Book Aid International 2019 Year in Review A year of books changing lives
Alison tweed, chief executive The power of partnerships Alison tweed, chief executive
In 2019 millions of people around the world books, sending over 1.2 million books to had no access to books. readers in 26 countries. We supported public library services across Africa. We For so many, a public, community or school partnered with dynamic NGOs to improve library offered the only opportunity to read. the quality of education in schools. We Yet most libraries and thousands of schools trained librarians, teachers and volunteers around the world could not buy a single to create safe spaces where young people new book in 2019. were supported to read, learn and grow. Every year at Book Aid International we This, our 2019 Annual Report, highlights the provide over one million brand new, impact of our work over the past twelve carefully selected books, generously months. donated by UK publishers, to libraries, schools, hospitals, prisons and refugee We would like to express our gratitude to camps in Africa and beyond. everyone who generously supported our work in 2019 and who, along with all of us In 2019 we helped an estimated 19.5 million at Book Aid International, believes in the Children enjoy a reading activity at a library in the West Bank people around the world gain access to power of books to change lives. Contents
Where books are needed most Strategic report 4–23 The rt hon lord paul boateng, chair 2019 in numbers 4 Books changing lives in 2019 6 Looking back on 2019 I am acutely aware of schoolteachers, businessmen and women, Growing our impact 8 a world where, all too often, the impact of environmentalists, social entrepreneurs, the climate emergency on the developing engineers and active and informed citizens. Creating school libraries 10 world was overlaid by conflict and growing Supporting tomorrow’s leaders 12 2019 has been a year of real achievement. I economic inequality. Reaching displaced and conflict- 14 feel privileged to work with an inspirational affected people This saw whole populations displaced: group of fellow trustees and staff at home some, as in Cameroon, sheltering in the and with our partners around the world. Financial overview 16 forest, many others confronted by the Our supporter community 18 2020 will bring fresh challenges. Meeting realities of forced migration or facing Looking to the future 20 these challenges will require what books the wreckage of homes and treasured Our partners 21 institutions by forces beyond their control. can offer; working together we can put these precious assets in the hands of those With thanks to… 22 In all these situations Book Aid International most in need. Whatever the world throws has, with its local partners, been there to at them and whenever and wherever they offer what access to books can provide: find themselves Book Aid International will hope and the prospect of transformed continue to be there for them. lives. Only your support and the generosity The Trustees present their report and the audited financial statements for the year ended 31st December 2019. Reference and Thank you so much for making our work administrative information set out on page 28 forms part of this report. The financial statements comply with current statutory of our book donors has made this possible, requirements, the Memorandum and Articles of Association and the Statement of Recommended Practice – Accounting and Reporting and for that we are all enormously grateful. possible through your continuing support by Charities: SORP applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with FRS 102. This Trustees’ Annual Report includes a and generosity. directors’ report as required by company law. The work we do is an investment for the Book Aid International is a charity and limited company registered in England and Wales. Charity no: 313869 future: in the next generation of doctors, Company no: 880754. Registered office: 39–41 Coldharbour Lane, London SE5 9NR. www.bookaid.org
Book Aid International 2019 Trustees’ Annual Report
3 2019 in numbers
An estimated 19.5 million people have access to the books we sent in 2019
Where books are changing lives Building local capacity
635 327 398 public & university teachers and community libraries librarians trained libraries 38 23 12,063 prison refugee local books libraries camps purchased 1,567 417 primary & medical 24 secondary libraries libraries schools refurbished
In 2019 we sent 1,211,423 books to 26 countries around the world
The books we provided Where we sent books
Africa Rwanda 73,787 Asia Europe Children & Higher Medicine & Development Cameroon 88,627 Sierra Leone 60,005 Bhutan 4,070 Greece 7,017 primary education healthcare Eritrea 22,845 Somaliland 23,043 India 7,789 Italy 216 493,209 91,275 47,475 141,270 Ethiopia 48,490 Tanzania 75,933 Nepal 966 Middle East 123,244 Ghana The 44,078 Caribbean Iraq 6,013 Vocational, Gambia English Reference & 131,426 Leisure reading technical & Kenya Antigua & Jordan 500 language skills Secondary 1,564 business Uganda 118,371 Barbuda Liberia 31,152 Syria 1,065 225,568 Zambia 105,247 2,423 45,599 20,190 146,877 Malawi 51,989 Bahamas Zimbabwe 157,720 Dominica 23,840
Book Aid International 2019 Trustees’ Annual Report Solomon reads to his mum on the steps of their home in Accra, Ghana 5
Books changing lives in 2019 Books empowering adults in their communities
Many people living in the rural villages of Our vision is of a world where everyone has access to the books that can enrich, improve and change Zimbabwe’s Gwanda region are subsistence farmers. their lives. We believe that if this vision were to be fully realised, we would witness transformational Villagers often have little money to purchase even change for individuals and communities. simple commodities for their families. In 2019, we worked with a global network of over 120 library and NGO partners to give an estimated Trena and five others from her village worked with 19.5 million people the opportunity to access books, read and improve their life chances. our partner, the Edward Ndlovu Memorial Library to establish a reading group. They started to read Here are just three stories from 2019 that demonstrate the change we want to see: and discuss books on a range of different subjects, inspiring members to improve their lives through a community income-generation project. “Culturally in Zimbabwe amongst village people, women do not keep animals [but] by reading books Books getting children reading for a better future on rights, we discovered it is not wrong to go up against some of the traditions. So we started a goat Crime, illiteracy and teenage pregnancy are all too project. And this is an example for other women; we common in slum communities like Jamestown, can own animals without destroying our villages or one of the poorest districts in Accra, Ghana. Many our homes. children end up working on the streets to help their As well as books about goat-keeping and business, families earn money, rather than attend