African Story Box
Our African Story Box project gives children the chance to discover stories from near and far, helping to spark a love of reading that will last a lifetime.
Without great stories, it’s harder to fall in love with reading
In the communities where we work, many families live on just a few dollars a day, meaning books are a luxury few can afford. Schools and libraries often have very few books – with non-fiction titles always the priority, to support children’s studies.
But having the chance to read stories is so often what makes children discover the true power of books – firing their imaginations and helping them see the world in new ways. The impact can last a lifetime.
So, through our African Story Boxes, we help children read fiction books from Africa, the UK and around the world – and we work with local partners to promote the incredible value of stories.
The power of African Story boxes
Each African Story Box contains 200 books – 100 locally published in Africa and 100 carefully selected English language titles. They range from picture books to poems and folk tales, and we include guidance to help teachers promote reading, too.
To provide a diverse and engaging range of African stories, we build close links with local publishers and reading agencies, and we support our partners to run a live event to promote the power of reading in communities and in the media.
By creating a rich and diverse collection of books for young readers, we can help children discover the power of books and begin a life-time of reading.
Each African Story Box delivers
- The joy of reading books from near and far
- Books for schools and libraries to share with young readers
- Links between local publishers and schools to promote reading
Related SDGs:
SDG 4
Quality Education
SDG 10
Reduced inequality
Impact since 2022
154,586
Students benefitting
204
Schools benefitting
27,040
Local books purchased
Fund this project
It costs £1,000 to send an African Story Box to a school
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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