Books 2 Africa
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My name is Ewald Visser. I am a junior at Bentonville High School in Bentonville, Arkansas, U.S.A.
Reading is my passion. I love to read; it is one of my favorite things to do. I believe that the better a child can
read, the easier that child will find it to study, to learn, to grow. But in order for a child to fall in love with reading
and with books, they must first have something worthwhile to read.
Like Katherine Paterson said:
“It is not enough to simply teach children to read;
we have to give them something worth reading.
Something that will stretch their imaginations-
something that will help them make sense of their own lives
and encourage them to reach out toward people
whose lives are quite different from their own.”
In Africa, the situation is a lot different than here in the United States of America. In many African countries, it is
difficult to find a book to read, let alone find a book that is worth reading. The Republic of South Africa is just
one of the many countries in Africa with a dire need for books. I quote from the SA Partners website (they are
the American partners of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund): “The vast majority of schools in South Africa
have no functional library. Over 60% of schools have no library materials. Of the schools in the Province of the
Eastern Cape, for example, 93% do not have a library. Overall, 85 percent of the population of South Africa
lives beyond the reach of a public library.”
I want to share my passion of reading with as many children in Africa as I possibly can by supplying them with
books they might not otherwise have had access to. It is for this reason that I have for the past three years
organized book drives to collect books for school libraries in Southern Africa. With all the support I received
from the Bentonville school principals, teachers, and students, as well as all the support I received from
individuals both in our own community and further afield, all three book drives have been resounding
successes. More details about these book drives are given on the following few pages.
From the first 1,100 books that were sent to South Africa in 2007, the project has continued to grow every
year. So far, thanks to a lot of generous contributions, 22,000 books have been donated the past three years.
They have been sent to South Africa and its neighboring countries to relieve a bit of the book shortage there.
Just imagine the impact these books can have on the lives of so many children.
But the work is not finished. I have received e-mails from individuals in Tanzania, Kenya, Cameroon and South
Africa asking if it is possible to receive some of the donated books for their local libraries. The need for books
is very real and very pressing.
I am currently accepting books for this year's book drive, so I would like to implore you to consider donating
your books to the book drive. I am looking for children’s books - Kindergarten through High School, fiction as
well as non-fiction. We will even come and pick up any books you would like to donate from your home or
business in Northwest Arkansas. Just complete the form on the “Contact Me” page, and we will contact you to
arrange for a time and place to pick up the books. Just go through your bookshelves and donate as many
books as you possibly can.
Please help me to expose the children of Africa to books that can fuel their imagination; books that can open
up the world to them; books that can help them to grow as individuals...
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Above: The Interact Club of Southside High School In
Fort Smith, Arkansas, donated thousands of books
to the 2010 Books2Africa book drive.
Fort Smith, Arkansas, donated thousands of books
to the 2010 Books2Africa book drive.
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Website updated March 13, 2010
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Above: Many hands make light work...Members of
the Bentonville High School Marching Band are
always prepared to help.
the Bentonville High School Marching Band are
always prepared to help.