school. The we also read and discuss books on different themes. Street Children Empowerment Foundation (SCEF) Books on human rights, health, HIV, AIDS and gender works to give children like Mary (pictured left), issues.” access to books through their Jamestown Learning Hub. --Trena, Zimbabwe Fourteen-year-old Mary is the first member of her family to learn to read. Two members of the reading group with the goats they are rearing Gwanda, Zimbabwe Mary’s mother, Rita, was unable to go to school and barely makes ends meet selling toffee on the street. However, Mary is determined to have a brighter Books improving work and career opportunities future and uses the books we sent in 2019 to pursue her ambitions of becoming a lawyer. In countries across the world, access to the right “Every day after school, Mary goes to the library run was during this spell that I realized the biggest book at the right time can inspire individuals by Street Children Empowerment Foundation (SCEF). gap in my life was my education level. to realise their full potential through study It’s really important for the children to have books. and career development, making a positive The turning point came when I attended a career Since going to the library, Mary is more confident and difference to their life chances. Improving exhibition in 2015 at the University of Zambia. can speak English really well. It makes me so happy. reading and literacy skills, as Tradwel Chilala has They had displayed books in various disciplines I really want her to be a prominent person when she done in Zambia, can make a positive difference from Book Aid International, including Public grows up.” to personal livelihoods and local economies. Administration. Having seen the books that --Rita, Mary’s mum, Ghana were available in the university library, I enrolled Tradwel began his career with Kitwe City for a two-year Diploma Programme in Public “Reading is learning – if you read, you know more Council as a cleaner but an opportunity to read Administration. words and you can learn. And I want to know more and study enabled him to pursue his dream of a because there is something I want to achieve in career in public administration. I am the first person in my family to go future – I want to become a lawyer. Books have the to university and I am now a proud third- “I grew up in a village between Lusaka and power to change my future because the more I read, year student. I totally agree with Book Aid Livingstone. I left school when I was in the sixth the more I learn, the more I can be someone.” International’s statement that books change grade of primary school, age 15. After that, I had lives. They have changed my life.” --Mary, 14, Ghana a number of jobs and eventually I decided to start up my own business as a street vendor. It --Tradwel, Zambia
Mary reads a book about space with her sister outside their home in Jamestown
Book Aid International 2019 Trustees’ Annual Report
7 Growing our impact Promoting the love of reading Promoting and supporting a culture of reading is vital in changing mindsets about the importance of books. In our Vision 2020: Where Books Change Lives strategy, we set out our ambition to grow our work and to Reading promotion is a key component of our focus our support on the communities most in need of the books we can provide. We also identified the well-established Children’s Corners programme. To importance of promoting reading and the power of books to improve and transform lives. date, we have established 127 Children’s Corners in libraries across Africa. In 2019, we opened five Children’s Corners in community libraries in Rwanda and five in public libraries in Ghana, benefiting an Increasing the number of books we estimated 4,200 children across both programmes. In addition, 50 librarians were trained in engaging send every year “The project is very good. Children children in reading and advocating for the value of like reading the new wonderful books. We know from the number of requests we books in their communities.. receive that the demand for books in libraries, in Nowadays I observe children, including schools and in a wide range of higher educational In Rwanda, a group of innovative librarians, at Vision the very young ones, visiting the library. I institutions is growing exponentially worldwide. Jeunesse Nouvelle’s library, have introduced child am also learning English so I like the fact We know, too, that we are only ever able to meet reading ambassadors who are issued with a bag that the young children are interacting with a fraction of that need. containing ten library books to read with other English books at a young age.” children in their community; this has contributed to a --Brother Alexis Hagenimana, In 2019 we selected, packed and sent 1,211,423 reading culture beyond the library. brand new, UK publisher-donated books to 125 Director, Vision Jeunesse Nouvelle library and NGO partners around the world. While this was in fact slightly lower than our 2018 total Brother Alexis leads a reading activity in the centre’s Children’s Corner in Kigali, Rwanda (1,286,538) we welcomed 39 new partners to our book donation programme in 2019. These “The books are helping the inmates to realise included CELIM in Zambia which supports the value of education. In fact, many of prisoners with educational initiatives and NGO Supporting those most in need of the inmates are coming from a poor social Drop in the Ocean in Greece, who work with background, with high level of illiteracy.” vulnerable young people arriving in the transit books camps in Greece. --Gianclaudio Bizzotto, CELIM, Zambia One of the key priorities in our Vision 2020: Books Change Lives strategy is supporting some of the Inmates selecting books from Mongu Library, Zambia communities around the world least able to access books: prison inmates and children growing up on the streets or in slum communities. In 2019, we continued our support for prisoners across Innovating to reach more readers Africa, for whom a prison library offers one of the few Many communities in countries around the world lack opportunities for distraction and self-improvement. We a library or safe shared space where people can come donated 1,460 brand new books to 22 prisons across together to access, read and enjoy books. Zimbabwe and many more to support the education of prisoners across the continent with a view to increasing In September 2019, we launched our Voyager Container their employment prospects upon their release. Library programme in Rwanda in partnership with NGO Grace Rwanda. We transformed a disused 40ft “I am studying second-year business management – shipping container into a thriving community library in when you are educated, you are educated for the whole Gasave district, Kigali, refitting it with shelves, seating, “Most of the parents in Jamestown don’t nation, not just for yourself.” “In order to be educated, if you are not a have money [for books]. So, when children lighting and filling it with over 4,500 books, from board --Inmate, Freetown