News

BFA founder Tom Warth decided to celebrate his 80th birthday by walking across Zanzibar Island in East Africa, all in the name of ending the African book famine!  Tom has also walked across The Gambia and scaled Mount Kilimanjaro to promote literacy and education in Africa.  Having just completed the two day trek in "pretty fearsome heat and humidity," Tom reports that he is "feeling the pain," from the walk, but otherwise well and is enthusiastic about the impact the walk will have on communities and schools in the area. 

Recent fundraising events in Saint Paul, Minnesota and Atlanta, Georgia have delivered over 66,000 high-quality books, computers, and other educational supplies to libraries and classrooms across the African continent!

 40 foot containers of BFA books have recently been delivered to Kisii University in Kenya and the Sierra Leone Book Trust.  Read more to learn about the different models these organizations used to successfully organize their container projects, and see feedback from recipients! Nelson Mandela said that "no country can really develop unless its citizens are educated," and this idea lies at the heart of BFA's mission.  By putting high quality educational materials into the hands of as many African learners as possible, we can help to empower the next generation of African leaders, and promote social and economic development across the African continent.

In partnership with the MN Friends of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, BFA was honored to host Dr. Ismail Serageldin, Director General of the Alexandria Library in Egypt, for a presentation on the history and current role of this historic institution. Also on hand for the occasion was special guest His Excellency Mohamed Tawfik, Egyptian Ambassador to the U.S. Dr. Serageldin received a standing ovation for his engaging, informative, and visually stunning presentation, capping a wonderful night of learning and fellowship.

A recent World Bank report (May 2015) emphasizes the urgent need to get textbooks into the hands of every student in sub-Saharan Africa. This report is part of a growing body of evidence reinforcing the efficiency and efficacy of putting the right books in the hands of African learners. The report states that "No other input is likely to be more cost effective than making high-quality learning materials available to all students…" Other studies have reached similar conclusions to the 2015 World Bank report.

Cass and Andy Stillman hosted Books For Africa’s 2015 Kilimanjaro Society Reception at their beautiful residence in Woodland, MN. We were fortunate to be joined this year by special guests, a delegation of twenty-five Young African Leaders participating in the Mandela Washington Fellowship at the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute. The YALI delegates also spent time volunteering at our St. Paul, MN warehouse in conjunction with Nelson Mandela International Day, named for the late South African leader and dedicated to service in his honor.