A Partnership Making a Difference: Merck and Books For Africa Bring Knowledge and Healthcare Resources Across Africa in 2026

For Books For Africa, access to books means more than access to education. It means expanding opportunities, strengthening communities, supporting healthcare professionals, and helping build a brighter future across the African continent. In 2026, our partnership with Merck continued to make a tremendous impact, helping deliver critical medical resources, educational materials, and digital learning tools to communities throughout Africa.

Through Merck's generous grant support and ongoing commitment to Books For Africa, we have been able to expand access to medical information and strengthen healthcare education in countries across the continent. From medical textbook shipments to digital resources for international partners, Merck's support has helped put valuable knowledge into the hands of those who need it most.

A Year of Impact Across Africa

2026 has been an incredible year of progress for Books For Africa, and Merck has played an important role in that success.

According to our 2026 shipment report, Books For Africa has accomplished the following:

• 18 shipping containers delivered to 11 African countries.

• 5.4 million+ in reported shipment value.

• 456,167 books recorded in the FY Books column.

• 225,544 digital books distributed.

• 66 e-readers recorded in the annual report.

Merck's contributions have supported medical book shipments to countries including Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Somalia, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.

Some of the year's highlights include:

• Zimbabwe: A shipment to Karanda Mission Hospital containing 100% medical books, supported by a $5,000 Merck contribution.

• Ethiopia: Medical resources delivered to Hawassa University, including two pallets supported by Merck.

• Malawi: Multiple shipments included Merck-supported medical book pallets, helping expand access to essential healthcare resources.

• Nigeria: Medical books were included in shipments supporting access to professional healthcare information.

• Namibia: Merck MSD helped support a pallet of medical books in a shipment to the country.

Beyond physical books, Merck also helped expand digital access. In September, 50 Merck medical tablets were distributed to ambassadors representing 27 African countries during an African Union-related event in Washington, D.C. Earlier in the year, 13 Merck e-readers were distributed to 10 African countries at a Kilimanjaro Society event hosted at the Kenyan Embassy.

These resources provide access to valuable medical information and educational materials that can continue serving students, educators, healthcare professionals, and institutions long after a shipment arrives.

Merck Employees Bring the Partnership to Life

The impact of this partnership extends beyond financial support and shipments. It is also built on the people who believe in the mission and dedicate their time to making it possible.

Recently, Merck employees visited Books For Africa's Atlanta warehouse to volunteer alongside our team. During their visit, employees helped support warehouse operations and the important work of preparing books and resources for shipment to communities across Africa. Merck also made a generous donation in support of our mission.

Their hands-on involvement reflects the spirit of this partnership: a shared commitment to improving lives through access to knowledge, education, and healthcare resources.

We are especially grateful for Merck's continued investment in medical libraries and healthcare education. By helping provide essential medical textbooks and resources, Merck is supporting the next generation of healthcare professionals and helping strengthen medical institutions throughout Africa.

Looking Ahead

Books For Africa is proud of what we have accomplished together with Merck in 2026. Every medical textbook shipped, every digital resource distributed, and every volunteer who lends a helping hand contributes to a larger mission: ending the book famine in Africa.

We extend our sincere gratitude to Merck for its extraordinary generosity, its employees who give their time and energy, and its continued commitment to making a difference around the world.

Together, we are putting knowledge into the hands of those who need it most and helping build healthier, more educated communities across Africa.

Thank you, Merck, for being such an important partner in our mission!