Correctional Centre, Sierra Leone reader, it is hard. Because, whether you’re go to SCEF’s Learning Hub there are books for babies and colourful picture books right doing primary, secondary or high school, books that Book Aid International sent through to young adult fiction. Today, over 300 children We also increased our support for street children and you need books. Now, when we come to them; it exposes them to new things have access to beautiful, brand new books in their children living in slum communities. We provided a here on the weekend, it’s packed. There to learn. I have seen a big change in [my own local library and benefit from the many reading total of 10,093 books to our partner Street Children are so many kids! It showed me that their son] Solomon since he’s been reading. At activities the librarians are running, such as reading Empowerment Foundation , which they distributed aloud sessions, story time, quizzes and debates. hearts are just boiling for reading.” first, he didn’t really know how to read but now his reading has really improved.” to 15 schools in Accra, Ghana, to help the children it --Elizabeth Mujawamariya Johnson, supports to learn to read and succeed in education. Grace Rwanda/Ineza Foundation --Victoria, Jamestown, Ghana
The new Voyager Container Library in Kigali, Rwanda Victoria outside her home in Accra, Ghana
Book Aid International 2019 Trustees’ Annual Report
9 Creating school libraries Inspiring Readers
Our Inspiring Readers programme creates a cupboard Very few schools in sub-Saharan Africa benefit projects or programmes in schools. The books we library in a school and fills it with over 1,000 brand new from a well-stocked library. Providing books to donated ranged from phonics and early readers for books to be used in class and for reading for pleasure. create and develop school libraries and training younger pupils to teen fiction and books to support Since 2016, the programme has reached 224,869 teacher librarians to support students’ learning secondary education: books to encourage pupils children. are key focuses for our book donation and project and students to develop a lifelong love of reading work. and to succeed in education. In 2019, the programme continued in Malawi and extended to Zimbabwe and Zanzibar, across 210 In 2019, we donated 702,192 books for children In 2019, we also ran three programmes to support schools, reaching a further 99,099 children. across 26 countries, working with library services and the creation of school library resources: Pioneer Book NGOs who supply schools with books or run literacy Boxes, Inspiring Readers and Explorer Libraries. For many pupils, this was the first time that they had access to any books beyond text books. Pupils reported that reading books suddenly became fun. This new love for reading has led to a huge increase in book borrowing. “Reading makes us feel happy. Sometimes when I read my Pioneer Book Boxes book at home, when I borrow a book from the library, my sister helps me know the words that I don’t know how to pronounce.” A Pioneer Book Box contains 200 carefully-selected books to enrich the classroom experience of children --Fatmata, 11, Practising Primary School, Sierra Leone who would otherwise have no access to books. The sturdy and lockable book box can be easily transported and keeps the books protected. A pupil in Malawi selects a book to read from her school’s Inspiring Readers cupboard library The Pioneer Book Box is especially suitable for situations where education is being delivered outside a formal school building. In Cameroon, thousands of pupils in conflict-affected regions are living in the forest with Explorer Libraries their parents and cannot attend school. The 30 Pioneer Book Boxes distributed in 2019 offer a simple solution to providing books so that these children can continue their The Explorer Library programme transforms an education. unused classroom into a well-equipped school library, refurbishing the space, providing suitable furniture “I will not be able to go back to my village and school and supplying around 2,000 carefully-selected, age- which have been burnt down. The forest is now my home; appropriate, brand new books. though there are no schools and books here. I still have hopes to go to school and read books again.”. In 2019, we set up 14 Explorer Libraries in Sierra Leone, Liberia and The Gambia. Through the programme, --Displaced child, Cameroon 9,596 primary school students in the 14 schools now
have access to a school library and over 60 teachers In 2019, our Christmas and summer appeals raised funds have been trained in using the books to enhance the to send 110 Pioneer Book Boxes to Kenya, The Gambia, school curriculum in the classroom. Malawi and Zimbabwe. Forty eight of these were donated to Malawi and Zimbabwe, where many schools “The project is helping us promote reading in our had been destroyed by Cyclone Idai. school through the provision of quality reading books, textbooks and other information books. It’s also “Our learners have been motivated to borrow books and improved teaching through the use of textbooks and read. They have developed an eagerness to finish a book other books for instruction. Our teacher-librarians and borrow another one. It’s helping learners to develop can now work with the students and teachers and and improve their language skills.” encourage them to use the library more effectively.” --Yewukayi F Makirimani, Head Teacher, Ntalale --D. Kabawala O. Mulba, Principal, EJ Yancy School, School, Zimbabwe Liberia
Pupils in Kenya enjoying books from their school’s Pioneer Book Box A pupil in Sierra Leone reads a book in her school’s new Explorer Library
Book Aid International 2019 Trustees’ Annual Report
11 Supporting tomorrow’s In Iraq in 2015 I.S. destroyed the University of Mosul’s Central Library and burned over one million books. We began supporting the university library’s leaders recovery in 2018 and in June 2019 we sent an additional 5,626 higher-education books in line with our commitment to donate at least 50,000 books by 2025. The opportunities students have at secondary school and in higher education can shape their lives, leading to employment that contributes to the growth of developing economies. Access to books for “These books are very valuable and they will make secondary and higher education is vital in ensuring quality education. a big difference to students and researchers after the severe damage of the library. The library is a In 2019, we provided 144,690 books to 498 schools across Africa to support secondary education, with a lighthouse of knowledge ... so it’s very important for strong emphasis on STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects. We provided 84,857 books the city, it’s very important for the students, it’s very to support higher education that were distributed to 327 institutions including university libraries, teacher important for the university and it is very, very, very training colleges and vocational training institutions. important for the community.”
