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Twenty-five young African leaders commemorated Nelson Mandela International Day on Tuesday by volunteering at the Books For Africa warehouse in St. Paul. On the day, named for the late South African leader and dedicated to service in his honor, they sorted and packed books for the organization and got a briefing on its mission to end the book famine in Africa. Books for Africa has shipped more than 38 million books to 49 countries since its founding in 1988.

25 fellows with the Mandela Washington Fellowship, which is run by the U.S. State Department, observed Mandela Day by converging at the Saint Paul warehouse of Books for Africa to sort and pack books that are bound for Africa. The State Department runs the fellowship through the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) which this year has brought 1,000 promising African leaders for six-week long residencies at universities across the country. This was one of former president Barack Obama’s signature initiatives targeting the African continent.

Books for Africa is planning a trip to Cape Town in January of 2018 to celebrate 30 years of working to end the book famine in Africa. Included will be a climb of Table Mountain, tours of Cape Town and visits to recipient BFA schools!

Most people know that education is the key to ending global poverty. If the next generation of leaders, entrepreneurs, teachers and parents are better educated, they will be more equipped to improve their conditions. Books for Africa is an organization that is working to accomplish that goal today. Its message is clearly stated on its website: “education is the great equalizer in the world, and books are at the foundation of a strong educational system.”

This summer, Books for Africa was at the Rotary International convention in Atlanta June 10 - 14 to host an information booth and provide tours of our BFA warehouse. An exciting new BFA/Rotary partnership program was introduced at the convention!

Business and government leaders understand that business investment alone will not have a significant impact on Africa's success. It will take a combination of the work of NGOs such as St. Paul-based Books For Africa and US AID support for developing countries, whose funding faces possible severe cuts. Since 1988 BFA has shipped 39 million school and law books to 49 African countries. Books are critical to the education of Africa's students and future workforce.