A Team Effort: Books For Africa Partners with Zambezi Schoolbook Project to Bring Nearly 350,000 Books to Zimbabwe

Earlier this year, Books For Africa partnered with the Zambezi Schoolbook Project to ship 5 containers with nearly 350,000 books to Zimbabwe. This massive undertaking was very much a team effort. On the U.S. side, Books For Africa leveraged several partnerships to mobilize resources. Longtime partner the Wasily Family Foundation awarded a grant that made the shipment possible. Meanwhile, Container Captains Claude and Barbara Mayfield engaged their own partners for fundraising and coordination of distribution. 

The shipment sent a large number of books of all kinds, but with a special focus on English reading skills, as well as school supplies, to Harare. The Rotary Club of Harare West served as consignee.

Distribution, which is currently underway, is another team effort! Books are delivered to multiple partners on the ground, including Children in the Wilderness (CITW), Padenga Holdings, Rotary Club of Harare Central, Miracle Missions and African Wildlife Conservation Fund (AWCF). These dedicated partners spare no efforts to transport the books where they are needed most, and provide feedback to Books For Africa in the form of pictures and information on the quality and usefulness of the books received. Children in the Wilderness published a post on their work towards education in honor of International Literacy day on September 8.

Books For Africa is so grateful to the many partners who make this gargantuan achievement possible, and so pleased to be able to play a role bringing joy to the faces of the children.

Check out the photos from distribution here: Books For Africa's 350,000-book Shipment to Zambezi Schoolbook Project | Flickr