--Alaa Hamdon, Mosul Book Bridge Founder and Creating STEM Study Hubs University of Mosul lecturer STEM skills in the working population are fundamental to economic The remains of the University of Mosul’s Central Library after it was growth, yet there is a global skills gap in STEM-related areas. destroyed by I.S. Our STEM Study Hub project supports students preparing for national exams in STEM subjects by creating a dedicated area in a public library Supporting medical training stocked with STEM-related texts, and satellite STEM-focused libraries in three local schools. In 2019, we established two STEM Study Hubs in In 2019 we supplied 138,887 brand new, up-to- Ghana. Two of the satellite schools involved in the project were girls-only date medical textbooks for healthcare students schools, providing extra encouragement and support to girls to consider and professionals around the world, enabling them STEM careers. to continue their pre-service training, access the “I am 17 years old and studying General Science with Chemistry, Physics, latest information and to further their professional Biology and Elective Maths as my Electives. I am aspiring to be Paediatric development. Oncologist. My love to help children, especially those with cancer, is what is Our partner, the Malawi National Library Service motivating me to pursue this program.” distributed 7,850 medical books to 27 hospital Opening a STEM study hub in Ghana --Pupil and Head Prefect, St. Mary’s Girls Senior High School, Ghana libraries, medical school libraries and health centres. These books benefit the medical community in a number of ways. Supporting higher education students “Honestly, some institutions like ours would find it when libraries are destroyed hard to acquire books because books, especially those from the medical field, are very expensive. We The demand for higher-level academic texts is huge and yet the cost of would find it very tough to operate. The books from these books can be prohibitive for many institutions. This means students Book Aid International are playing a great role in are often unable to access the books they need to succeed in their studies. ensuring that scholars find information they need.” Tragically, when well-stocked university libraries are destroyed through conflict or natural disaster, institutions have little hope of replacing the --Mr. Samuel Jere, Health Science Librarian, books that have been lost. Malamulo College of Health Sciences, Malawi
When Hurricane Dorian struck the Caribbean in September 2019, the We also supported partners working in highly library of the University of The Bahamas-North’s campus on Grand Bahama specialised environments and sent 1,065 brand A nursing student in Uganda displays a book she finds particularly was completely destroyed and all books lost. In December 2019, we new medical books to Syria, which our partner Syria helpful in her training hospital’s medical library. sent 2,423 brand new higher education books to the university to start Relief, distributed to two organisations: Reyhanli to replace much of what was lost and to enable students to begin their Medical Training Centre and the Independent “After nine years of war in Syria, continuous medical studies again. Doctors Association. The books have supported the education is hard to reach …. The donated books were very important for medical personnel to self-improve “Though Hurricane Dorian caused massive disruption, our University of the professional development of medical personnel, their knowledge in compensation of war-related Bahamas-North community is determined to rebound. We are so grateful for enabling them to bring the best care to patients in The University of The Bahamas-North’s shutdown of medical education.” the support from Book Aid International and we look forward to building a an extremely challenging environment. library after it was destroyed stronger relationship for the benefit of our educational community.” by Hurricane Dorian --Syria Relief --Dr. Berthamae Walker, University of The Bahamas
Book Aid International 2019 Trustees’ Annual Report
13 Supporting refugees in East Africa libraries in the camps and 17,936 were donated as part of our project work. Alongside the Reading for Reaching displaced and In 2019 we sent 26,167 books to support the growing All and Child Friendly Spaces projects (see below), refugee populations living in permanent camps in we continued our Solar Homework Club project. Six the East African region. Our work was focused on the secondary schools participated in this project, which conflict-affected people settlement camps of Kakuma and Dadaab in Kenya provided 864 solar lamps to borrow alongside 5,000 and Adjumani and Bidi Bidi in Uganda. A total of books, enabling 12,494 secondary school children to 8,231 books were donated to community and school read and study at home.
