Make a difference: Books2Africa charity
I have always wondered what it is I can do to make a difference in this world, no matter how small that difference is. I work a full time job, get paid and try to make a difference in my surrounding, so my family and I live a comfortable life within my means.
I have a cat, Nino, and I try to make his life as enjoyable as possible. Though I must admit he is the most cutest yet the most naughty cat I have ever met! He is spoiled and loves drinking from a cup and I was forced to buy him his own cup. I sometimes wonder who is more human, me or him?
But still, I know I can do more and so, I started to research several charities and during the planning of my social media posts, I came across Books2Africa charity. They were founded in 2012 and their mission is to promote a culture of ‘readcycling’ and improve the quality of education in Africa, through the collection, processing, shipping and distribution of quality books, computers and educational materials that equip individuals, institutions, and communities to acquire knowledge and achieve their full potential in a globalised world.
***Please note, all the information I am about to tell you and a lot more, can be found on https://books2africa.org/about/***
Challenges Books2Africa faces
If you don't know already, you need to realise one thing. Holding a book in your hand is a rarity in some parts of this world. But let's start with the appalling comparisons first.
According to NWF, 640,000 tons of books are being send to landfill every year in America and research shows that 7,500 books are wasted in the UK yearly. Now, that is an astonishing number and surely, those poor books must be crying for someone to hold them and learn from them again! Surely it is not just me who is so upset that the west is taking this privilege for granted while there are parts of the world where a book is a rarity! Let alone how many trees must be cut for the amount of paper needed to produce this amount of books! I am not even going to talk about companies such as Amazon who print brand new books, don't sell the books and then throw them out to the landfills!
The other appalling information about this statistic is the amount of children who are not getting even the minimum education. According to the UNESCO report, six out of ten children and adolescents globally, are not learning the minimum in reading and mathematics. That is approximately 617 million of children in total. From that shocking figure, 202 million of children and adolescents are from Sub-Saharan Africa. That is all due to the lack of quality educational resources. An estimated 770 millions across Africa have no access to electricity and 936 million still have no access to the internet! That was an astonishing discovery, the figures are phenomenally high and reading it like this makes me realise it's such a privilege to be able to study.
The Readcycling model
The readcycling model at Books2Africa is designed to extend the life of used book materials and computers and prevent them ending up on landfill sites. This is achieved by making sure that individuals and organisations are aware of alternative route and have a convenient alternative route available at Books2Africa. The used educational material is then send and re-used by individuals and organisations across Africa who lack adequate access to such resources. This in turn improves the quality of education in underprivileged communities, is cost-effective and the approach is environmentally sustainable.
Books2Africa Values
Universal Education:
Books2Africa’s definition of education is centred on a perspective of the world as a global community where different nations and civilisations can learn from one another to advance human development. Because every culture has something to teach us, sending Shakespeare’s Hamlet to a reader in Africa, or promoting Achebe’s Things Fall Apart to readers in the UK enables us to foster a more tolerant and informed global community where donors and beneficiaries are collaborators. As such, the books we provide are determined by the curiosity and requests of the communities we serve.
International Collaboration:
Books2Africa was founded in 2012 by four Nigerian students from the same family whose experiences of the educational system in Nigeria and the UK inspired them to start readcycling books in order to make a difference in both communities. Today, the charity’s operational model and strategic priorities continue to be shaped by African perspectives within a framework that enables international collaboration and mutual respect. The founding members continue to play active roles within the Board of Trustees, together with Honorary Trustees who are appointed according to their experience with the charity.
Environmental and Financial sustainability:
Books2Africa accepts donations of both new and used books and educational resources from individuals and organisations, ensuring that book lovers have available options to readcycle instead of recycling or sending materials to landfill. With the consent of our donors, up to 20% of donated educational materials are sold via our UK Charity Shop, to fund the charity’s overheads. This gives the charity a greater degree of financial sustainability and ensures that 100% of donated funds from sponsors and partners are spent wholly on the processing and shipping costs of donated materials to those in need across Africa.
How can we help?
There are many ways Books2Africa allows our help, I am including links below which you can look at and donate.
Donate books and computers, please read more here https://books2africa.org/donate-books-and-computers/
Sponsor a shipment, please read more here https://books2africa.org/sponsorship/
Organise a readcycling week, please read more here https://books2africa.org/readcycling/
You can also volunteer at the UK processing centre in Canterbury https://books2africa.org/volunteer/
And lastly If you are like me and do not have hundreds or thousands to spare and are not an owner of many study materials, there is an option to make a monthly donation for as little as £5 per month. Or any amount you wish under a single donation. You can find out more here https://books2africa.org/donate/
Comments