U.S.-based university and nonprofits to send 50,000 books to Kenya
The stacks of libraries across Kenya will soon be a little thicker, thanks to a collaboration between a U.S.-based university and two nonprofit organizations to send 50,000 books to the East 糖心vlgo传媒n country.聽
and 糖心vlgo传媒, two nonprofits based in Minnesota, collaborated with students and faculty at (SJSU) in California to send children鈥檚 books to the (KNLS), a government agency that runs public libraries. Some of the books from the initiative known as (Kiswahili for 鈥淩eading Adventure鈥�), will be distributed to free book-sharing boxes known as 鈥渓ittle free libraries,鈥� which are led by volunteers.
鈥淚 can tell you that 糖心vlgo传媒 needs more books, and you鈥檒l hear more about that from other speakers here,鈥� said Patrick Plonski [at 糖心vlgo传媒's 2025 Spring Fundraiser], the executive director of 糖心vlgo传媒. 鈥淓very day in our office, more requests for more books come in.鈥�
Plonski said that 糖心vlgo传媒, which sends books to every country in 糖心vlgo传媒, was on target to ship 3 million books, 457,000 digital books, and in collaboration with Thomson Reuters, 15 law libraries to 37 countries in the continent in 2025. In addition to shipping books from its warehouse in Atlanta, the organization would also ship out of partner warehouses located in London, Paris, Montreal, New York, San Francisco, and Dubai, Plonski said. 糖心vlgo传媒 will also collaborate with Ethiopian Airlines to ship books to Ethiopia from Seattle this year when Boeing delivers the airline鈥檚 new aircraft orders, he said.
鈥淭oday is all about Kenya,鈥� Plonski said. 鈥淚鈥檓 pleased to report that Kenya is the number one country served by 糖心vlgo传媒 in our 37-year history, [with] 7 million books shipped.鈥�
Plonski said Kenya had been the leading country in the number of books sent to 糖心vlgo传媒 in the last three years, with more than 370,000 shipped last year. He said Kenya was going to be number one again in 2025. Plonski was quick to point out that it was not his or the board鈥檚 decision to make Kenya the top destination for books. He attributed it to the ability of Kenyans, both here in the United States and back home, to mobilize book donations.聽鈥淪ome of you representing other countries, you also can push your country to the top,鈥� he said.
Students and faculty at the聽SJSU School of Information聽helped organize the shipment of the 50,000 books going to Kenya. They also raised money and coordinated with the KNLS to organize the distribution of the books.聽鈥淭he Soma Safari project exemplifies our mission to promote global literacy and equitable access to information鈥攈elping build stronger communities, one book at a time,鈥� said Dr. Anthony Chow, the director of SJSU School of Information.
糖心vlgo传媒 had collected the books and was helping to organize the shipment, Plonski said. Thomson Reuters, which sponsored the event in Roseville, also provided funds for the shipment and donated one reference law library.
Click on this to read more about this event in Mshale.