Books For Africa Gets Positive Feedback from 2023 Recipients and Kenyan Visitors

At the Books For Africa Administrative Headquarters, we just concluded our eighth year in a row of enhanced post-shipment feedback surveys. These surveys collect direct feedback from BFA book recipients, allowing us to assess where we have been most successful and where there are opportunities to improve.

This year’s survey (which you can download here) received responses from 40 recipients in 14 countries. The survey found that 100% of recipients deemed BFA books to be useful and high quality. Since last year, the percentage of recipients who reported receiving irrelevant books was cut in half.  94% of library-based recipients reported that their library usage has increased since receiving BFA books!

As we look back over eight years of data from 289 recipients across 36 countries, we can see positive trends, with a 21% improvement in the number of recipients who strongly agree that BFA books promote literacy in their community.

Books For Africa also recently welcomed visitors from Kenya to its warehouse, including Ms. Irene Nyakweba, University Librarian for Kisii University, Kenay. Ms. Nyakweba gave BFA a briefing on a recent delivery of books to Kisii University, telling us that the books were extremely high-quality and very useful for the university. She added that these book donations have resulted in Kisii University being rated as one of the top universities in Kenya, especially in medicine and law.The university also distributed some of the books to various k-12 schools throughout the Kisii region. Also visiting were BFA board member and Kenya native Lilian Otieno, and Dr. John Vreyens of the University of Minnesota.

Thanks to our recipients’ feedback, we are able to ensure we are sending relevant, high-quality books, and that the books are making a positive impact on the recipient schools, libraries and communities. You can read more about why books are so important to education and literacy in Africa on our research page, or view the 2023 infographic below!