Charleston County School District donates to BFA

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Communities in Africa are getting the chance to become readers through a donation program across Charleston County School District classrooms and libraries. District officials say the growth over the years, with over 80 schools in the district, increases the number of books that are replaced each school year. The school district partners with a Minnesota-based non-profit organization called Books For Africa to recycle used books in an effort to keep them out of the landfill.

Over two million books were donated from the district to the nonprofit over the years. Nonprofit leaders say books from the Charleston area play a large role in their donation efforts, with about 30% of containers shipped to Africa stemming from the Lowcountry. 

Books For Africa is focused on ending the book famine in African countries. Production Manager James Hall says the organization ships all over the continent and, more specifically, countries south of the Sahara Desert.

Books For Africa has donated over 62 million books to 55 countries on the continent since 1988. Over 1.6 million books were donated last year through the nonprofit organization.