News

When Skyline NGO Madagascar reached out to Books For Africa with a bold vision to improve literacy, the need was undeniable. Facing some of the world's greatest educational challenges—including limited access to electricity, technology, and books—Madagascar's children needed a reliable path to learning. Books For Africa responded by shipping two containers totaling 83,620 books to the Skyline Public Library Project in Madagascar, helping establish community libraries that will provide lasting access to educational resources for children and families. This effort was made possible through the generous financial support of Better World Trust, while Lights For Literacy provided solar lamps to ensure students can continue reading and studying even after the sun goes down.

A recent feature from the University of St. Thomas spotlights the inspiring partnership between Dr. Manjeet Rege and Books For Africa Board Member Jote Taddese, demonstrating how education can transform lives across continents. The article highlights their shared commitment to expanding access to knowledge through technology, artificial intelligence, and books. While Dr. Rege is helping prepare the next generation of AI and software leaders at the University of St. Thomas, Jote Taddese continues to champion global literacy initiatives through Books For Africa and community-led projects that deliver educational resources to schools and libraries throughout Ethiopia.

Books For Africa welcomed supporters, volunteers, partners, and friends to our St. Paul warehouse for our annual Warehouse Party, a celebration of another incredible year of impact and the start of an exciting new fiscal year. This year's gathering celebrated the shipment of more than 2.5 million books to students, schools, libraries, and communities across Africa during Fiscal Year 2026. Guests enjoyed delicious food from Afro Deli, grilled favorites prepared by our dedicated warehouse crew, live music from the Books For Africa warehouse band, and the opportunity to connect with fellow supporters while surrounded by the books that make our mission possible.

Books For Africa concluded Fiscal Year 2026 with a remarkable impact, shipping more than 2.5 million books valued at over $19 million to 33 African countries while raising more than $2.2 million to support these efforts. The organization also expanded access to legal and digital resources by delivering 10 Thomson Reuters Law & Democracy Libraries and 96 computers and tablets loaded with more than 320,000 digital books. This success was made possible through the dedication of more than 9,000 volunteers, generous donors, and strong partnerships across Africa despite significant cuts to federal international development funding.

Come celebrate summer with Books For Africa at our annual Warehouse Party on Saturday, July 18, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at our warehouse in St. Paul. This free community event brings together supporters, volunteers, partners, and friends for an afternoon of connection, celebration, and fun. Enjoy African food, live music from the warehouse band, special guests, and activities for all ages while getting an inside look at the impact your support makes possible. No RSVP required. We hope to see you there!

Books For Africa spent the first week of June in Washington, DC, meeting with African ambassadors, U.S. congressional leaders, the African Union, donors, and development partners. Highlights included participation in African Union events, advocacy meetings on Capitol Hill, and the annual Summit Society Reception hosted by the Kenyan Embassy. The reception welcomed donors and diplomatic representatives from 10 African countries and featured the distribution of Merck/MSD e-readers loaded with medical resources for healthcare professionals across Africa. The visit strengthened relationships with key partners and generated new opportunities to expand Books For Africa's impact across the continent. Executive Director Patrick Plonski called the meetings highly productive and an important step toward increasing the shipment of books and educational resources to Africa.