The Beit Trust

We’ve been supported by the Beit Trust since 1981. The trust is one of our largest and most long-term trust supporters and is the major donor supporting our book provision in Southern Africa.

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Every year around 33,000 of the books we send to southern Africa are funded by the Beit Trust. A small percentage of the funding the Trust provides also enables our partners to purchase much needed curriculum and textbooks locally.

The Beit Trust supports our books provision programme for secondary schools, higher education institutions and public libraries in Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The books include secondary textbooks, vocational and technical, business and finance, higher education, health and medical, reference and leisure reading.

Originally set up in 1906 by Mr Alfred Beit to improve and develop infrastructure and communications in Southern Africa, the Beit Trust now funds projects in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe related to education, health, welfare and the environment.

The Beit Trust has supported Book Aid International and its predecessors for over 30 years. Books remain an essential learning resource, and BAI supplies high quality texts across an unmatchable range. They also continue to ensure the regular delivery of over 300,000 books a year to the Beit beneficial countries of Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi, a service second to none. We look forward to continuing this partnership, for the benefit of the people of those countries.
Sir Andrew Pocock, Secretary to the Beit Trustees

Examples of institutions supported by our partnership with The Beit Trust

College of Medicine University of Malawi (UM-COM)

With the funding from the Beit Trust, Book Aid International sent 1,065 books to UM-COM in 2021. These books are making a significant impact on the students who use the textbooks to study for exams and complete their essay assignments.

Copperbelt University, Zambia

Book Aid International sent 1,053 books to Copperbelt University in 2021. The university is the second highest ranked university in Zambia and has approximately 11,000 students on roll. As the University does not have a budget for purchasing books, these up-to-date books are an important element in supporting students with their studies.

Harare and Bulawayo Distribution Committees (HDC and BDC) Zimbabwe

With funding from the Beit Trust Book Aid International sent 10,420 books to HDC and BDC in 2021. These books have been distributed to hundreds of secondary schools, public libraries, universities, hospitals and prisons. The books are helping students study for exams, professionals improve their skills, teachers learn new techniques and medical practitioners improve their patient care.