Every child deserves a book to call their own…
Within every book is a world of possibility, and within every child is the potential to change the world.
Books Open Opportunities 4 Kids®
Numbers that are changing lives every day…
Books shipped
Reference and leisure books delivered to publicly funded rural schools.
Schools with books
Delivering books to schools across Africa and creating opportunities for children to learn, grow and dream.
Children affected
Giving students books and the opportunity to imagine a brighter future.
Containers shipped
Powered by donors, each 40-foot container brings tens of thousands of books to children in Africa.
Totals since our first shipment in 2019, as of September 29, 2026.
Latest news and impact stories…
November 2026
The question that started a simple tug on the heart
Eight simple words. One unexpected conversation. Futures forever changed.
Read the full storyNovember 2026
The library that changed attendance
In a remote corner of Kenya's Tana River County, children are showing up to school for a reason that might surprise you.
Read the full storyWorld Book Day, April 24, 2027
The Gift of Stories
Our 6th annual World Book Day celebration, held at the Port Royal Sound Foundation, 310 Okatie Highway, Okatie, SC 29909, at 5:00pm. Save the Date!
View Event Information
Six ways to give
Pick the one that fits you. Every one of them puts books on a shelf.
- Fully operational
- Launching
- Requested expansion
Boots on the ground in 13,103 rural schools
For a child in a rural community, a book is more than pages and words. It can be the first spark of a dream, the first glimpse of possibility and the first step toward a future they never thought possible.
- KenyaActive since 20191,535,171 books to date · 13,017 schools impacted
- UgandaActive since 202562,927 books to date · 86 schools impacted
- ZambiaLaunching operations January 2027
- RwandaBuilding operational foundation for expansion
- Somaliland
- Sudan
- Ethiopia
- Tanzania
- Zimbabwe
- Angola
- Namibia
- Madagascar
- Ghana
- Sierra Leone
- Central African Republic
- Equatorial Guinea
- Mauritius
- Gambia
- Malawi
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
A book is a door that opens a world of possibilities…
Mission
Libraries For Kids International exists to provide reference and leisure books to publicly funded rural schools with limited resources in Africa, expanding educational opportunities for their students.
Vision
To increase access to books and literacy opportunities for students in publicly funded rural schools throughout Africa.
For many children across Africa, a book is more than a story. It is a window into new ideas, new dreams and a future filled with opportunity. In communities throughout Africa, families invest in education because they believe in the potential of their children. Every classroom represents hope. Every student carries the promise of what could be. At Libraries For Kids International, we believe that every child deserves the opportunity to discover what is possible through reading.
Today, gifts through the continued generosity of donors, volunteers, and partners are reaching schools and communities across Africa. Each book creates a space where curiosity is encouraged, confidence grows and young minds are inspired to dream beyond what they can see. For a child, a single book is their first adventure, a first inspiration, or a first glimpse of a future they never imagined. It sparks a passion, broadens horizons and reminds them that their potential is greater than any circumstance. Every shelf we fill represents more than books. It represents opportunity. It represents hope. It represents a future waiting to be written.
That is why we exist.
Because when a child opens a book, they believe that their dreams are within reach.
It started with one simple question…
In 2018, what was supposed to be a five-week safari became something else entirely. At Amboseli Primary School, next to a Maasai community that had given up its nomadic way of life so the children could attend, I asked a teacher named Anna if they had a library.
“No,” she said, “but we would love to have one!”
That answer never left me. Many people told me it couldn't be done. But every worthwhile thing has obstacles, and Libraries For Kids International grows every time someone chooses to focus on the objective, not the obstacle.
Coach Roy AustinFounder
Gift a book.Change a life.
A book inspires dreams, unlocks potential and changes the course of a child's life. You are the Change.
A child's future changes with a simple act of kindness.
By giving $20.19 a month, you become part of a child's journey toward literacy, opportunity and a brighter tomorrow.
For a child waiting to discover the power of a book, your generosity is the chapter that changes everything.
Give $20.19 a MonthPrefer to make a one-time gift or choose your own amount? Your generosity helps transform lives through literacy.
Give NowWhy $20.19?
We chose $20.19 because 2019 marks the beginning of our story. Every month, that simple number serves as a reminder of how far one moment of compassion can travel. What started with a desire to help children gain access to books has grown into a movement of people who believe every child deserves the chance to learn, imagine and build a brighter future.
When you give $20.19, you are honoring our beginning while at the same time helping shape theirs.
