Some times we never know what we will find in a shipment – this time we had only four titles of secondary science books allowing for schools to each receive classrooms sets of the Biology, Biology Lab Manual and Physical Science textbooks. Advantages are that schools rarely have enough books for one or two students to share in a classroom – disadvantages are that there is not a variety of subject matter.

The quality of books sent by Books For Africa have increased since we first started to receive containers. This Biology book alone is selling for $104.00 online. We received over 150 – so one title alone is worth $15,600.00.

Weekly Readers of leveled readers for lower primary readers.

The O’Brien School for the Maasai in Sanya Juu, Tanzania was started by Kellie O’Brien from Chicago. She added boxes of books and school supplies to this container for the school.

This container also contained many gifts in kind. They included Beanie Babies, stuffed animals, clothing, towels and bed sheets, flip flops, medical supplies, school supplies and toiletries. Thank you to all of our Minnesota donors that continue to collect items for us.

Msalato has received 3,846 books from PEN Trust throughout the years. It was one of the schools studied in Patrick Plonski’s PhD program. Of all the students tested for words per minute, Hannah Suleiman was the only student to get a perfect score on all three tests. She received a special Books For Africa t shirt for her great effort.

Accompanied by the Head Librarian, eight of the top ten girls came and spent the afternoon at the PEN Trust warehouse.

Each girl also received ten novels for their personal use.

The first was to finish the inner floor slab that was added by the NW Ohio team last summer.

The second project was to plaster the outside walls.

Further needs include ceiling board, pews and electrical fittings.

Sophia is waiting for her Form 4 exam results to see if she will qualify to move on to Form 5 and 6. Sophia was ranked #2 in her class, so we have high hopes for her future.

Fadhili moved back to Dodoma to finish his last year of Form 6. Fadhili is an orphan who has an older brother that lives in Dodoma as well.

Dorah Katuamba and her Dad came to the warehouse to collect gifts from US friends as well as a new backpack filled with school supplies and toys fro Kara and Bill Kurth. She also received blanket made by Jilliane and Heidi Brinkman. Dorah attends the Young Jai Primary School which is run by the Korean Methodist Church.

Asifiwe also received her backpack from Kara and Bill Kurth.

Babu and Asifiwe also took a backpack home for their brother, Lamek. The backpacks were donated by Sandi Brady Sather and her extended family. Instead of giving gifts to each other for Christmas, they bought backpacks and school supplies for Tanzanian school children.

They also include a pencil sharpener, pencils, scissor and erasers.

The book bags also include many leveled readers like those shown here in pink and green and other assorted books.

An example of a book bag for a kindergarten aged student. The pack includes approximately 25 books, a magnetic letter board, a stuffed animal, toothbrush, five pencils, eraser and pencil sharpener.

An example of a book bag for a 4th grade student. The pack includes approximately 40 books, an English dictionary, a calculator, five pencils, eraser and pencil sharpener, stuffed animal and toothbrush.

Deb McDonald from Books For Africa handing out a book bag to a friend in Ikhanoda village in Singida.

Happy recipients of books bags.

Dates: Thursday, December 13 - Friday, December 14
Times: 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Place: 8924 - 40 1/2 Avenue North in New Hope, Minnesota
Directions: East of 169 N/exit at County Road 9 east/go through one stop light and turn right on Ensign Avenue/the house is located at the corner of Ensign and 40 1/2 Ave N/gray cedar with driveway on Ensign/numbers 8924 above the garage door.
Contact Person: Kenneth Wall
Phone: 763-544-6086

(If you are unable to attend during these times and would like to schedule an appointment, please call Kenneth Wall to do so.)

Many items will be featured including Noah’s Arks, beaded star ornaments, carved wooden bowls, baskets, sisal angels, soapstone bowls, plates and coasters and much more…

The next phase of our long term poverty alleviation strategy is to construct libraries for each school we have given books to if they do not already have one. This is a big venture, but one we feel will have a great impact on the lives of the communities and schools we work in.

An example of books stored in back rooms instead of being accessible to teachers and students.

Books stored in the teacher’s offices

Books that need shelves and a proper study room.

The Regional Commissioner of Singida, Honorable Parseko V. Kone, with assistance from the Regional Librarian and Regional Education Officer, facilitated transport of the 23,000 books from the PEN Trust warehouse in Dodoma.

One of the deepest needs of PEN Trust is a 5 – ton truck to enable us to do our own distributions and get books into the hands of children more rapidly.

The following list shows where books from the first three containers have been distributed.

30,601 Primary Schools
28,609 Secondary Schools
3,314 Libraries
2,933 Seminaries
2,277 Universities
2,095 Kindergartens
945 Not Placed Yet
638 Individuals
384 Orphanages
197 Sunday Schools
134 Medical Facilities

72,127

Brad delivering food from Feed My Starving Children and a few other basic supplies to Dr. Irunde at the Ikhanoda Dispensary.

Everyone is a little nervous to see the guests. Even the candy doesn’t seem to bring smiles.

But seeing yourself on camera will do the trick.

Deb and Brad were greeted by traditional singing and dancing. Here Bibi Mohammed and two of her young neighbors join in the song.

Bibi Yohanna enjoys her new sweater donated by the Brinkman family.

Itaja, Singida overlooks the Rift Valley and is where we usually stop for lunch. Three small children that were responsible for herding two cows came to join us for our picnic on the rocks.

The Rift Valley from Itaja lookout.

Ancient rock painting near Ikhanoda village.

The day before we arrived, the church volunteers and labor donated from Mungwe’s construction team had already placed the rocks ready for the pouring of cement for the floor.

Pastor David Bliss hauling cement.

Mungwe assisting Jeannine Leckrone.

Ron Hiatt

Lynn Shupe

Pastor Merlin Jacobs

Jeannine having fun with the children as they watched their parents haul cement for the floors.

The finished floor.

After finishing the work, Mungwe explained to the group how to prepare the food from Feed My Starving Children and thanked them for their hard work.

Food was given to District Pastor Kinyuyu who supervised the progress and assisted with hauling cement.

Pastor David Bliss gave food to Mama Lamek, one of the 15 or so women that prepared a delicious meal for the workers.

Ron gave food to Richard, one of the workers.

Mango Church was presented with books for their Sunday School program after construction was finished.

The evening ended with a traditional ngoma of songs and dances of the local tribe, the Gogo.