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Books For Africa could not achieve all that we do without the help of our friends and supporters around the globe. One such group, Course Hero, challenges college students to share the gift of education with fellow students at home and abroad. Course Hero student leaders have helped us put more than 100,000 books in the hands of students in the small West African country of The Gambia. Learn more about Course Hero in this guest post from Taylor Stanton, Campus Manger with the Campus Operations Team.

Books For Africa Executive Director, Patrick Plonski, has been making quite the trek this past month. He met with partners and checked up on schools and libraries that have received Books For Africa books in South Africa and Zambia. Some of the partners Patrick has met with include local Rotary groups in Cape Town, South Africa, Breadline Africa, and Family Legacy Missions, as well as other connections through our friends at Better World Books.

A mighty tree has fallen in Africa, and we at Books For Africa join the rest of the world in remembering Nelson Mandela and his tireless work toward peace and toward justice. Mandela believed in the power of education, and knew that a good education can change a life and change the world.

On November 23, Books For Africa Executive Director Patrick Plonski presented research at the 56th Annual Meeting of the African Studies Association on a topic that comes up often at BFA: “Why are more African countries adopting English as an official language?”

At the Barbara Kirker Second Chance School in Maine-Soroa, Niger, students who enroll in school late get another shot at getting an education. After receiving books from Books For Africa through Medshare, these students now have plenty of reading materials to help them catch up to their peers who were able to start school at a younger age.

As Books For Africa was celebrating 25 years of work towards ending the book famine in Africa, tragedy struck half way around the world. On September 21, 2013, jihadists stormed Nairobi’s upscale shopping center, the Westgate Mall, firing indiscriminately. This violence struck home with all Books For Africa supporters. We support our cause in hopes of creating a more peaceful future for people across the African continent through education. Especially for supporters who are members of the African diaspora, this act of violence highlights the importance of initiatives to create peace. Photo credit: Thomson Reuters