Basic Organization Information
Books for Africa, Inc.
- Also Known As:
-
BFA
- Physical Address:
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St. Paul, MN
55101
- EIN:
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41-1627391
- Web URL:
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www.booksforafrica.org
- NTEE Category:
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P Human Services
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P30 Children's and Youth Services
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Q International, Foreign Affairs, and National Security
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Q99 International, Foreign Affairs, and National Security N.E.C.
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B Educational Institutions
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B99 Education N.E.C.
- Year Founded:
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1988
- Ruling Year:
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1993
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Mission Statement
Books For Africa's vision is to end the book famine in Africa. To accomplish that, the organization collects, sorts and ships donated textbooks, reference and general reading books to countries throughout Africa.
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Impact Summary from the Nonprofit
<div>Books for Africa has sent over 27 million books to 46 African countries. These books have served to establish libraries in schools, universities, community centers and orphanages in those countries.
<p>The impact of Books For Africa's work was perhaps stated best by former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan: </p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>"Books For Africa is a simple idea, but its impact is transformative. For us, as I have said before, literacy is quite simply the bridge from misery to hope. Literacy provides the keys to learning and empowers the individuals to expand their choices and opportunities for the future." </em></p>
<p><em></em></p></div>
Revenue and Expenses
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Balance Sheet
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Leadership
Mr. Patrick Plonski, Ph.D.
Term:
Since
Jan
2003
Profile:
Patrick Plonski started as executive director on January 1, 2003. He comes from the U of MN where he served as executive director of MAELC (Minnesota Agricultural Education Leadership Council.)
Leadership Statement:
<div>At Books For Africa, we believe that education is the great equalizer in the world, and that books are at the foundation of a strong educational system. In the words of former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan: "Literacy is quite simply the bridge from misery to hope." We appreciate your help in building the bridge that will expand opportunities for so many Africans. </div>
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Program:
Books For Africa
- Budget:
-
--
- Category:
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International, Foreign Affairs & National Security
- Population Served:
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Children and Youth (infants - 19 years.)
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Poor/Economically Disadvantaged, Indigent, General
Program Description:
Books For Africa is a simple name for a simple organization. We collect, sort, ship and distribute books to the children of Africa.
Program Long-Term Success:
Books For Africa is the largest shipper of books to the African continent. Since 1988, we have shipped over 23 million books to 45 different African countries.
Program Short-Term Success:
<div>In the last two years, BFA has continued to work to better meet the changing needs of its African recipients. One recent development was the establishmend of the Jack Mason Law & Democracy Initiative. With many new deomocracies lookign for support in solidifying the rule of law, this initiative was designed to address the scarcity of law and human rights books. This initiative is being supported by ThomsonReuters / Westlaw, who have donated needed text and reference books. In late 2008, BFA sent a 'seed law library' to the Grimes School of Law in Liberia, and has followed that with numerous other containers. </div>
<div>In 2009, BFA opened a new warehouse in Atlanta, Georgia. This move is helping to significantly reduce the cost of over-land trucking necessary to get shipments to port and the collection of books from publishing partners located in the Southeast. </div>
Program Success Monitored by:
<div>Books For Africa measures its success by the number of high-quality books shipped and distributed throughout Africa. The BFA staff and board of directors monitor and review the activities through on-site visits as well as written reports from book recipients on book quality and usefulness. </div>
Program Success Examples:
<div>The real successes are not reflected in mere numbers, but in the inidividual stories that regularly come in from recipients. Some of these stories are shared through the email and print newsletters (on website). One example is the feedback from a South African teacher: " The books were of the highest quality and exceeded my expectations on every level. I cannot even begin to describe the gratitude and excitement shared by countless volunteers, communities, schools and children. Thank you!" Another example came from a teacher in Namibia: "The library has become a quiet haven for the children to come and spend their time. Within its walls, there is a safety for academic curiostiy; there, teh children can forget what awaits them outside. They spend long, lazy AFrican hours sprawled out, flipping mesmerized through picture books, tracing words with their fingers, asking for definitions and explanations." </div>
Program:
Jack Mason Law & Democracy Initiative
- Budget:
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--
- Category:
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International, Foreign Affairs & National Security
- Population Served:
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Adults
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Blacks
Program Description:
<div>Books For Africa's Jack Mason Law & Democracy Initiative provides law and human rights books to new democracies looking for support in solidifying the rule of law. Books for this intiative are provided by Thomson Reuters/ Westlaw, the lawbook publishing arm of Thomson Reuters. </div>
Program Long-Term Success:
<div>This is a relatively new program, so it is difficult to measure the long-term success. </div>
Program Short-Term Success:
<div>Law and human rights libraries have been established at numerous African Law Schools and Universities, starting with the Grimes School of Law in Liberia. </div>
Program Success Monitored by:
<div>This program is monitored through written reports from recipients and annual site visits by the program's director. </div>
Program Success Examples:
Program:
Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Vocational Skills Initiative
- Budget:
-
--
- Category:
-
- Population Served:
-
Program Description:
<p>The Books For Africa Agriculture, Natural Resource, and Vocational Skills Initiative provides libraries of new textbooks focused on improving African agricultural systems. The books offer training for secondary and post-secondary students in the best practices for food production and farming. The libraries focuses on four areas of agricultural development including: crops, animals, the environment and farming practices. The knowledge in these books will help African communities tailor solutions to the unique challenges they face to develop efficient food and agricultural systems for generations to come.</p>
Program Long-Term Success:
Program Short-Term Success:
Program Success Monitored by:
Program Success Examples:
Evidence of Impact
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