What Does 15 Years of Changing Lives Book by Book Look Like?
This slideshow follows our progress over the African Library Project’s first 15 years. We go back to the very first African Library Project library and slingshot forward with what we hope the next 15 years will look like. We hope you’ll join us on this adventure. Learn more about the African Library Project and support our mission.
Past
15 years ago, Chris Bradshaw founded the African Library Project (ALP) with little more than an idea and a passion for helping others. She started with the first of many ALP libraries in Lesotho. This is her story.
Present
There is no better representation of our success than our African partners. They work on the ground work to ensure each school that applies for a library gets one. Explore our latest partnership with enjuba, Uganda.
future
We have done so much over 15 years. It’s time to look to the future generation of volunteers and leaders. We asked our young book drive organizers and youth ambassadors where they see our organization 15 years from now.
The First African Library Project Library
“The process was just like a start up. I pulled from my prior experience running nonprofits and learned as much as I could from others.” In the beginning, Chris was collecting and shipping books herself, but she soon realized that wasn’t something she could maintain. So she began reaching out to local schools to help with the process and was very encouraged by their enthusiasm for helping and realized she could, “go from being a book drive organizer to organizing a nonprofit.” – Chris Bradshaw, ALP Founder
Read The Full Story of How Chris Bradshaw Created The First ALP Library Despite Difficult Challenges
Our Newest partner in uganda talks about why access is essential for students
enjuba is African Library Project’s most recent partner in Uganda. In Uganda, eight of every ten children of 10 years or under cannot read. enjuba is working to help increase the literacy rate in the country by bringing reading into Ugandan culture. One step they’re taking to do this is their newfound partnership with African Library Project.
“It is an education organization focused on helping children attain literacy skills to improve school completion rates. We do this through spelling bees, library development and publishing of afro-centric children’s books to help children fall in love with books LEARN to READ so they can READ to LEARN,” Aaron Kirunda from enjuba said during an interview with African Library Project.
“I was eager to partner with ALP because it was a sure way of getting relevant books to children and communities in Uganda in ways that no other organization involved in the same activity was doing.”
We are currently working on sending our second container of books to primary schools across Uganda with the help of enjuba. With your support, we can continue spreading our mission across Uganda and similar countries.
Discover How enjuba Continued To Provide Books To Students During COVID-19 With The ALP’s Help
A Future Where Access Isn’t a Privilege, It’s a Human Right
We imagine a future of volunteers and partners that are as excited to change lives book by book as we are. That future starts with your pledge to make a difference either by donating, spreading the word, or by sharing your story. Tell us where you see the African Library Project in 15 years on social using the #15YearsALP.