In 2019 87 million people across the world Southern Europe and 26,167 books were sent to were displaced through conflict, violence or refugees in Africa. Bringing reading to all children disaster. Young people forced to flee their homes struggled to access any form of education. In Supporting refugees in Greece these circumstances books can give hope, support, In 2019 we continued our work donating books to In 2019 we established the Reading for All project which offers support learning and improve people’s chances of a better support NGOs providing education services for the for early childhood and primary education in ten schools in Kakuma future. growing refugee population in Greece. Refugees Refugee Camp in partnership with Lutheran World Federation, arriving in Greece and living in transit camps are alongside support for six secondary schools in partnership with Windle We expanded our work with refugees in Southern International Kenya. Europe and East Africa, providing books and training supported by a network of NGOs, many of which to create school and community libraries alongside lack the funds to purchase the books needed by The project has given 7,842 early childhood learners, 15,626 primary donations of beautiful, relevant books that will help teachers and students to support their informal school children and 12,494 secondary school students access to refugees succeed in education. lessons and studies. books that will support their entire school education. Teachers are We worked with 17 organisations in mainland Greece already reporting improvements across reading, speaking, listening Of the 33.900 books that were sent to refugees and writing skills for all age groups. in 2019, 7,233 books went to support refugees in and on Lesvos, sending a total of 7,017 carefully- selected books to support their varied programmes. “Children like books and food! The books play a big role because all other subjects are taught in English. The books give a good foundation to learn English which is used in all the other subjects except Kiswahili.” Reaching refugees in Lesvos --Benedict, Head Teacher, Lokitaung Primary School (R4A primary, Kakuma)
In 2019 we supported NGO Drop in the Teachers using books in class at a primary school in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya Ocean with a donation of 1,911 books. Of these, 530 went to their centre in Athens, and 1,381 went to their centre in Lesvos. Drop in the Ocean use the books we sent Creating space to read in their community centre to support English and Greek language learning as well as for recreational activities, such as In 2019 we supported local NGO Transcultural Psychosocial arts and crafts. Organisation (TPO) Uganda’s work with displaced children in their “The aim of our operations is to provide eight Child Friendly Spaces in Adjumani and Bidi Bidi refugee camp residents with an opportunity to settlements. These spaces provide children with a safe space to play develop skills, get away from their hard and learn and are led by ‘animators’ who deliver a wide programme of realities and enjoy some time with friends lively activities. learning English or reading a book. The The project supplied 15,915 books and trained the animators in book donations [have allowed] us to engaging children in reading the books in their new collections. The create a lending library, where residents spaces have to date been accessed by 3,496 children. can borrow a book to read and a safe study space for residents to come and use “After the training I know how to do a workplan and arrange books. If I the books.” can go to Secondary School, I could be a librarian. The children know how to read and their performance is good. I use the books with the --Mr. Christos Nikolaidis, Drop in the children to identify birds and animals, I use English and local language.” Ocean Site Coordinator, Lesvos --Saviour John, Animator, Amazing Child Friendly Space, Bidi Bidi
A Drop in the Ocean volunteer reads a book with a displaced child in Greece Children read new donated books at a Child Friendly Space in Adjumani settlement in Uganda
Book Aid International 2019 Trustees’ Annual Report
15 COVID-19 The value of donated books Financial overview In response to the COVID pandemic and its likely In 2019, we received donations of books valued impact the Finance and Audit Committee conducted at £18,558,955, higher than in 2018, when the total an exercise to arrive at an opinion on the funds value of the books we received was £17,386,704. of the organisation up to and beyond the end of This higher figure in 2019 was due to higher levels 2021. Based on the information supplied and the of donations in general combined with the large All Book Aid International’s income is from voluntary modelling performed, the FAC reported to the board volume of medical and higher education textbooks donations; we receive no government grants or Total cash income 2019 that in their opinion the organisation was sufficiently received in the year. support. We are supported by individuals who resourced to operate on a going concern basis. donate through regular and one-off gifts, trusts and Many of these high-value books were passed on to corporates that make single and multi-year grants, our partners during the year. As a result, the value of and schools and community groups that fundraise the books we sent in 2019 was also markedly higher, to support our work. at £18,229,466, against £16,047,872 in 2018. In 2019, our total income was £20,839,213 of which Individuals £1,276,395 £2,280,258 was cash income; the in-kind value of (including legacies) How our income and expenditure have changed the books donated to us by UK publishers was Corporate £111,824 £18,558,955. Community £126,927 INCOME EXPENDITURE Trusts £733,788 Total expenditure was £20,433,566, of which BOOKS IN CASH INCOME BOOKS OUT CASH EXPENDITURE £2,204,100 was cash expenditure and £18,229,466 the Other £31,324 in-kind value of the books we donated to partners Total £2,280,258 around the world. £18,558,955 £2,280,258 2019 Cash income and expenditure £18,229,466 £2,204,100
In 2019 we received cash income of £2,280,258 (above £17,386,704 £1,979,903 the 2018 level of £2,029,903). 2018 £16,047,872 £2,028,899 We received unrestricted income of £1,323,434, which funded our core activity of providing books around the world. Income in 2019 was boosted by the high value of legacy gifts (£252,538) as well as very generous support from players of People’s Postcode Total cash expenditure 2019 Lottery in the amount of £500,000. Making the best use of donated money and books We received restricted income of £956,824, which funded projects including Children’s Corners, Pioneer In 2019, 97p in every pound supported the cost of providing Book Boxes and Inspiring Readers. books and supporting readers. Cash expenditure in 2019 was £2,204,100, higher than the 2018 figure of £2,028,899, invested in sending more books, implementing more projects, running our Raising funds £588,962 organisation and raising funds to support our work. 89p Use of donated books Providing books £967,057
Maintaining reserves Projects and £648,081 training We maintain sufficient unrestricted cash reserves to Training, projects ensure that we can deliver our planned commitments Total £2,204,100 8p in the event of unforeseen financial challenges. & other charitable activities The minimum level of reserves we must hold is agreed by our Board of Trustees and monitored regularly. In 2018, the minimum level was set at a 3p Raising funds range between £500,000 and £550,000. We ended 2019 with £682,058 in free reserves.
