Photos have been removed from this issue because of a law in Kenya requiring strict documentation for photos and videos featuring school children.
Books Open Opportunities 4 Kids
Combine a child and a book and great things can happen. Read "The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind" and you will see the power of what one book can mean. Truely, Books Open Opportunities 4 Kids
Just two years ago on May 10, 2019, Libraries For Kids, Int'l got it's IRS exemption as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charity. What have we accomplished in those two years? Much more than I would have imagined. Milestones:
- Hired an Operations Coordinator in Kenya
- Shipped books to 11 schools
- Purchased Kenyan textbooks for $7,435 which align with the schools' curriculums and is very needed since students often share 1 book among 20-30 students
- Funded shipment of 8 containers (total of 300,000 books) which will create libraries in 1600 schools and impact 250,000 children
- Applied to be a registered charity in Kenya - the process takes 5 years
- Constructing a school building in Rwanda and another in Kenya
- Building a database to track schools' progress to determine program effectiveness
- Established a warehouse in Kitui, Kenya to receive containers and from which books are distributed to schools
- Trademarked the name "Libraries For Kids"
Impact -Teachers are reporting that:
- Enrollment has skyrocketed now that they have books
- Parents at some schools are coming in the evening to further their education
- Scores on national exams are up as a result of having textbooks and libraries
Bragging rights:
- Bluffton SC Chamber of Commerce 2020 Nonprofit of the Year
- No donor funds are used for administrative costs unless specifically designated as such
- Administrative expenses are less than 1% of donations
- Individuals and corporations have donated time, products, and services
- A registered Community Based Organization in Kenya
We are off to a good start but there is much more to do. Over 6,700 rural schools in Kenya do not have internet access so 1 million children don't have libraries or textbooks. With your support, we will supply all of these Kenyan schools and then expand into other countries in East Africa. Needs:
Brand recognition: please share our newsletters and website with your friends and family.
Celebrity Spokesperson Corporate Sponsors: We keep our administrative expenses low (less than 1 % of donations) and get products and services donated whenever possible. But as we grow we will need to spend some money on operations and fundraising. We have separate bank accounts for Admin and Programs. Donors can designate which account they want to fund. If Programs then 100% of their donations go to programs. For information about being a sponsor please contact Roy Austin at 843-597-4826 or email books@libraries4kids.org.
For more information about Libraries For Kids, Int'l visit our website or contact Roy Austin at books@libraries4kids.org or phone him at 843-597-4826
