Local 4-H programs help donate books to Africa

MSU Fallon/Carter Extension and 4-H youth from Carter and Fallon Counties invite everyone to participate in their 4-H service project, Books for Africa.

Books For Africa (BFA) is the largest shipper of donated educational materials to the African continent in the world. They have shipped more than 34 million books to 49 different African nations since they were founded in 1988. BFA will sort all collected books by subject and reading level at Minnesota and Georgia warehouses to prepare for shipment. BFA then ships the packed and sorted books in 40-foot sea containers, containing about 22,000 books each, to schools and libraries in Africa. Each container can supply several school or community libraries with enough books to fill their shelves much more quickly than if books were sent in smaller quantities. Recipients order books by subject. This helps them make sure that BFA shipments reflect the needs of the schools they go to, making the books useful to communities in Africa.

Anyone who would like to help with this great cause should take note of the following information.

Book condition should be slightly used or new, if possible, and no older than 15 years to be considered for donation. Those books may include; grade school math, health, English reading skills, and general leisure; high school math, science, general leisure, and sports/vocation/hobbies; college or university level medical and health, science and engineering, business and economics, and general leisure reading.

Book collection will begin Tuesday, May 1 and end Friday, June 30. Drop boxes are located in several areas around Baker and Ekalaka. In Baker they can be found at the extension office, in the Fallon County Library, and at Lincoln Elementary Library. In Ekalaka they are located at the extension office, at Ekalaka Public Library, and at Ekalaka Elementary.

For more information or for questions about the project, contact the MSU Fallon/Carter Extension Office at (406) 778-7110.