By 2030, over a third of the world’s young people will be in Africa. Millions of them will have no books at all.
That’s an estimated 733 million children and young people who could become future doctors, teachers, business leaders, writers and more.
But, for millions of children and young people in Africa there is a real risk they will not realise their potential and be able to lift themselves out of the cycle of poverty, because they lack access to books and quality education.
Together, we can get them the books they need.
Through Generation Reader we will work with our partners to scale up our vital work, creating access to books in even more schools, more public and community libraries and more universities across sub-Saharan Africa.
We must act now to have an impact on the next generation of young people in Africa.
We are at the most critical juncture for Africa’s children. Get it right, and we set the foundation for a demographic dividend, which could lift hundreds of millions out of extreme poverty, and contribute to enhanced prosperity, stability, and peace.
Leila Pakkala, UNICEF’s Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa UNICEF Generation 2030 Africa 2.0 Report
Get involved
Want to find out more? Contact Cate, our Trusts and Corporates Manager
“Book Aid International’s Generation Reader is a campaign with an important and valuable goal: to provide 10 million young people across Africa with access to 1.5 million books by 2030. We are very happy to be supporting this.”
– Sigrid Rausing Trust
How you can help
We need to raise £4 million by 2030 to create a generation of readers.
Your donation today could make all the difference.
To start a conversation about your involvement contact Cate, our Trusts and Corporates Manager:
Meet the people who make it all possible
Your gifts will support ambitious young students who are determined to read, parents who are fighting for their children’s futures and teachers who are working to support young people against seemingly impossible odds.
Veronica in Liberia
I would say to somebody who says books are not important, don’t fool yourself. If you can read, you can lead.
Gifty Akologo in Ghana
If I hadn’t had books, I wouldn’t have known much. Books open your mind; they help you to know a lot.
Dalitso in Malawi
My school performance is changing because of the library and if the books were not there it would decline.
Eletina in Malawi
If I never had access to books, things would be different
Daniel James in Malawi
If anyone would want to bring more books to our school, I wish that they should bring more English books. I need more English books
Yvonne in Kenya
I have read about women who have succeeded. I believe I can succeed too.
Judith in Malawi
I want my daughter to keep on reading her books. I remind her how this is her chance to have a good life.
Find out more about our charity
Our mission and vision
Our vision is a world where everyone has access to books that will enrich, improve and change their lives.
Read moreReports and publications
Read our latest publications, including our Annual Review and Strategy.
Read moreOur finances
At Book Aid International all the income we receive is from voluntary donations – we receive no government grants.
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