For more information on our finances, including our If we remove the value of donated books, we spent 73p of every pound full audited accounts, see pages 34 to 54. on charitable activities. We spent a total of £15,476 on governance.
Book Aid International 2019 Trustees’ Annual Report
17 Legacies Day; leading author and historian Andrew Roberts spoke at a ticketed event to benefit our cause Our supporter community Gifts in wills make a lasting impact and we are and British space scientist and science educator always very moved by donors who remember the Dr. Maggie Aderin-Pocock spoke at charity this way. In 2019, we received £275,038 in our STEM event about how books have changed legacy gifts which made a significant contribution to her life. the work we could deliver. We are supported by thousands of individuals and This year our generous donors gave more than ever to our two fundraising appeals. The 2019 summer Support from publishing partners organisations who donate books, funds and time Our online shop so that we can reach readers around the world. appeal focused on how our medical books help Our UK publishing partners generously donate save lives in Sierra Leone and our Christmas appeal In 2019, we launched an online shop to sell our all the brand-new books we send. In 2019, 84 Trusts and corporate partners featured our work with street children in Ghana. unique cards and gifts to our supporters and to publishers donated books, enabling us to send offer the opportunity to give in a different way. We 1,211,423 books worth £18,229,466 to public and Our trusts and corporate partners are vital to our sold our exclusive Christmas cards, tote bags and community libraries, schools, universities, prisons, work. In 2019, 32 trusts supported our charity, Reverse Book Tokens on the online shop. Over 600 refugee camps and hospitals. giving grants totalling £733,788. These generous supporters purchased our Christmas cards and donations helped us send thousands of books nearly 300 bought Reverse Book Tokens for loved All donations of books are valued, even the and supported the following projects: Explorer ones, raising over £20,000 in total. smallest; however, we would particularly like to School Libraries, Children’s Corners, STEM Study recognise the contribution of Penguin Random Hubs and Inspiring Readers. Support from celebrities House, Elsevier, Oxford University Press, Coordination Group Publications, Pan Macmillan We continued to develop our long-standing In 2019, we were delighted that a number of high- Books and Bloomsbury Publishing, each of whom relationships with players of People’s profile authors and broadcasters supported our donated over 50,000 books in 2019. Postcode Lottery (PPL), the Beatrice Laing Trust, work. Renowned broadcaster and journalist John the Peacock Charitable Trust and the Beit Trust and Pupils from Canon Slade School celebrating World Book Day with a Simpson spoke at our event in June launching welcomed new trusts, the Chalk Cliff Trust and The bake sale our fundraising campaign to University of Mosul’s Volunteers Economist Charitable Trust. Central Library and then went on to visit the library in In 2019, our South London warehouse welcomed In total, individuals gave £1,276,395 – which is more Mosul, securing high-profile national press coverage 157 dedicated volunteers who donated over 3,335 than half of our cash income in 2019. of our work. In addition, current Children’s Laureate hours of their time to support our work, making a Cressida Cowell lent her support to our Big Booky measurable contribution to the number of books we We also received a number of higher value gifts of Breakfast fundraising campaign around World Book were able to select, pack and send. over £500 from individuals, totalling £115,662 and significantly contributing to the number of books We would like to thank all who supported our work and projects we were able to deliver. in 2019. Community fundraising Every year hundreds of inspirational individuals fundraise for us in creative ways: from book sales to running events to read-a-thons to dinner parties. In 2019, these supporters raised £126,927. to support our work. Our team in the warehouse with People’s Postcode Lottery Ambassador Danyl Johnson We are also an official World Book Day UK supported charity, and every year schools across We also worked with a range of corporate partners the UK mark World Book Day by celebrating books who generously gave £111,824 in 2019. Aggreko and fundraising for us. In 2019, we launched our plc supported our STEM Study Hub programme Big Booky Breakfast fundraising pack for schools in Ghana and RELX Group supported the opening which included classroom resources and activities, of new Children’s Corners in Ghana. Blackwell’s fundraising ideas and case studies to show retained us as their charity of the year and donated how books change lives. A total of 788 schools £18,472 from the sale of plastic bags. fundraised and together raised an outstanding £98,580 – enough to send more than 49,000 books Support from individuals to children around the world. We rely on the generous and continued support of our individual donors. In 2019, more than 5,000 In 2019, we received growing support from supporters gave monthly through the Reverse universities holding Library Fines Donation days in Book Club (our regular giving programme), support of our work with the University of Mosul’s providing income that enables us to fund our book Central Library. Three universities raised over £1,600 Two volunteers from Islington Refugee Centre help stamp books provision work. for our future shipments to Mosul to help students Dr. Maggie Aderin-Pocock speaking at our STEM event in 2019 and staff get back to learning. destined for Syrian refugees in Jordan
Book Aid International 2019 Trustees’ Annual Report
19 Looking to the future Our partners
