Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Many African children grow up without books, while U.S. bookshelves and landfills overflow with books no longer read. Africa has the highest percentage of illiteracy in the world. Books are the key to increasing literacy, and literacy is the #1 tool out of poverty. Many African teachers teach reading, writing, math and English without even a single book to use as a resource. Most the children in the Anglophone countries where ALP partners must take school exams in English in order to qualify to complete secondary school (high school) and to be eligible for college.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Small library development
Our core program is starting and improving small libraries in sub-Saharan Africa. Our volunteer driven, grassroots organization coordinates book drives in the USA. Each book drive collects 1,000 gently used children's books and raises about $500 to ship them, using our inexpensive container system. In Africa, we partner with NGO and government organizations (e.g., Ministry of Education) who can support the development of 30-60 libraries year after year.
Where we work
External reviews

Photos
Videos
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The African Library Project changes lives book by book by starting libraries in rural Africa. Our grassroots approach mobilizes U.S. volunteers, young and old, to organize book drives and ship books to a partner library in Africa. Our method makes a concrete and personal difference for children on both continents
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
1) The African schools and communities apply through a local partner organization to request a library. Each school or community is required to provide the space, bookshelves and staffing for the library, which encourages sustainability. They also specify the kinds of books needed for greatest impact.
2) We match each approved African library project with a U.S.-based school or organization that agrees to collect gently used books and to raise the money to ship the books.
3) We support both parties to create a fabulous library! On the U.S. side, we support book drive organizers with specific tools and methods to collect 1000 books and raise $500 per library project. On the Africa side, we provide a manual on how to set up and run a library in a developing country. Our partners provide training and follow up to evaluate each project and encourage good library practices, so that donated books reach those who need them most.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Our partners in Africa work with us to develop 30-60 new libraries every year in their region. They screen and select local library projects, clear the books through customs, and warehouse and distribute the books to their destination. They also train teacher-librarians, measure progress and ensure each library thrives over time. Our partners include non-profits and governmental organizations.
Our volunteer book drive organizers collect 1000 books and raise about $500 in shipping funds for each library.
They rally their local communities to donate books; sort the books to ensure appropriate fit; hold a book packing party to get the books ready for shipment; and mail the books to our U.S. warehouse.
.
Our Board of Directors are hands-on volunteers who are deeply involved in planning, organizing and implementing our core activities.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
As of February 2019, we have:
Completed 2,620 libraries in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Cameroon, Lesotho, Nigeria, Botswana, Swaziland, Malawi, Ghana, South Africa, Sierra Leone, and Kenya.
Created 1,500+ partnerships with U.S. schools and other organizations.
Donated over 2.6 million books.
Organized major conferences to share best practices among our African Partners in 2008 (Botswana), 2009 (Lesotho), 2011 (Swaziland), 2013 (Malawi), 2015 (Ghana) and Botswana (2017).
Financials
Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more
about GuideStar Pro.
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
African Library Project
Board of directorsas of 02/22/2022
Julie Freeman
Karen Levesque
Amy Jo Carson
Kathryn Goettl
Anu Kulkarni
Margaret Elvekrog
Marla Williams
Christina De Simone
Karen Levesque
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
-
Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.
Leadership
No data
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 04/19/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.