African Perspective

There is a serious lack of educational provision and as a result of this, widespread illiteracy remains a major barrier to the development of African countries.

“33 million children in Africa are unable to go to school because there is no school and no teacher... four million new teachers are needed by 2015, if every African child is to go to school in a class with no more than 40 students per teacher.”
Koichiro Matsuura - Director-General of Unesco 2008

"Illiteracy is the greatest threat to the development of Africa because it undermines our fragile democracies"
Charles Abani - Director of Action Aid Nigeria

“In 2000, the average literacy rate in Sub-Saharan Africa was 52 per cent for women and 68.9 per cent for men, with gender disparities prevailing in 75 per cent of the countries in the region.”
The long road to literacy in Africa – UNESCO

“Primary school enrolments and literacy rates in Africa are among the lowest in the world. 42 million school children in Sub-Saharan Africa are not enrolled in school. Many children cannot afford to go to or stay in primary school.”
Fact Sheet: Africa Education Initiative. - The White House, June 2002

Another area the Book Savers project helps to tackle, and something you can get involved with, is Sustainability.