Books For Africa
A simple name for an organization with a simple mission. We collect, sort, ship, and distribute books to students of all ages in Africa. Our goal: to end the book famine in Africa.
Books For Africa remains the largest shipper of donated text and library books to the African continent, shipping over 41 million books to 53 different countries since 1988. Over the past 12 months we have shipped three million books, 93 computers and e-readers containing 223,000 digital books, as well as 10 new law and human rights libraries to 18 African countries. More than $2.5 million was raised last year to ship the books to the students of Africa.
To learn more about groups currently fundraising to ship books to specific African countries, view the Projects page.
To learn more about the Jack Mason Law & Democracy Initiative, Agricultural Libraries, or French Books view the Special Initiatives page
Contact Books for AfricaBooks 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
EIN 41-1627391
The Latest
Ambassador Sawerengera of Malawi Headlines 2018 Fundraising Luncheon
Books For Africa’s annual fundraising luncheon, "Education: Rooted in Reading," was highlighted by a keynote speech from His Excellency Edward Yakobe Sawerengera, Ambassador of Malawi to the United States! The room was packed with over 300 BFA supporters and VIPs, including representatives from Presenting Sponsor Thomson Reuters, Platinum Sponsor Medtronic, as well as state and local government…
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Kofi Annan Delivers Keynote Speech at Books For Africa Reception
Books For Africa was thrilled to host a reception honoring former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on May 7th, 2018. Over 100 key supporters gathered at the University Club of St. Paul for the reception, which was held in recognition of the 30th anniversary of Books For Africa and the 10th anniversary of our law book program, the Jack Mason Law & Democracy Initiative.
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U.S. Army Partnership Delivers Books to Garoua, Cameroon
On April 19, 2018, U.S. Army Civil Affairs Team(CAT) 4032 delivered 27 boxes of donated books to the Garoua Regional Linguistic Center (Centre Linguistique Regional de Garoua) in Garoua, Cameroon in partnership with Books For Africa.
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BFA Board Members Put Boots on the Ground in Uganda, Swaziland
In January 2018, a group of 23 Books For Africa supporters visited Cape Town, South Africa, with the purpose of raising funds in celebration of Books For Africa’s 30th Anniversary. Following a series of site visits across South Africa, BFA representatives struck out to learn more from recipients about the challenges and success points of their projects.
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Africa Trip Leads to New Librarian Training Program, Planned Shipment of Over 176,000 Books
Books For Africa Executive Director Patrick Plonski has spent the past 3 months in Africa building relationships and visiting BFA recipients. Following a tour celebrating BFA's 30th Anniversary and a series of partner meetings in Cape Town, South Africa, the first leg of Patrick’s journey took him to Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Kenya. The second half of his visit included stops in…
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