Kenyan Ambassador Visits Books For Africa

Books For Africa was pleased to host His Excellency Lazarus Amayo at a luncheon held Friday at St. Paul’s University Club. The luncheon celebrated Books For Africa being named a preferred partner for the U.S. Department of Defense Humanitarian Assistance Program.

The luncheon was also attended by Congresswoman Betty McCollum, who represents Minnesota’s Fourth District, where BFA’s administrative headquarters is located.

“I am proud that Books For Africa has just been named a preferred partner for the Department of Defense Humanitarian Assistance program that will be critical to reaching our goal of sending four million books to Africa over the course of the next 12 months,” said Dr. Patrick Plonski, Executive Director of Books For Africa. “I thank Congresswoman McCollum for her work on this partnership, and look forward to welcoming her and the Kenyan Ambassador… to celebrate our shared success.”

In her role as Chair of House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, Congresswoman McCollum is working on a partnership between Books For Africa and the Department of Defense. Through the Department of Defense Humanitarian Assistance Program, since 2019, BFA has sent 13 containers to Zimbabwe, Zambia and Somalia, resulting in over 628,000 books shipped. This month, it will send five more containers to Zimbabwe, and in the next three months, will send five containers to Kenya in partnership with the BetterWorld Trust and local partner Giving Hands Kenya.

You can read more about the event in media coverage by Mshale.

Check out photos from the event in our Flickr album below!