As a new decade dawns, we are facing development is also vital as librarians become Below is a full list of all our overseas partners to whom we sent books directly in 2019. Through our unprecedented challenges: maximising the information professionals, serving and supporting partners, we were able to reach more than 3,000 libraries, schools, hospitals and refugee camps around potential of our rapidly-growing young populations, their communities of readers. Our projects will train the world. We could not do this without the continued support, creativity and passion of our partners slowing the pace of climate change, managing the key workers in the information and education sectors and we thank them all for their hard work. needs of a growing number of displaced people, in a range of diverse environments: in schools, in protecting the health of our global citizens and of community libraries, in container libraries even, in our natural environment, creating the technicians refugee camps and wherever there is a need for Antigua and Barbuda Street Children Liberia Uganda for a modern world and the leaders of tomorrow. books and information. High Commission Antigua Empowerment Foundation WE-CARE Foundation Africa Educational Trust Teach For Ghana The inevitable economic impact of the COVID-19 and Barbuda African Prisons Project Teach2Teach International pandemic will make the need for books and reading We cannot do this alone, however. Our strength Bahamas Malawi All Saints University Lango The Rebecca Foundation Fort Portal International even more important as the world begins to recover. is working in partnership: with the publishers who University of Bahamas African Parks generously provide the books we donate and the Greece Malawi National Library Nursing School Bhutan Action for Education Service Gulu Regional Referral The key to meeting so many of the challenges that supporters who provide the funds we use to send Khesar Gyalpo University Hospital Drop in the Ocean Manthove Foundation lie ahead is an educated workforce and an informed them, and with our library and project partners who READ Bhutan Jango International Gekko Kids St John of God College of public. Books have a vital role to play in shaping make change happen on the ground. Royal University of Bhutan Medicine Kyambogo University Greek Council for Refugees University of Malawi College National Library of Uganda future generations and should be available to all. Iliaktida We are just one part of a very wide community Dominica of Medicine SOS Children’s Villages Intersos With the help of all our supporters we will continue of people who believe in the power of books Dominica Library and Tusome Africa Information Service Metadrasi Nepal our work of sending a wide range of relevant to enhance and change lives. We are proud to Transcultural Psychosocial Mosaik Future Faces Organisation and up-to-date books to our many library and be involved and to contribute to effective and Cameroon Community Agriculture and Multifunctional Centre for Uganda Community Libraries education partners around the world. Capacity transformational change. Environmental Protection Refugees Rwanda Association Association Open Cultural Center Grace Rwanda Uganda Protestant Medical EISERVI Education Project Elea Kigali Public Library Bureau Information Services Starfish Foundation Mad 4 Africa Uganda Prisons Service International The Hope Project University of Rwanda Volunteer Services Overseas Hope for Children We Are Here VSO Rwanda Masaka Regional Referral Eritrea Hospital One of our most inspiring partners is the India Sierra Leone Ministry of Education Windle Trust new Siilaanyo National Library in Hargeisa, Rochun Sierra Leone Library Board Somaliland, a nation devastated by the long war Ethiopia Save The Needy Zambia Iraq CELIM with neighbouring Somalia. British Council Mosul University USL Institute of Public CODE Ethiopia Administration & Copperbelt University Iraqi State Board for the Management Lions Club of Mukuba Ethiopia Knowledge and Conservation of Antiquities Technology Transfer and Heritage Street Child Sierra Leone Mukuba University Society African Hospital Libraries Senanga School of Nursing The future of Somaliland is Ethiopia Reads Italy EducAid Smart Girls Empowerment Voluntary Services Overseas Siproimi Center Ischitella Network very bright and there is a lot of Ethiopia Academy of Science Jordan Somaliland University of Zambia Siilaanyo National Library Zambia Episcopal development going on. So, we say Gambia We Love reading Conference Health Gambia National Library Instiututions NOW it’s time for Africa. Everybody Kenya Syria Service Zambia Library Service African Prisons Project Syria Relief who supports Book Aid International InTouch Foundation Amref Health Africa Zambia Open Community Schools – the books and the money which Switched on Gambia Association for Aid and Relief, Tanzania Steve Sinnott Foundation Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church Zimbabwe you are donating are helping so of Tanzania Ghana Emley African Education Edward Ndlovu Memorial Project Muhimbili University of many. Please continue to support Afrikids Trust FAFA Medical Training Health and Allied Sciences Biblionef Harare Distribution this organisation, which is making College New Chapter Development Committee Breaking the Myth for Youth a big difference for our country and Generation for Change and World Vision EduSpots Development State University of Zanzibar Zambezi Schoolbook Project other countries in Africa. Ghana Library Authority Kenya Medical Training Sumait University Humanitas College Tanzania Library Services IDEA Africa Kenya National Library Board Rainbow Trust Service Tanzanian Training Centre for – Ahmed, Founder, Siilaanyo National Sabre Lewa Wildlife Conservancy International Health Library, Somaliland Samira Empowerment and Rahul Kotak Foundation Zanzibar Library Services Humanitarian Projects Storymoja Windle Trust
