Books For Africa Celebrates Shipment of 25 Million Books to Africa at Warehouse Events

Books For Africa recently reached a new milestone—25 million books sent to children in 46 African countries since 1988.

Books For Africa supporters celebrated by sorting and packing books at the two BFA warehouses in celebration of International Literacy Day on September 8, 2011. Local Fox 9 News covered the event in a great story, which you can view here.

Read the Star Tribune story about the celebration.

Read the MinnPost.com story about the celebration.

In addition, more than 200 Books For Africa supporters and volunteers gathered for a South African-style braai (barbecue) at the BFA Minnesota warehouse on Saturday, September 17. Once again, this free event took place courtesy of Amara Wines (formerly MT Global Wines) and U.S. Foodservice. The crowd enjoyed plenty of delicious South African wine and beer and lots of food, and live music from the Marimba Africa band.

View Flickr slideshow of Braai 2011.

The focus at this year’s braai was the longtime collaboration between Books For Africa and Rotary International, as the very BFA first shipment was a Rotary International shipment to Jinja, Uganda, back in 1988. Judy Freund, Rotary District 5960 Governor, spoke at the event on behalf of Rotary. Two more containers of books are slated to be sent to Jinja in collaboration with the Woodbury Rotary Club and a number of other Rotary friends of Books For Africa.

Special guest U.S. Congresswoman Betty McCollum (MN) addressed the crowd and spoke about the importance of books. She fondly recalled meeting Tom Warth and learning about Books For Africa soon after she first took office. Congresswoman McCollum was presented with a book by Betty Press published in collaboration with BFA called I Am Because We Are: African Wisdom in Image and Proverb.

Order Betty Press’s book I Am Because We Are: African Wisdom in Image and Proverb.