Books For Africa remains the largest shipper of donated text and library books to the African continent, shipping over 64 million books to all 55 countries on the African continent since 1988. Last year alone, Books For Africa shipped over 2.8 million books, valued at over $28.5 million, to 36 countries—a 78% increase over the previous year. Over half a million digital books were also shipped on 163 computers and e-readers. Approximately $2.5 million was raised to ship these books to partners across Africa. Over 9,000 volunteers joined BFA staff in helping to pack these books for shipment to Africa.
To learn more about groups currently fundraising to ship books to specific African countries, view the Projects page.
To learn more about the Girls Empowerment Collections, BFA Publishing, Law & Democracy Initiative, Agricultural Libraries, or French Books view the Special Initiatives page
Books For Africa is a simple idea, but its impact is transformative. For us, literacy is quite simply the bridge from misery to hope.
— Kofi Annan, former U.N. Secretary-General
EIN 41-1627391
The Latest
BFA Shipment Grows School Library from 400 books to 11,000
A container of books for Shakawe Senior Secondary School, captained by Rachel Corney and sponsored in part by BetterWorld Trust, has arrived in Botswana!
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Books For Africa Ships French Books to Guinea with Child2Child
A recent shipment of 8,000 French-language books exemplifies the transformative power of collaboration and dedication.
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New Library Dedicated in Harry Lerner’s Honor: “Never Enough Books”
Adam Lerner, CEO and Publisher of Lerner Publishing Group, recently visited Mashati Secondary School in the Rombo District of the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania. In this school, students receive books from the Books for Africa program. Because of the Lerner family’s generosity to the program, they are building a new school library in honor of Harry Lerner, founder of Lerner Publishing Group.
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Music Librarian’s Legacy Inspires Shipment of Books to Kenya
A new library at Lirhanda Friends Secondary School in Kenya is established in memory of beloved Duke University Librarian and Carillonneur Sam Hammond, continuing his lifelong dedication to books and education.
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BFA Board Member Gives Back to Kenyan Community
Books For Africa Board Member and Minnesota resident Lilian Otieno recently visited her alma mater in Kenya, where she joined the First Lady of Migori County for a ceremony distributing 22 boxes of books to Manyatta Secondary School. The event was part of a larger five-container shipment of 125,000 donated books to Kenyan schools and communities, made possible through partners including Giving…
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