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Books delivered to students and teachers in Africa

UK Registered Charity No 1152599

Our Story

Great things take time to achieve, but anything is possible if you devote your time and energy to gain knowledge, seek truth and stand up for what you believe. Your mind is your greatest weapon, expose it to the perspectives and realities of others. Learn by doing and never stop until you’ve passed on your knowledge and experiences to the next generation.

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Watch - Books2Africa's journey to 1 million books

Improving the quality of education in Africa

“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

Reducing the quantity of
books going to landfill

Every year more than 13 million 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

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Mission Statement

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.

Impact Statement

Books2Africa is a UK charity that collects and sends donated books to increase the quality of education in Africa by helping individuals and communities to access, read, and understand books, and to extend the life and impact of books by decreasing book waste and increasing book 'readcycling'.

Our Model

Sustainable

Our 80/20 fundraising model means we cover our overheads by trading up to 20% of donated books and resources via our charity shop.

Cost-effective

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.

Transparent

Our Integrated Web App and Database tracks donated books from the donor to the receiver, with impact photos and reports published on our website.

Explore Our Journey

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.
Founded as a student volunteering society at the University of Kent
Founded as a student volunteering society at the University of KentJan 2012
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.
Became a UK registered charity operating from a storage unit in Dover
Became a UK registered charity operating from a storage unit in DoverMay 2013
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.
First pallet shipment to College Al-Irfane in Morocco, funded by the college
First pallet shipment to College Al-Irfane in Morocco, funded by the collegeFeb 2014
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!
First container shipment to Nigeria funded by Universal Channel Africa
First container shipment to Nigeria funded by Universal Channel AfricaNov 2015
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.
First distribution office in Africa opened in Jos, Nigeria
First distribution office in Africa opened in Jos, NigeriaMay 2016
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.
Moved to warehouse and achieved UN consultative status
Moved to warehouse and achieved UN consultative statusMay 2017
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.
Opened more Distribution offices in Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda and Kenya
Opened more Distribution offices in Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda and KenyaDec 2018
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.
1 million books
1 million booksMay 2019
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1 million books, shipped and distributed to students and teachers across Africa annually

Can you join hands with us via a commitment to donate books, funds or both on a monthly or yearly basis to enable us deliver 1 million books every year? 

JOIN OUR BOOK CLUB

Board

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.

Dr Tonson Sango

Founding Trustee &
Executive Director of Operations

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Dr Precious N. Sango

Founding Trustee &
Director of Education

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Mr Chumang Sango

Founding Trustee &
Director of IT

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Mr Gideon Sango

Founding Trustee &
Director of Africa Partnerships

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Ms Arshita Nandan

Honorary Trustee

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Ms Alexandra Kieffer

Honorary Trustee

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Our team members are happy to attend and speak at your event to support Books2Africa. Please complete the online form to request a speaker.

Request A Speaker

Processing Team

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

Warehouse Manager

Brenda Read

Charity Shop Supervisor

Augustina Osue

Admin Supervisor

Apply to volunteer

We have volunteering opportunities for people currently in the UK and those who would like to come here on a Tier 5 charity worker visa for our International Volunteering Programme.

Ambassadors

Amazing individuals who inspire us and use their experience, skills 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 Niger

Aarush Lala

Read 100 books in a year to raise money for Books2Africa

Sérgio Fernandes

Supply Chain Development Manager with over 20 years' experience in book publishing

Gemma Sherrington

Fundraising Board Director specialising in Fundraising and Marketing at Save The Children UK

Books2Africa is a registered charity (1152599) with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Click the button to view our financials on the Charity Commission’s website.

View our Financial Statements
  • Sponsors Wall
Special thanks to the following amazing organisations

Kent Union

Books2Africa started as a student society at the University of Kent in 2012 and received a start-up fund from Kent Union

A&S Self Storage

More than 11,000 books were collected in the first year and A&S provided discounted storage, enabling us move the operation off campus and become a registered charity.

Google For Nonprofits

After becoming a registered charity, Books2Africa was accepted on the Google For Non Profits programme, receiving free digital advertising that spread the word across the UK and beyond.

Clugton Technologies

The charity has benefited from thousands of pounds worth of web design and development from Clugton, enabling us run an efficient information and communications technology infrastructure.

Universal Channel Africa

As part of the launch of Season 2 of TV show The Librarians, Universal Channel ran a TV campaign that raised £12,000 to fund our first container shipments of books to Africa.

Ninety Consulting

With a business model committed to donating 90% of their profits to charity, Ninety Consulting started funding container shipments of books in 2015

TBN UK

TBN UK aired a 30 second video about Books2Africa for several weeks on their newly launched faith and family TV channel, free of charge!

Macmillan Education

For 175 years Macmillan has built lasting relationships with teachers and educators around the world. in 2016, they started donating books to the charity and funding container shipments.

Wristband Creation

This California based company provided free customised wristbands used as part of Books2Africa's fundraising materials.

Commonwealth Education Trust

As a charity with a shared purpose of advancing education across the Commonwealth is shared, the CET decided to fund a shipment.

Zendesk Chat

Books2Africa receives a 100% charitable discount from Zendesk Chat, a toll that takes away the stress from Customer Service.

Gravity Forms

Books2Africa received a 35% charitable discount from Gravity Forms, the "Easiest Tool to Create Advanced Forms for Your Website".

Zapier

Books2Africa received a 100% charitable discount from Zapier, the "best way to Connect Your Apps and Automate Workflows".

Convertize

Books2Africa receives 100% of profits from the sale of Smart Persuasion, a book by digital marketing company Convertize.

BrightPay

Books2Africa receives a 100% charitable discount from BrightPay, "payroll software that makes managing payroll quick and easy".

Gravity Wiz

Books2Africa receives a 50% charitable discount from Gravity Wiz, a company dedicated to providing awesome Gravity Forms resources in the form of snippets, tutorials and plugins.

Hootsuite

Books2Africa receives a 50% charitable discount from Hootsuite, a social media management platform created to help people connect on social media and do amazing things together.

DealsDaddy UK

We have started supporting books2africa because we believe "There is no friend as loyal as a book"
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About Books2Africa
Make Impact
Make a significant impact as an individual or organisation by helping to fund the shipment and delivery of one million books to students and teachers across Africa every year.
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Fundraise for Books2Africa on JustGiving

Books To Africa International is a UK registered charity (1152599)
An organisation in special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council 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 

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About us
How To Help
1mbc

Shipping and delivering 1 million books every year
involves the following:

Volume
  • 20,000 books fit in 1 x 20ft container
  • 1,000,000 books fit in 50 x 20ft containers
  • 4 x 20ft containers shipped monthly
Costs
  • £5,000 to process, ship and clear each container of 20,000 books
  • £20,000 delivers 4 containers monthly
Fundraising Target
  • 2,000 individuals giving £10 or more monthly, or 50 corporate partners sponsoring 1 container per year. Thank you.

30%

Processing in the UK

30%

Freight from the UK

40%

Clearing and haulage in Africa

Books2Africa is a UK registered charity number 1152599