News

A study conducted in Ethiopia found that a large percentage of children are illiterate in English even though it is a required school subject for all Ethiopian students. This is largely because students lack access to English reading materials both at school and at home. The Early Grade Reading Centers project was created by a group of U.S. Peace Corp volunteers based in Ethiopia to bring English books to students.

The 2012 Top-Rated Nonprofit List was based on the large number of positive reviews that Books For Africa received – reviews written by volunteers, donors and clients. People like Agnes Igoye posted their personal experiences with BFA. Agnes, a container captain sending books to Uganda, wrote, “What struck me most [about BFA] was the Passion and dedicated efforts of the staff and Board members towards their work-Ending the Book Famine in Africa!”

Through Project Handclasp, the U.S. Navy works with NGOs like Books For Africa to deliver relief supplies worldwide. Ten pallets of books from BFA were delivered by the U.S. Navy to students who need them to advance their study of English.

Founder of BFA Tom Warth, BFA board member Mike Essien, and former U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria Derek Jeter visited Nigeria to see the great work being done there by the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation (SEOF) this October. Tom and Mike visited Sir Offor, the founder and namesake of the Foundation, to participate in a special event to celebrate the receipt of the most recent shipment of 16 containers of books to Nigeria.