Posted by David Murphy, President and CEO

Martha Schouten, an English Language Fellow teacher at the University of Oran in Algeria, contacted Books For Africa (BFA), to see if BFA could help replenish their library with English language books after many years of neglect.   Currently, the University’s books in English are dated in the 1980’s or before. 

During the 1990’s Algeria experienced civil war and domestic terror.  Since 1999 little has changed - militant splinter groups continue their campaign against the government, and the army continues its own campaign against the rebels, amid accusations of corruption and brutality.  This has undeniably created an atmosphere of insecurity in the general population.   

As over half of Algeria’s population are young people, there are many issues for Algerian students.  These concern future job opportunities, information available (or unavailable) to them, and the extreme feeling of uncertainty in almost all domains of their lives.  In spite of this, Martha’s students are so very eager to know as much as possible about the outside world, and to travel and study in foreign countries.

To aid the beneficiaries of BFA donations, Better World Books has created a special Fund for Books For Africa.  This Fund is designed to pay for the shipping costs of these containers of books.   The Fund paid $9,000 in shipping costs for this one container.

The 40-foot container of books will be heading out today to the University.  It is the first shipment that Books For Africa has sent to Algeria!  The demand for university books in Africa remains enormous.