Books For Africa remains the largest shipper of donated text and library books to the African continent, shipping over 59 million books to all 55 countries on the African continent since 1988.  In fiscal year 2023 alone, Books For Africa shipped approximately 4,029,000 books, valued at over $32.6 million, to 32 African countries, the most books ever shipped by Books For Africa in a single year. Approximately 800,000 digital books were also shipped on 116 computers and 150 tablets. Over $2.6 million was raised to ship these books to partners across Africa.

To learn more about groups currently fundraising to ship books to specific African countries, view the Projects page.

To learn more about the Girls Empowerment Collections, BFA Publishing, Law & Democracy Initiative, Agricultural Libraries, or French Books view the Special Initiatives page

Contact Books For Africa

Books For Africa is a simple idea, but its impact is trans­formative. For us, literacy is quite simply the bridge from misery to hope.

Kofi Annan, former U.N. Secretary-General
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EIN 41-1627391

The Latest

Books For Africa Ships Art Books to Ethiopian Dance Center

Ron Aminzade, a retired sociology professor at the Universities of Wisconsin and Minnesota, met Melaku Belay, an Ethiopian dancer and director of the Fendika Cultural Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2020 when Belay was performing at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis. It was the beginning of an impactful friendship that is making a difference for children and adults in Ethiopia.

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“Language Should Not Be a Barrier to Good Health:” Books For Africa Sends Swahili Women’s Health Book to Tanzania “Language Should Not Be a Barrier to Good Health:” Books For Africa Sends Swahili Women’s Health Book to Tanzania

Books For Africa recently partnered with sponsor Greg Davis, the Pastoral Women Council, and Emanyata School to get a shipment of books to Loliondo, Tanzania. This shipment included a Girls Empowerment Collection and a special add-on of a Swahili-language maternal and women’s health book!

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American Bar Association joins Thomson Reuters in supporting Books For Africa Law & Democracy Initiative

“The Books for Africa Jack Mason Law & Democracy Initiative is a truly remarkable and visionary endeavor,” said Donna Gollmer, director of ABA Publishing. “The opportunity to join Thomson Reuters in supporting Books for Africa by providing court systems, bar associations, women’s legal organizations and law schools across Africa with essential law books is a powerful way to support both the…

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Books For Africa Fall Newsletter: Transforming Lives

Read about Books For Africa's 35th anniversary gala, get updates on projects in Malawi and South Sudan, and more!

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Books For Africa Hosts Peace Corps Director Carol Spahn

Books For Africa was honored to host Peace Corps Director Carol Spahn in Minnesota on Friday, November 3rd, 2023, for discussions at the MINN Summit, and at a Books For Africa reception hosted by Thomson Reuters and Humphrey School Dean Nisha Botchwey.

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