“New data from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics show that 617 million children and adolescents worldwide are not achieving minimum proficiency levels in reading and mathematics. Sub-Saharan Africa has the single largest number – 202 million – of children and adolescents who are not learning. Across the region, nearly nine out of ten kids between the ages of about 6 and 14 are not gaining minimum proficiency levels in reading and mathematics.” ¹
¹ UNESCO
Also see WORLD BANK
Every year more than 13 millions books are sent to landfill in the UK.² At least, another 26 million books (26,000 tonnes) are recycled.³
² CODEP
³ Also see WORLD OF BOOKS
Our mission is to improve the quality of education in Africa through the provision of books and educational resources that enable students to acquire knowledge and achieve their full potential in a globalized world. We fulfil our mission with the generous support of donors, volunteers, sponsors and partners.
Our 80/20 fundraising model means we cover our overheads by trading up to 20% of donated books and resources via our online charity shop.
Thanks to individual and corporate sponsors, 80% of donated books and resources are shipped to people across Africa at an average of 50p per book.
Our Integrated Web App and Database tracks donated books from the donor to the receiver, with impact photos and reports published on our website.
Books2Africa is a UK Registered Charity (1152599) that is committed to reducing environmental waste in the UK and improving the quality of education in Africa through the collection and distribution of books. Founded in 2012 by four African students during their time studying in the UK, the organisation now has Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
4 African students who came to study in the UK sat around a table after dinner at Beverley Farmhouse and Books2Africa was born. They collected more than 11,000 books in their first year and were nominated best new volunteering society at the Kent Union Awards that year.
After collecting 11,000 books in their student flat, it became a health and safety risk! They moved the books to a rented storage container at a discounted rate offered by A&S Self Storage in Dover. They also registered Books2Africa officially with the Charity’s Commission.
Without adequate funding to ship books to Africa, we decided to ask institutions and projects in Africa who want books to fund their shipment if they can afford to. Soon after this, we were able to send our first pallet carrying 1,067 books.
Building up to the launch of Season 2 of its TV series “The Librarians”, Universal Channel Africa did a campaign in partnership with Books2Africa to raise funds and awareness for the charity. Funds raised were able to fund the shipment of 6 containers of books, all loaded by hand!
With Northern Nigeria having some of the highest levels of illiteracy in Africa, it was considered the ideal location for Books2Africa’s first Distribution Office. Here workers will receive container shipments of books, display them in shelves for people to browse and select what they need. This also creates jobs and volunteering roles locally.
The Lord Mayor of Canterbury Councillor Rosemary Doyle officially declared open Books2Africa’s new processing centre in Canterbury. She presented awards to volunteers and to container shipment sponsors Ninety Foundation and Macmillan Education.
Following the success of our consolidated distribution model, new Distribution Offices were launched in West and East Africa. Our aim is to open more distribution offices in all four regions of Africa, situated primarily in coastal countries.
Five years after our first shipment of books to Africa, on 4th May 2019 we shipped our 1 millionth book to Africa, part of a container shipment to Kalibu Academy High School and Primary School in Malawi. This milestone was celebrated with a #1MillionBooks2Africa event, a re-brand and launch of the 1 Million Book Club.
Can your organisation commit to sponsoring at least 1 of these 50 containers annually? A commitment of £5,000 per container, covering the cost of processing, shipping and delivering 20,000 books to the hands of students and teachers across Africa. Your company logo will be listed on our Sponsors Wall below and on relevant impact report pages.
The board of trustees consist of founding and honorary members. The four founding directors are members of the same family, and founded the charity during their time studying as international students at universities in the UK. The founding directors together with appointed honorary trustees ensure the charity is governed and achieving its aims and objectives while staying true to the vision of the founders. All trustees carry out extensive work for the charity and contribute to its development.
Our enthusiastic team of change makers are at the heart of the charity’s UK processing centre, supporting key aspects of our operations.
Charlie Welch
Logisitcs Supervisor
Rachel Allen
Sales Supervisor
Brenda Read
Rare Books Supervisor
Amazing individuals who inspire us and use their image and influence to promote our cause to a wider audience in order to increase our impact.
Melissa Myambo
Zimbabwean author, scholar and Caine Prize nominee
Catherine Inglehearn
HM Ambassador to the Republic of Guinea
Aarush Lala
Read 100 books in a year to raise money for Books2Africa
Books To Africa International is a UK registered charity (1152599)
An organisation in special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) since 2017.
Unit 2, Barton Business Park, Canterbury, CT1 3AA.
We do not store credit card details nor do we share financial details with any third parties.
© Books2Africa – All rights reserved
Shipping and delivering 1 million books every year
involves the following:
Processing in the UK
Freight from the UK
Clearing and haulage in Africa
Books2Africa is a UK registered charity number 1152599
