Country context
Ghana gained independence from Britain in 1957, becoming the first sub-Saharan nation to break free from colonial rule. The country has seen rapid growth in recent years and has reduced its poverty rate from 52.6% to 21.4% between 1991 and 2012. However, not everyone is benefiting from this growth, with poverty concentrated in rural areas and the North.
Why we work in Ghana
For many years, the shelves of libraries in Ghana have been stocked primarily with out-of-date books, leaving many across Ghana with few opportunities to read inspiring, relevant books. Over 38 years, the service went from having over one million books to just 500,000. A recent survey revealed that only 2% of Ghanaian children in Grade 2 were able to read fluently.
Today, the Ghana Library Authority is looking to a bright future. The new Executive Director of the Ghana Library Authority has a passion for ensuring that everyone has access to the books that will change their lives. Hayford and his team are investing in appropriate resources, particularly for children and see the partnership with Book Aid International as a good step towards addressing literacy challenges in Ghana.
What we do in Ghana
In 2018 we sent 66,287 brand new books to Ghana. 21,338 of those are being distributed across the country to support the Ghana Library Authority’s 60 libraries to give Ghanaians from all walks of life the opportunity to read, learn and reach their full potential.
The remaining 44,949 were sent to NGOs working in Ghana including AfriKids, Humanitas, Rainbow Trust and Reading Spots who support communiy projects and children’s and education.