Book Aid International 2019 Trustees’ Annual Report
21 With thanks to…
We would like to thank the following supporters in particular as well as those Our volunteers, ambassadors and Kantar Holly Smale individual supporters Lady Janet Boateng Jake Hope who wish to remain anonymous: Alice Konig Margaret Martindale Jen Campbell Amanda Knight McGraw Hill John Simpson Andrea Carr and Richard Cooper Michael Grant Kamin Mohammadi Andrew Hewitt Michael Shelley Kerry Hudson Ituri Publications Wiley Our book donors and corporate Ann Matthews Leslie and Alison Abbotts Kingston University partners Kube Publishing Yseop Barings Peter Goodwin Latitude Adam Matthew Digital Legal & General Group Zed Books Blanche Brewer Peter Waller and Erica Zimmer Liverpool University Agency for Legal Deposit Libraries Letterbox Library Our trust supporters Books at the Barn Rosanna Alabasian London Book Fair Aggreko plc Lonely Planet Anonymous charitable trusts Bruno Paulson and Charlotte Warner Saida Kasumov Lord Julian Fellowes ALCS Macmillan Education Beatrice Laing Trust Caroline Burton Sarada Baker Louisa Symington Amazon.co.uk Magna Large Print Books Chalk Cliff Trust Christopher and Gilda Haskins Sir Mark and Lady Judy Moody-Stuart Neil Pearson Andersen Press Make Believe Ideas Eva Reckitt Trust Fund Christine Lindop Thomas Elmes Onjali Rauf Andrew Nurnberg Associates Marylebone Books Fresh Leaf Charitable Foundation Claire Shortt Publishing Perspectives Austin Macauley Publishers Miles Kelly Publishing And also thanks to Heathgate Trust Claire Vinycomb Reni Eddo-Lodge BackList Books National Book Tokens Alexander McCall Smith Hodge Foundation Clive Butler Sita Brahmachari Barrington Stoke National Library of Wales Andrew Roberts Montier Charitable Trust Eleanor and David Holloway Stuart Turton BlackRock Norwegian Centre for Conflict Battenhall Network for Social Change Charitable Elizabeth Ryder Tade Thompson Blackwell’s Nosy Crow Ben Okri Trust Felicity and Michael Shoesmith The Ivy Club Bloomsbury Publishing Outland AS Centre for Literacy in Primary Education Peacock Charitable Trust Georgie Baker The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay BMJ Cheltenham Festivals Owlet Press The 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust Gill Lowther Competition Books Beyond Words Chris Wormell Oxford University Press The Alchemy Foundation Grace Emson Tor Freeman Book Harvest Cliveden Literary Festival Pan Macmillan UK The Allan and Nesta Ferguson Graham and Emma Defries University of Mosul Book Island Cressida Cowell Pearson Education Charitable Trust Helen Hughes World Book Day BookBrunch Dr. Maggie Aderin-Pocock Penguin Random House The Ardwick Trust Ipsos Mori Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook Books Express Edmund de Waal Persephone Books The Beit Trust Jacobs Ladder Charity Trust Booksellers Association Gideon Commey Portland Press The Bernard Sunley Charitable Jane Jewell In addition to all those named above, BookTrust Foundation Hargeisa International Book Fair Practical Action Publishing Jane Penson we would like to thanks all of those Bounce Sales and Marketing The Bhutan Society Trust Hay Festival who supported us anonymously Profile Books Jenny Jenkins Brilliant Publications The Bryan Guinness Charitable Trust His Royal Highness The Duke of in 2019. ProQuest Jessica Edwards British Library The E Alec Colman Charitable Fund Edinburgh Qualcomm - Churchill House Julie Dickinson British Museum Reed Business Information Ltd Limited Buckman Agency RELX Group plc The Economist Charitable Trust Cambridge University Press Revival Books The Fulmer Charitable Trust Charities Trust Royal National Institute of Blind People The Law Society Charity Charles Tripp (RNIB) The Michael and Anna Wix Charitable Class Professional Publishing Sage Publications Trust Clifford Chance Saraband The MuchLoved Charitable Trust Comparative Research Programme on Scholastic UK People’s Postcode Lottery The Rest-Harrow Trust Patrons, trustees and officials poverty Search Press Coordination Group Publications Shared Services Connected The Rhododendron Trust Crooks Creative Small Building Services The Rickfield Trust Daunt Books Springer Nature The Tony and Audrey Watson David’s Bookshop Square and Circus Charitable Trust Eland Publishing Ltd Sue Hill Recruitment Westcroft Trust Elsevier Tales on Moon Lane Unwin Charitable Trust Board Everyclick Taylor & Francis Chair Lord Paul Boateng Everyman’s Library Technical Centre for Agricultural and Forbes Books Rural Cooperation (CTA) Honorary Treasurer Nicholas Allen Green Bean Books Teeth Relief Guidant Financial Teleperformance Trustees Hachette UK The Society of Authors Pamela Dix HarperCollins Publishers The Willoughby Book Club Charly Nobbs Heath Educational Books UK Government Legal Department Patron HRH The Duke of Edinburgh KG KT OM Jonathan Macintosh Hebe Foundation Ulverscroft Robert Sulley President Nigel Newton ICE Publishing Viking Cruises Rosie Glazebrook Illuminate Publishing Walker Books Vice President Professor Kingo Mchombu International African Institute, SOAS Watkins Publishing IOP Publishing Westons Booksellers Chief Executive & Company Secretary Alison Tweed
Book Aid International 2019 Trustees’ Annual Report
23 Carine chooses books from the Voyager Container Library, Kigali, Rwanda
At school we have books but limited days when we were supposed to read. Now we have this library, I come every day after school. Now I can read so often I will know how to read better and I will now start approaching English books and be able to read English better. This library is allowing us to read. It helps also the kids who don’t know how to read – they can learn to read now.
Carine, 12, P6 student at GS Gisozi School I, Kigali, Rwanda
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