22,000 Books to Liberian Students Affected by Ebola Outbreak

More than 22,000 primary and secondary reading books collected by Books For Africa will be shipped to students in Liberia, who are currently out of school due to the Ebola outbreak. Funds for the shipment were donated to BFA during Give to the Max Day in November.

A ceremony recognizing the shipment and welcoming Ahmed Sirleaf of the U.S. Embassy staff in Monrovia was held Dec. 23 at the BFA warehouse in St. Paul, MN.  Sirleaf, formerly with The Advocates for Human Rights in Minneapolis, will accept the donation on behalf of the Local Employee Staff Association of the U.S. Embassy. This container is currently en route to Liberia, and BFA is preparing additional books for shipment in 2015 to assist with continued efforts to educate Liberian children.  Sirleaf detailed how the U.S. Embassy will distribute the books to Liberian families to encourage children to keep reading even though school is not currently in session.

Major General Neal Loidolt of the Minnesota National Guard was a special guest at the ceremony. General Loidolt will be commander of U.S. ground forces, including members of the Minnesota Guard's 34th Red Bull Infantry Division, who will be operating in Liberia supporting the U.S. Agency for International Development's response to the Ebola crisis from April to October of 2015.

This collaborative effort has received a great deal of support, you can learn more by checking out the additional media coverage below:

WCCO - Books For Africa Helps Kids Idled By Ebola Crisis (Video, Story)

KSTP - Books Sent to Students in Ebola-Stricken Liberia (Video, Story)

Pioneer Press - National Recognition (Story)

MPR - Student books heading from Minnesota to Liberia (Story)

Star Tribune - Books For Africa sending 22K books to Liberian students affected by Ebola outbreak (Story)