We help to educate children worldwide by sending free school books that are carefully chosen to match the needs of each school

More information can be found on our website at www.booksabroad.net

BOOKS ABROAD

Who are we?• Books Abroad is a

registered charity, founded in 1982. We send parcels of carefully selected, donated, books to educational establishments overseas to help foster literacy and education. Siyathathuka Pre Primary School

Natal, South Africa

Where are we?

• We operate throughout Central and Northern Scotland from our base in Rhynie, Aberdeenshire

• HQ in Rhynie

What do we do

• Each year we send over 185,000 books which is equivalent to 37 tonnes.

• Since we were founded, over one million books have been sent abroad to schools and libraries • Kimilili School, Kenya

How do we do it?• Books are donated by Schools, Libraries and other

organisations throughout Scotland.• All of the work on the unit is carried out by volunteers

Our ‘heap’ of books for sorting

• Volunteers sort the books and categorize them before putting them onto shelves.

Work in progress…….

Packing boxes ready to fill a pallet and then the container

Kathleen, Olive and Ethel nearly finished a pallet

Volunteers at Books Abroad

Securing the pallet for despatch

Jane covering the pallet with cling film

Coffee Time!!

Enjoying a blether

“ Can you see me ?”

A rare experience…a clear packing area

One of the few times we have a clear space in the unit.

This is how do we do it

• The books are wrapped in clear polythene to speed the customs process

• They are then sent to the schools by the cheapest means, often in a container or part of a container load to that country Parcels are often stored outside under canvas

when a container is due because of space

Last one Pheew!!

HOW WE DO IT

Some pupils from the International School in Aberdeen who came to help pack the books

they had collected and donated.

• Shipment to Lesotho and South Africa finally gets on its way

Well that’s the first lot in….now on to the next row…

• Parcels have to be packed tightly into the container using up every available space.

“ Go on…a bit more…left a bit….”

Who do we help? Books Abroad helps:

1. anyone in need who asks

2. from any country in the world

3.regardless of race or religion.

4.our book parcels are sent free of charge by the best route we can find. Children in Chisuma School

Kenya

Siesta time at Les Etang School Library, St Lucia

Shhhh…….zzzzzz

“It was your books that you sent us created a library in our school.

Every time a parcel of new books arrive, we can see the excitement in the children’s eyes.”

Reading time in Barbesa Primary School, Thimpu, Bhutan

“Books are the mirrors of the world

Books are the mirrors of life

They are the biggest treasure

That we could find in our hearts

When you want to see some places

You just have to read some pieces

Of paper-which are called books

Books - the golden knowledge

Which we want to have”

by Elmaz, Bulgaria

Why is BA work so important?

• EDUCATION FOR ALL

• Increased education will ultimately help to solve many of the world’s problems

• With the power to read and write, the children of developing countries today will have a better understanding of the issues surrounding them

• Better communication skills will help them to avoid conflicts and help resolve disputes by negotiation rather than by force

Tilly, and others, are why BA’s work is important

• “If you give one book to one child in the country, you give to the whole nation.”

Quotation from Kennedy Mandaza,

Tsatse Secondary School, Zimbabwe

Tilly from P & G School

Ghana

• Books Abroad work is two fold:

• 1. supplying books to schools etc.

• 2. building sustainable relationships for further liaison and learning for all concernedChildren enjoying books in

Bulwayo Public Library

Building bridges, partnerships and friendships……

Partnerships - Tanzed

• Classroom in Ifakara, Tanzania to be made into a library as a project by an organisation called Tanzed

Transformation complete. This is now a library being used by children and adults in Ifikara

From the old to the new

Another view of Jongo Community Library

A place to learn so many subjects

Partnerships

Books being transported from Jeremy’s house

by ‘guta’ to the library

“You peddle and I’ll push….”

Friends and Partners Overseas

• A form is sent to the Headteacher or Librarian asking what books they need.

• On receipt at Books Abroad, trained volunteers check the warehouse for suitable matches.

Partnerships- Zambia

• Olive one of our volunteers visiting Zambia where she had the opportunity to see first hand where the books were going to.

Teachers from Manza Secondary School, Zambia

School Liaison

Some pupils from the International School in Aberdeen who came to help pack the books

they had collected and donated.

“So this is how this machine works”

Liaising with the schools

Feed me with…….

• Recycling of old and unsuitable books

What do you think this is used for?

• Recycling of old and unsuitable books

How you can help:• By helping practically, being a volunteer, at our Headquarters in

Rhynie by sorting, selecting, listing or packaging books• Becoming a member of Books Abroad with an annual

subscription of £20• Supporting our fundraising • By spreading the word about our work

• By giving a donation of books suitable for primary or secondary children, for libraries, prisons or community centres

• By giving a donation of money

More information can be found on our website at www.booksabroad.net