Success Stories & Recent News

What happens to a container of Books For Africa books once it arrives in Africa? What kind of impact will your donation have on the lives of children in Africa?

Here are some photos and stories about BFA shipments as well as recent news about our organization. 

Students at Saint Martin De Porres Girls' College in Nigeria Welcome BFA Books

Students at Saint Martin De Porres Girls' College in Nigeria unload BFA boxes.

 Students and faculty at Saint Martin De Porres Girls' College in Nigeria recently received over 20,000 BFA books.

Reverend John Wangbu writes: "Words are inadequate to express our joy for your magnanimity. Our ultimate goal is to become a centre of excellence—in character and learning, to nurture the intellectual faculties, develop a capacity for sound judgment, and introduce the girls to the wise cultural heritage left behind by our former generations. By your donation, you have contributed and helped us in realizing our mission objective." Students and faculty at Saint Martin De Porres Girls' College in Nigeria pose with boxes of BFA books from the container they recently received.

Support an African Student's Education in 1 Minute

These students in Sierra Leone recently received BFA books.

 

On the Leesh Productions in New York prepared this video showcasing how you can support Books For Africa's efforts using only 1 minute of your time.

Watch the video.

Pam Shelton, BFA's Key Partner in Botswana, Featured in More Magazine

Pam Shelton, founder of Botswana Book Project, has been delivering BFA books to schoolchildren throughout Botswana since 1999.

 

Pam Shelton, founder of Botswana Book Project, has been a key partner of Books For Africa since she distributed her first BFA container in 1999.

Click here to read a great feature article about Pam's work in More magazine.

U.S. Marines Deliver 2nd BFA Shipment to Rural Schools in Africa

The BFA container arrives at Djibouti port. U.S. Marines will distribute the 22,000 BFA books to rural schools in the region.

A second shipment of approximately 22,000 BFA books has arrived at Djibouti port in Africa, and U.S. Marines have begun to deliver the books to rural schools in the region. The first shipment was distributed in the spring of 2009. According to Chief Warrant Officer Jay Testa: "Americans are better off than third-world countries are, and if we can provide assistance in some way to make their lives better, especially with a long-term benefit like educational material, then it’s our duty as people."

Read about the first BFA shipment distributed by U.S. Marines in Djibouti in 2009.

Moroccan Students Hone Their English Skills Thanks to OPEC Grant

A student in Morocco who is benefiting from a BFA shipment sent thanks to generous funding from the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID).

Thanks to a generous grant from the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID), Books For Africa sent approximately 22,000 books to Al Mansour Dhahbi Secondary School in Morocco in 2009. Mr. Mustapha Walaf, Secondary School EFL Teacher, oversaw distribution of the books to his school and other neighboring schools. In January 2010, BFA Executive Director Patrick Plonski visited the recipient schools accompanied by Mr. Walaf.

View a slideshow of the Morocco site visits.

View lots of great photos and video of the book distribution on Mr. Mustapha Walaf's site.

View a short clip of a student at Al Mansour Dhahbi Secondary School talking about what the books mean to her.

Regarding the BFA shipment, Mr. Walaf stated: “When I arrived to my city after a long complicated journey concerning clearing the container off the port, I received many congratulations messages from different people in my community. The kids and students are also very happy to see a treasure of quality books sent to them by an organisation based in the Unites States of America called “Books for Africa”. We all very grateful to you for providing us with such a rewarding and fruitful great amount of books to help us foster the English language and the America culture in our region in particular and in Morocco in general.”

Classroom students in Morocco who received BFA books.Mr. Walaf was seen as a hero by many of the book recipients, including Abdeslam Jaanine, who said, “You [Mustapha Walaf] have really made history in Ksar Kebir by securing that huge amount of reading stuff in behalf of our students to quench their thirst for reading and knowing.”Gena Rhoades representing the U.S. Embassy, Parickt Plonski with Books For Africa, Mr. Jaanine Abdessalam of the Ministry of Education, Mustafa Walaf from Al Mansour Dhahbi Secondary School, and students outside a school in Ksar el Kebir, Morocco.

Go to Success Story Archive

Books For Africa helps alleviate poverty of the imagination where imagination is most needed—where war and hunger, corruption and injustice seek to crush inspiration.

— Alexandra Fuller, author of the bestselling book Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight