A message from Book Aid International

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela

In sub-Saharan Africa, 151 million people can not read or write. That’s 151 million people who can’t read a medicine bottle, text book, instruction manual or ballot paper. 151 million people who are effectively excluded from taking control of their lives and their futures. Poverty and illiteracy go hand in hand. Unable to read and write, it is more difficult to get health care, find employment or make decisions that could lead to a life out of poverty. However books are a luxury that very few people can afford and without books, literacy is extremely hard to achieve, and maintain. For children, education offers the chance of a brighter future and without books a quality education is extremely difficult to achieve.

“Books make you happy. Books solve different problems which maybe you can't talk to somebody about. So books are very important to us children ....we need as many books as possible in order to gain new ideas” Vicky, School pupil from Tanzania

Over the past 54 years, Book Aid International has sent over 25 million carefully chosen and high quality books to some of the poorest countries in the world. In villages and cities, schools and universities, libraries, reading rooms and refugee camps, Book Aid International books have been read over and over again by children and adults looking to learn and to change their lives.

We need your help to continue in our work. For every £2.00 donated we can send another book to those who need it most.

We believe books change lives, and we hope you do too.