Venezuela’s inflation rate is forecast to hit nearly 500 percent this year. That’s put many of the most basic goods out of reach of the average citizen.

It’s also jeopardizing children’s education. And that’s generated a novel campaign to collect basic learning equipment.

CCTV America’s Owen Fairclough has more.

Venezuela’s economic crisis is leaving its mark everywhere.

But some are turning that to their advantage – a group of tattoo artists asking customers to pay with school supplies instead of cash to help a broken education system.

“We know we’re going through a difficult time and luckily tattoos have boomed and have grown a lot, so we used it to give a little bit back to the community and to Venezuela,” Tattoo artist Leonel Castro said.

7.7 million Venezuelan students have just gone back to school.

Triple digit inflation is making even a pencil that should cost a few cents a hefty outlay for parents of around 500 pupils in this distressed Caracas neighborhood.

Customers are also on board. But while this may help hungry minds learn, feeding Venezuela’s children is getting more difficult. Some families are skipping meals because they can’t afford food.