Organization Says Working to End 'Book Famine'

By Mengisteab Teshome

Famine in its literal sense is related with unable to get daily meal. But this is not always true as there has just arrived a new term, book famine.

Any country prancing in realizing social transformation need to equally plan on how to impart knowledge, skill and attitude. And a genuine solution is developing reading culture and availing adequate and books for the generation.

Books for Africa Director Asratie Asfaw says his company inexhaustibly works to close the demand for recent books on computer engineering, medicine, ....

According to him, over 48 African countries have been provided with books of various titles to alleviate book famine.

"Book for Africa collects, sorts, ships, and distributes books to children, adults, libraries, and schools throughout the continent."

Accordingly, it has shipped over 27 million text and reference books for free. In 2011 alone, over 2.2 million books valuated at 22 million USD were shipped to 22 African countries.

According to Asratie, Ethiopia stands second in receiving books from the organization while Ghana and Nigeria are first and third respectively. "The participation of Ethiopian diaspora has shown a marked increase lifting Ethiopia to second book receiving country."

Books for Africa is making preparations to open office at the AU headquarters, he added.

The Ethiopian Knowledge and Technology Transfer Society and Ghana Book Trust (GBT) are the two institutions that partner with the organization, he said, adding that the organization focuses on supplying new edition engineering, medicine and computer science and communication books. Ethiopia has received over 258 containers of books, where each could be packed with 15,000-20,000 , he noted.

Society Executive Director Col. Kassahun Getachew for his part said the Society imported over two million books distributed to institutions ranging from primary to tertiary over the last 14 years, jointly with Book for Africa. The society has over 80 public libraries throughout the country.

According to Col. Kassahun, Health and Education Ministries are working with the society in collecting academic books. The Society is assisting fellow citizens improve reading culture and also students to access standard books, he said.

Books for Africa is a US based organization committed to supply Africa with educational material.

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