This article was originally published in The Guardian on Thursday, March 19, 2015. To see the original publication, click here. Nigerian envoy to Tanzania commends Offor Foundation’s education initiative The Education Initiative by the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation, aimed at promoting learning across the continent of Africa was last Friday extended to schools in Bagamoyo region in Tanzania.Over 1, 500 students representing six secondary schools gathered to receive over 22, 000 academic books shipped to the region in partnership with Books For Africa, a United States-based non-governmental organisation. About 19 other African countries including Nigeria, the foundation said, are benefitting from similar gesture by the foundation. The Nigerian High Commissioner to Tanzania, Ambassador Ishaya Samaila Majanbu, who was present at the presentation exercise, applauded Offor and the foundation for the exemplary act of altruism and support for academic enlightenment amongst …
The following article was published on March 18, 2015 by Vanguard. See the original article here. Ambassador lauds Emeka Offor Foundation’s education initiative The Nigerian High Commissioner to Tanzania, Ambassador Ishaya Majanbu, has commended Sir Emeka Offor Foundation’s Education Initiative, following the donation of 22,000 books to schools in Bagamoyo region of Tanzania by the foundation. Over 1,500 students, representing six secondary schools, gathered to receive the books shipped to the region by the Foundation, in partnership with Books for Africa, a US based NGO. A similar effort, the foundation said, had been extended to about 19 other African countries, including Nigeria. Ambassador Majanbu, who was present, applauded Sir Emeka Offor and the Foundation for the exemplary act of altruism and support for academic enlightenment among Africans. He noted that such philanthropic gestures by the Foundation ought to be emulated …
By Doug Stone, Books for Africa A new business model is emerging in Africa and it has the potential to benefit millions of underserved people around the far reaches of the continent. The model embraces corporate social responsibility and involves business leaders giving back to the places where they built and acquired their wealth. These private benefactors are now also collaborating with NGOs and governments to advance core development needs and goals. No better example exists than Sir Emeka Offor, a leading Nigerian businessman, who since 2011 has donated $950,000 to Books For Africa (BFA) to ship 1.7 million books and computers valued at over $18 million to children and students in 19 African countries, including his own home country Nigeria. What is unique about Sir Emeka’s generosity beyond the size of the donation, is that his support will help …
The Nigeria-based Sir Emeka Offor Foundation has donated $600,000 to Books For Africa (BFA), which will support the shipment of more than a million books to the children of Nigeria and across Africa. "This donation represents the largest single donation we have ever received at Books For Africa, so naturally we are quite excited," said Patrick Plonski, executive director of BFA. "The generosity of Sir Emeka Offor in advancing education across the African continent is an outstanding example for others to follow." Tom Warth, who founded BFA in 1988, said that the "benefits that will accrue to the young people of Africa through this generous donation are immeasurable. We at Books For Africa struggle every day to convince folks of the wisdom of education in the advancement of African nations. Over our 25 years many have agreed with us but …
The following article by Claire Kirch of Publisher's Weekly was published on June 18, 2013. To see the original article, please click here. Books for Africa Receives $600,000 Donation By Claire Kirch | Jun 18, 2013 Books for Africa, the St. Paul, Minn.-based organization that collects donated books and ships them to schools and libraries in 49 African countries, has announced that the Nigerian-based Sir Emeka Offor Foundation has donated $600,000 to BFA. It is the largest cash donation BFA has received in its 25-year history. The money will be used to ship 1.1 million books to Nigeria, as well as to The Gambia, Somalia, Liberia, Tanzania, Namibia, Senegal, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Botswana, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Egypt, and Malawi. The Sir Emeka Offor Foundation was founded by a Nigerian business entrepreneur in the mid-1990s to “positively render assistance” to …
The article, "Emeka Offor boosts reading culture...Distributes books to 200 schools, libraries," in the Daily Sun, reporting on the good works of the Emeka Offor Foundation. The story describes the distribution of more than one million volumes of books to various universities, polytechnics, secondary schools, primary schools and states as well as community libraries in the country. On the whole, 30 universities, 80 secondary schools, 80 primary schools and 15 libraries in the country benefited in the first phase of the books distribution which took place at Oraifite Civic Centre, Oraifite in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State. Chairman of the event was the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim. Among the dignitaries were the governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State, Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, …