Book Aid International increases access to books to support literacy, education and development in sub-Saharan Africa. Book Aid International believes that books are essential for gaining a good 
education.
As one of the world’s foremost library development charities, Book Aid International sends books to public and community libraries in schools, refugee camps, prisons, slums, universities and hospitals across the region as well as supporting the refurbishment of libraries and providing training for librarians.
“If education is the road out of poverty, books are the wheels needed for the journey.Richard Crabbe, Chairman, African Publishers Network, 1997-2002.
“We are too poor to afford an education. Until we have education we will always be poor,” Nepalese Headmaster.
New books are donated to Book Aid International in mint condition directly from the book trade. This fantastic support comes mainly in the form of overstocks and returns.
The new book donations that are received more than fulfil the quotas that can be afforded to ship overseas. This means that they do not accept second hand books.
Every year approximately 500,000 books carefully selected books are shipped to sub-Saharan Africa to help children, families and communities gain access to the information that they need. Books that have the potential to change lives.
Being able to read means that you can make choices in life, play a full part in society and create a bright future for yourself and your family. Some books can transport you to different places through stories and characters and some can help you to learn about health care, farming skills and human rights. Books can teach, enlighten and inspire. This is why books are so important.
Since the introduction of free primary education in many African countries in 2001, the number of children going to school in sub-Saharan Africa has increased by 10 million!
There is however, a great shortage of books in schools. In Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia over half the children in grade 6 are in classrooms where there is not a single book. In these and many other countries, many teachers report that they themselves don’t have a teaching manual in any of the subjects they teach. This makes learning and teaching really hard and often children leave school without being able to read properly.
This is why two thirds of the books that Book Aid International sends to Africa are for children.
In Kenya, an imaginative solution was found – using camels to transport books to remote communities, bringing them books and the opportunity to access essential information. Three camels are used – one for books, one for equipment and a further spare camel – and they journey up to the communities usually once a month delivering new books.
