Impact Report
Book Buddies By Ashezi is an NGO founded by then 9-year-old Ashezi Akwashiki (who just turned 10) and is all about spreading the love of books and opening doors to a world of imagination to kids especially the indigent ones in our communities. We’re on a mission to help kids discover the world, one book at a time through setting up Book clubs at IDP camp schools and donating books to indigent children and generally encouraging children to fall in love with reading.
I am Ashezi Akwashiki, ten-years-old girl who loves reading. I had always wanted to start a book club but never had the opportunity. However, six months ago, at the age of 9 years, my Mum agreed to help me start one and I had my first book club meeting with my fellow book buddies at the Kuchingoro IDP camp in Abuja. This saw the birth of my NGO, Book Buddies By Ashezi. Before finding Books2Africa, we struggled with getting affordable books since funding was a limiting factor. However, with Books2Africa we got 100 in December at the rate of N300 each which has been most helpful. We have just ordered for another 100 books and hope to get some more as we get sponsors. The goal is to donate at least 20,000 books to kids by December 2025 and also set up a library for your kids. We intend to do this by partnering with Books2Africa to achieve this goal.
The storybooks from Books2Africa has helped with vocalbury development and reading skills in the children at the IDP camp. We have received storybooks like Tom’s Haircut , Robinhood and the Merrymen , Sally’s Way, and Preofessor Green and the Snake and these have all helped the children’s reading skills. The teachers are encouraged to go over the books given during the club meetings to the kids to help to improve their knowledge and vocabulary.
Starting book clubs at the IDP camps for the kids have been quite impactful. The kids look forward to reading the story books. learning new words and using their time productively. They get to explore new worlds through one book at a time.