Rageh Omaar presents our BBC Radio 4 Appeal
Tune in to hear why Rageh Omaar believes in the power of books.
Rageh knows that books give people power
Hargeisa, the city in Somaliland where Rageh’s family is from, was devastated by war. Today, the people there are rebuilding and at the heart of the city’s recovery is a thriving library. With the support of people like you, we provided 100,000 of the books on its shelves.
Rageh has seen the library rise from the ashes of war, and he always visits when he returns to Hargeisa. He’s seen how its books ignite ambitions, fire imaginations and enrich learning.
But in his work as a journalist he’s also seen how many people still have no books at all.
During the appeal, he’ll share his experiences of seeing Hargeisa’s young people using books to build the futures they want, and tell us why he believes that everyone should have the chance to read.
Listen now
You can listen now on catch up:
Donate
Every £2 you give will send another brand-new book.
About our charity
Every year, we provide over one million brand-new books to communities around the world and create new libraries where reading and learning can flourish. You can help us send the next book.
The power of books
Books give people power. They transform how people see themselves and the world around them. But millions of people are forced to live without books. We’re here to change that.
Read moreListen to the appeal
The appeal is available on catch up.
Why books matter
For readers like Eletina, Tofiro and Ahmed, the books we send are a lifeline.
Eletina in Malawi
If I never had access to books, things would be different
Tofiro in Zimbabwe
We get a lot of assistance from reading books that help us to manage the garden.
Ahmed Makkour in Syria
The cost of a book could be $100. That $100 could be a month’s worth of food for a whole family.
Monica in Ghana
If someone said ‘oh books are not important’ I would tell that person she is out of her mind!
Habiba in Greece
I think the books are very good for me – for my heart.