Success Stories Archive

Contributing to the “Knowledge Economy” in Africa at Spring Fundraisers with Ambassador Rasool of South Africa

Books For Africa was honored to host His Excellency Ebrahim Rasool, Ambassador of South Africa to the United States, to join us as our keynote speaker for our annual fundraising events on May 15, 2013 in St. Paul, MN, USA. Representing one of the fastest growing economies in the world, His Excellency Rasool spoke of the importance of education and literacy in the rise of Africa.

The Stout Books For Africa Walk: Great Success!

For a man who made a living working with cars, Tom Warth, the founder of Books For Africa, sure does love to take walks. From April 26th-28th, 2013, Tom Warth and a contingency of BFA supporters took a hike from the University of Wisconsin Stout in Menomonie, Wisconsin, to the Books For Africa office in St Paul, Minnesota, a total distance of 68 miles. Each walker carried a college level book donated by the university on the first part of its journey to Africa.

A Big Day for Chain of Hope Schools in Uganda

“The Books have arrived! THANK YOU! And as expected, the kids are super excited-they had to get a day off from study because they just couldn’t concentrate in class. The big truck (which the children thought was a bus!) couldn’t pass through the school gate so we had to ferry the books with another smaller vehicle to one of the classrooms as we await distribution to all beneficiaries.” - Agnes Igoye, container captain for Chain of Hope Uganda project

BFA books are Burundi bound!

For the first time in our history, Books For Africa has shipped books to Burundi! That means that we have now shipped 28 million books to schools and libraries in 49 different African countries. Burundi is one of the poorest countries in the world. With 80% of the population living in poverty, very few people are able to attend school. Only 50% of Burundian children attend elementary school and only 8% of young adults attend secondary school.

Keeping Up with BFA Partners Around the U.S.

BFA Executive Director, Patrick Plonski, has been keeping busy visiting partners across the United States.

Mark your calendars for the BFA Evening Donor Reception with Ambassador Rasool of South Africa on May 15th

Books For Africa invites you to be a part of our Annual Spring Donor Reception! Join us for an evening with His Excellency Ebrahim Rasool, Ambassador of South Africa to the United States at the newly reopened St. Paul Athletic Club.

BFA is teaming up with Representative Keith Ellison to ship books to Somalia!

U.S. Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN) just recently returned from a trip to Somalia to meet with the newly elected Somali president, Hassan Sheik Mohamoud. While visiting, President Mohamoud requested that Representative Ellison help Mogadishu re-establish the Mogadishu Public Library.

National Geographic maps point to many paths to success for African students!

Thanks to a new partnership with National Geographic, Books For Africa will help brighten classrooms across Africa. BFA recipients can now order a library of six new, laminated National Geographic Africa, World, and Universe maps to accompany their shipment of 22,000 books.

General Mills employees collect 3,000+ books to send to Africa!

Books For Africa thanks the General Mills Community for the donation of 3,687 books! The General Mills Black Champions Network hosted a month long book drive and awareness campaign on their Twin Cities campus in celebration of Black History Month. They concluded their book drive and Black History Month activities on Friday, March 1, with a closing ceremony featuring Helene Gayle, President & CEO of CARE, as keynote speaker.

Representative of the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation Visits BFA Atlanta Warehouse

Inno Anoliefo, a representative of the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation of Nigeria, came to our Atlanta warehouse to see where the books come from, how they are sorted, and to get to know the Books For Africa Shipment process. Books For Africa is pleased to work with the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation. Together, nearly 640,000 books—worth more than $6.5 million—have been shipped to students in Nigeria and The Gambia. BFA and the Foundation plan to ship even more throughout West Africa over the coming years.

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In Kenya, we were in a small village and the students had a wonderful school. They were eager to learn. They had motivated teachers, but they didn’t have any books in the school. They had no library. And so, imagine how proud I was to open up this box of shiny new encyclopedias and dictionaries from Books For Africa. They want more of your books. They can’t wait. They can’t get enough of these books.
— U.S. Congressman Keith Ellison (MN)

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