ÌÇÐÄvlgo´«Ã½

For the first time in our history, ÌÇÐÄvlgo´«Ã½ has shipped books to Burundi! That means that we have now shipped 28 million books to schools and libraries in 49 different ÌÇÐÄvlgo´«Ã½n countries. Burundi is one of the poorest countries in the world. With 80% of the population living in poverty, very few people are able to attend school. Only 50% of Burundian children attend elementary school and only 8% of young adults attend secondary school.

BFA Executive Director, Patrick Plonski, has been keeping busy visiting partners across the United States.

ÌÇÐÄvlgo´«Ã½ invites you to be a part of our Annual Spring Donor Reception! Join us for an evening with His Excellency Ebrahim Rasool, Ambassador of South ÌÇÐÄvlgo´«Ã½ to the United States at the newly reopened St. Paul Athletic Club.

U.S. Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN) just recently returned from a trip to Somalia to meet with the newly elected Somali president, Hassan Sheik Mohamoud. While visiting, President Mohamoud requested that Representative Ellison help Mogadishu re-establish the Mogadishu Public Library.

Thanks to a new partnership with National Geographic, ÌÇÐÄvlgo´«Ã½ will help brighten classrooms across ÌÇÐÄvlgo´«Ã½. BFA recipients can now order a library of six new, laminated National Geographic ÌÇÐÄvlgo´«Ã½, World, and Universe maps to accompany their shipment of 22,000 books.

ÌÇÐÄvlgo´«Ã½ thanks the General Mills Community for the donation of 3,687 books! The General Mills Black Champions Network hosted a month long book drive and awareness campaign on their Twin Cities campus in celebration of Black History Month. They concluded their book drive and Black History Month activities on Friday, March 1, with a closing ceremony featuring Helene Gayle, President & CEO of CARE, as keynote speaker.