycled more than 480,000 plastic bottles, creating 6,000 Ponchilas
to give to children in the areas of Puno, Cusco and Arequipa, Perú.
The second phase kicked off in December 2017, with Peru's Ministry of the Environment joining the cause. In March 2018, at the start of Peru's school year, 7,000 more Ponchilas were donated to students
in Ayacucho, Huancavelica and Apurimac, Perú.
