Our impact when conflict strikes

20 million young people around the world who are living with conflict are out of school - and today more people are displaced by conflict than at any time since The Second World War.

In 2018, we made it a priority to provide books to those who live with or have fled conflict.

Reaching refugees in Greece

In Greece, refugees seeking safety from wars at home continue to arrive every week. When they reach Greece, they are supported by a network of small NGOs, many of which operate on a shoe-string and in difficult conditions. These inspiring organsiations provide the opportunity for refugees to return to education, to begin to learn English and to find a safe space which offers refuge from the day to day realities of camp life.

In 2018, we worked with seven of these grassroots organisations to support refugees, providing 5,669 books for all ages to community libraries, classrooms and mobile libraries to help displaced people begin to write the next chapter. These books are transformative for refugees like Habiba:

I think the books are very good for me – for my heart. Books are very good for relaxation. Read Habiba's story

Books for displaced children in Cameroon

Thousands of children have lost their homes since 2017 in Cameroon’s escalating violence. In 2018 we worked with our long-standing partner to provide a total of 5,000 books in damp proof, lockable boxes to children who have lost their homes and schools and are sheltering in the forests.

These books often children who are facing hardship the opportunity to read, learn and escape into a story. Find out more

We believe that we can give these children hope in a hopeless situation. Dreams should not end because there is strife and conflict, but unless we right the wrongs now for these children so they can learn today, there will be no tomorrow for them and their communities.

– A Bishop in Cameroon

Restoring the library IS destroyed

In 2015, IS fighters destroyed the University of Mosul library, burning over one million books. The Mosul Book Bridge campaign was founded by lecturer Alaa Hamdon when he returned to the city and saw the damage. It has one goal: to to restore the library.

In 2018 we sent 3,791 brand new, higher education texts to the library, helping them begin the process of restoring what IS destroyed and supporting students returning to their university.

Those books are very valuable and will make a big difference to students Read more

Putting books in Syrian classrooms

As Syria’s devastating civil war enters its eighth year, the education of an entire generation is at risk. International NGO Syria Relief is working to keep Syrian children in school and in 2018 we provided them with 16,000 Arabic readers to support pupils’ learning. These books are a life-line for young readers, many of whom have known nothing but war.

We also sent over 9,000 higher education texts to Idlib University, giving students access to vital information.

These books have the power to change our children’s lives because, through reading, they will learn new skills and become more creative. The books will give hope once more to the children. Read one school's story

Every £2 you give will send a book

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