National Library Service - Soma Safari Project

Project Goal: $106,950

Current Progress: $2,102 (2.00%)

Embark on a Soma Safari – a “reading adventure” in Swahili – and help bring the joy of books and brighter futures to children across Africa!

About Soma Safari

Embark on a Soma Safari—a “reading adventure” in Swahili—and help bring the joy of books and brighter futures to children across Africa.

Launched as a pilot in Kenya in 2025, Soma Safari is a collaborative initiative dedicated to transforming literacy outcomes by establishing sustainable, community-based "Book Ecosystems".

This project is a powerful partnership between the Kenya National Library Service (KNLS), Books For Africa, Knowledge Empowering Youth Libraries (KEY), Little Free Library, and San José State University's School of Information. Together, we are building the "human infrastructure" that makes future digital upskilling and global economic participation possible in East and West Africa.

Why This Moment Matters

Our model builds on the success of the Reading Nation Waterfall project, an initiative supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services that demonstrated how coordinated distribution and local stewardship can transform access in underserved areas. In its first year in Kenya, Soma Safari successfully:

Delivered a full shipping container of 52,000 books in partnership with the national library system.
On track to reach 1,500+ children across six pilot book ecosystems.
Launched the Open Access Certification program, training over 60 local librarians and educators in year one

The 2026 Vision: Expansion into Nigeria and Ghana

Building on this early success, we are moving into Year 2 expansion and sustainability. Our goal is to raise $106,950 to fund three complete country-wide ecosystems in Kenya, Nigeria, and Ghana. This expansion includes large-scale book distribution combined with professional local training to systematically remove the core barriers to literacy: convenience, affordability, and cultural relevance.

Soma Safari: Where every child's journey begins with a book. Growing readers, growing futures.

What Your Support Directly Funds

Every contribution moves this work forward in a measurable way. Your support will directly fund the specific infrastructure and training needed for each country's ecosystem at a total cost of $35,650 per region:

$22,500 – Container Shipment and Delivery: Funds the door-to-door delivery of approximately 50,000 books, including international freight, customs, and inland transport.
$7,500 – Open Access Certificate Instructor Fees: Provides a full year of professional training for local educators and librarians to manage high-impact library services.

$1,000 – Steward Training and Ongoing Support: Equips local community members to maintain and restock Little Free Library book-sharing boxes. (Note: All project totals include a 15% indirect cost to support essential project management and oversight.)

Why Book Ecosystems Work: The Science

Research shows that 90% of brain development is complete by age five, making early access to books a critical predictor of lifelong success. Our “three-legged stool” approach ensures children encounter books as a natural part of their everyday lives by embedding them where they live, learn, and play:

Early Education (Ages 0-5): Nurturing curiosity from the start.
Primary Schools (Ages 6-10): Building strong readers and confident learners.
Community Hubs (All Ages): Connecting families through 24/7 access in hospitals, markets, and centers.

By helping families build home collections of 25–100 books, we move children from learning to read to reading to learn, creating a ripple effect of opportunity for generations to come.

Thank you to our collaborative partners!