Impact: This is really 4 grants that combined will ensure 81,000 books, valued at $607,500, will reach 43 libraries and 83 schools in Africa.

Many organizations make requests of Books for Africa to send them books, but the funds required to get books across the Atlantic and to their destination are hard to come by. So when a request is made, the fund-raising begins, and some requesting organizations in Africa often wait multiple years to get their shipment while they drum up support. That’s where this Better World Books’ LEAP grant comes in.

Through this grant to Books for Africa, we will cover the entire remaining not-yet-raised cost to ship books to 4 organizations operating across Africa. Here’s the breakdown:

Ethiopia Reads services 43 libraries in Ethiopia as well as expansion to “Portable Box Libraries” in schools without the space for a proper library. LEAP covered $14,000 (95%) of their funding needs so they will receive a 22,000 book container, which Books for Africa values at $165,000 worth of books.

Books for Knowledge and Empowerment works with 10 nursery schools, 30 primary schools, 30 secondary schools, and 5 high schools in Cameroon.

These books will be donated to the schools to promote reading opportunities and literacy to 20,000 students and villages with a total population of over 100,000 people. Better World Books covered $1,475 (15%) of their funding needs so they will receive a 22,000 book container, which BFA values at $165,000 worth of books.

Books for St. Peter Claver High School in Tanzania. The school is a new school with 1,200 students. Better World Books covered $1,667 (11%) of their funding needs so they will receive a shipment of a 22,000 book container, which Books for Africa values at $165,000 worth of books.

Ijara District Project, which benefits 5 primary schools and 2 secondary schools by providing textbooks and computers in Kenya will receive a 40-foot sea container with 50 desktop computers and approximately 15,000 books. Better World Books covered their un-raised project cost of $5,880 which was 39% of the total.

In all, this effort will result in 81,000 books, valued at $607,500, reaching the local communities in Africa. 43 libraries and 83 schools will be impacted by this donation!