News

Books For Africa has earned its 3rd consecutive 4-star rating from Charity Navigator. This marks the 12th time that BFA has received Charity Navigator’s highest rating since 2002. This rating shows great ability to efficiently manage and grow organizational finances. Books For Africa consistently executes its mission in a fiscally responsible way, and we are grateful for the continued recognition from Charity Navigator, America’s largest charity evaluator.

Books For Africa supporters enjoyed the 2014 BFA Summit Society reception in a warm and inviting locale: His Excellency, Ebrahim Rasool, Ambassador of South Africa to the United States, hosted the event at his personal residence in Washington DC on April 30, 2014. Supporters from around the country came to DC for the annual event. Thank you to Ambassador for your hospitality!

“You cannot say ‘No’ to Books For Africa,” says Her Excellency Liberata Mulamula, Ambassador of the Republic of Tanzania to the United States. The Ambassador was our guest of honor at the Books For Africa Spring Fundraising Events on May 7, 2014, and her enthusiasm for ending the African book famine inspired guests all day! An intimate crowd of Books For Africa donors and event sponsors gathered at the University Club of St. Paul (MN) to share a meal at the BFA Kilimanjaro Society Breakfast. After addresses from Ambassador Mulamula and Kjell Bergh, Honorary Consulate of Tanzania in Minnesota, BFA Executive Director Patrick Plonski presented the Kilimanjaro Awards to several of our exceptional supporters.

Tom Warth has done it again. Each year, Books For Africa founder Tom Warth stages a walk to raise awareness and funds for Books For Africa. This year, Tom and a team of dedicated Books For Africa supporters trekked 50 miles from the oldest public library in the state of Minnesota (Taylors Fall, MN, USA) to the steps of the capitol building in St. Paul.

Every day is all about books at Books For Africa. So for UNESCO’s World Book Day (April 23, 2014), we are sending 33,000 books to Zimbabwe and Nigeria! Yup. 33,000 books left our warehouse bright and early this morning. Soon, they will be in the hands of students in Zimbabwe and Nigeria.

A new business model is emerging in Africa and it has the potential to benefit millions of underserved people around the far reaches of the continent. The model embraces corporate social responsibility and involves business leaders giving back to the places where they built and acquired their wealth. These private benefactors are now also collaborating with NGOs and governments to advance core development needs and goals. No better example exists than Sir Emeka Offor, a leading Nigerian businessman, who since 2011 has donated $950,000 to Books For Africa (BFA) to ship 1.7 million books and computers valued at over $18 million to children and students in 19 African countries, including his own home country Nigeria.