Keeping Up with BFA Partners Around the U.S.

BFA Executive Director, Patrick Plonski, has been keeping busy visiting partners across the United States.

First, Plonski travelled to Washington D.C. just in time for a winter storm warning. The snow on the ground did not stop Plonski from visiting with members of the Minnesota Congressional Delegation to discuss how to support international literacy efforts from the United States.

Next, Plonski and BFA Board Secretary, Tom Gitaa, met with His Excellency Elkanah Odembo, Ambassador of the Republic of Kenya to the U.S. Ambassador Odembo, a long time supporter of efforts to improve literacy across the African continent, is the chair of the 2013 BFA Summit Society. Plonski stopped by to talk about continued work on improving education in Kenya, as well as to congratulate the Ambassador on peaceful elections in March 2013. They were also able to visit the Ambassador of Malawi to the U.S. to invite the Malawian President, Joyce Banda, to Minnesota to join us for BFA’s 25th Anniversary events in September.

Next Plonski and BFA Founder, Tom Warth, visited BFA partner Better World Books for their 10-year anniversary celebration. As long time partners in literacy, Better World Books has contributed more than $2.5 million in aid to Books For Africa. That’s a lot of books to schools and libraries that need them!

William Kamkwamba, a perfect example of the power of books, served as the keynote speaker at the festivities. William just released his book The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, the story of how a book sparked an idea, and how that idea revolutionized a life and community.