Charleston School District Donates Books to Africa

Children in Africa receiving much-needed educational resources through book donations.

News Summary

The Charleston County School District has initiated a program to donate used books to African communities, addressing literacy challenges while promoting environmental sustainability. The initiative filters through non-state-adopted books to collect around 36,000 pounds each summer for redistribution, with significant contributions made to the nonprofit Books For Africa. This partnership helps alleviate the ‘book famine’ by delivering educational resources to children in need, ultimately fostering better education and opportunities in under-resourced areas.

Charleston – The Charleston County School District (CCSD) has launched a program to donate used books to communities in Africa, significantly improving literacy while addressing environmental concerns by recycling educational materials. This initiative, which has seen growing success over the years, prevents thousands of pounds of books from going to landfills and supports the educational needs of children in under-resourced areas.

Each summer, the CCSD, which operates over 80 schools, engages in a thorough process of filtering through its library resources to identify non-state-adopted books that can be donated. The effort, led by media center and curriculum textbook coordinators, results in the collection of approximately 36,000 pounds of used books each season, all ready for redistribution to those in need.

During the peak donation months, up to 400 boxes of books are processed daily at the district’s distribution warehouse located in North Charleston. The volume of books varies greatly, with large pallet-sized boxes containing anywhere from 2 to 350 books depending on their dimensions and weight. Currently, the warehouse is preparing 20 pallets of books for shipment to a Minnesota-based nonprofit organization called Books For Africa.

Throughout the summer, the CCSD commits to sending up to four loads of donated books to the Books For Africa distribution center in Atlanta. Once the books arrive, volunteers screen them for quality and relevance. Any books that are not suitable for distribution are responsibly shredded and recycled, ensuring minimal waste.

Books For Africa is dedicated to addressing the “book famine” in various African nations, primarily focusing on regions south of the Sahara Desert. Since its establishment in 1988, the organization has distributed over 62 million books to 55 countries. In 2022 alone, it successfully delivered more than 1.6 million books to children who need them the most.

Among the donated books from CCSD, over two million have been specifically sent to Books For Africa, which accounts for about 30% of the total books shipped to the continent. The organization emphasizes the significance of reading and education in empowering local communities, particularly in rural areas where access to educational resources is limited.

CCSD leader Jonathan Robinson has highlighted the pride they take in contributing to this important cause and the positive impact the book donation program has on children’s education in Africa. By providing these resources, the program aims to create better workforce opportunities through improved education in areas that require it most.

The joy experienced by children receiving these books has been likened to the excitement of receiving Christmas presents, reflecting the deep appreciation and impact these donations offer. With each book sent, the CCSD and Books For Africa continue working towards a shared goal of enhancing educational opportunities and fostering a love of reading among children in Africa.