How to Donate Books to Kids in Africa

Donating new and gently used books to Africa can be done through a variety of charities. Most charities have locations in the United States where books are to be delivered before they are sent to Africa. Some of these charities require a monetary donation with the books to cover the cost of shipping. Books can be fiction, non-fiction, adult, children, textbook or reference. They should be new or gently used. Books such as Bibles, American history or ethnic books may not be appropriate. Review the specific requirements for the chosen charity as each organization is a little different.

Things You'll Need

• New and gently used books published after 1995
• Address for charity
• Box
• Packaging tape

Instructions

Choose Charity, Gather Books or Money

1. Choose a charity organization to receive the book donation. There are a variety of organizations with different focuses. Some are designed to provide textbooks while others focus on children's books. Sabre Foundation does not accept book donations from individuals, but will accept monetary donations to help with shipping costs. Books for Africa is another charity that has specific needs around the kinds of books that are acceptable. The African Library Project requests a monetary donation with the books to cover the cost of shipping. A link to a variety of charities that donate books to Africa is listed in the resource section.

2. Gather the books to donate. A local book drive through a school or other organization will allow for more books to be donated. Verify all books are new or very gently used. Books with worn spines, torn pages or other damage should not be donated.

3. Pack the books in boxes. Each box should not weigh more than 50 pounds. No packaging should be included inside the box. Use packing tape to securely close the boxes. Write the appropriate address on the front of the box and ship them.

Tips & Warnings

• Organizing a book drive to gather books and monetary donations is an excellent service project for an older student. Neighborhood drives are also an excellent method to gather additional books to be shipped. If shipping is too expensive, search for a local drop spot. Some organizations, such as the American Library Association or Books for Africa, have chapters throughout the United States that accept donations or can direct you to a local organization that will accept donations.

References

• Books for Africa
• African Library Project
• American Library Association

Resources

• Africa South of the Sahara