Inspiring Readers

By providing more books to classrooms across Africa, our Inspiring Readers project is helping hundreds of thousands of children thrive in school.  

So many schoolchildren have never held a new book 

In sub-Saharan Africa, many children in primary schools can learn only by sharing a few copies of ragged, out of date textbooks.

It makes teaching children to read far harder, and means too often children leave primary schools without basic literacy skills. And without the ability to read confidently, children will find it nearly impossible to break the cycle of poverty and grasp the opportunities the world holds for them. 

Inspiring Readers aims bring books into children’s schools, and support them to become confident readers and reach their full potential.

The power of Inspiring Readers

In each Inspiring Readers school, we provide a cupboard library packed with 950 new books as well as a grant to purchase locally published books and training for librarians in how to use those books to enrich classroom learning.

The books we provide in schools include everything from fiction for the youngest readers to books to help older children with their studies – and they’re chosen to support learning and inspire a love of reading.

We also build close links between schools and their nearest Children’s Corner, so pupils can access an even bigger collection of books and benefit from the passion and expertise of local librarians.

The impact ripples right across communities. Teachers gain confidence, children read more regularly and, as word spreads, parents do more to support their children’s reading and often read more themselves.

 

SDG 4

Quality Education

SDG 10

Reduced inequality

Impact since 2015

325,142

Pupils benefitting

327

School libraries created

964

Teachers trained

A long-term solution

Ezekiel is the Head Teacher at Koriema Primary School – a rural region of Kenya. Many of the children in his school come to school hungry, and none have books at home. He knows that education is key to breaking the cycle of poverty – and that books are a key part of the solution:

We are going to solve this long term problem once and for all if you continue giving us books. When pupils get the books, they learn, they perform better, they go for further studies and they get good jobs. The community will improve. So, books are very important. 

Ezekiel, Head Teacher, Kenya
Children reading in Ezekiel’s school, Koriema, Kenya

What Inspiring Readers delivers

  • A carefully selected book collection in schools, including UK donated and locally purchased books
  • Training that helps teachers inspire a love of reading and bring their lessons to life in the classroom
  • Links between schools and Children’s Corners, building a culture of reading across communities

Fund this project

It costs £3,400 to create a new Inspiring Readers school library.

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.

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Our finances

At Book Aid International all the income we receive is from voluntary donations – we receive no government grants.

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