Better World Books Blog - Book Reviews, Author Interviews, Community Outreach & more » ghana

Let us introduce you to something Divine!

admin — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 18:49:11 +0000

Maybe it’s Halloween or the shorter days, but lately here at Better World Books we’ve been craving something sweet and good. But not just Snickers or Twix good—something more along the lines of improve the world, make life better for others while satisfying our sweet tooth good.

Enter Divine Chocolate. Divine Chocolate Ltd is a Fairtrade organization that makes super delicious chocolate with the aim of improving the livelihood of smallholder cocoa producers in West Africa. In addition to paying a Fairtrade price for all of the cocoa used in the chocolate it sells, Divine Chocolate is working to raise awareness of fair trade issues among US retailers and consumers by acting as a catalyst for change. It’s sort of what we do with books, only with chocolate. Mmmmmm…chocolate.

To support Divine Chocolates in its mission we’re giving everyone who buys three used books a free yummy chocolate bar.

Sweet deal! (see what we did there?)

It’s a Small World After All

admin — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 16:01:05 +0000

Our four Global Literacy Partners are all world class organizations that make a huge impact for literacy, as you’ve seen on this very blog. You can even see testimonials about our relationship on YouTube. We don’t often post about the other 74+. Since I’m based out of our warehouse here in Mishawaka, I am lucky enough to meet some of the people in these other groups and hear about the huge impact they make in people’s lives. They don’t necessarily make headlines, but they do make a difference.

Anne Gongwer is one such woman. As a teacher-turned-missionary, she started the Ankaase Literacy Program in Ankasse, Ghana. Under her leadership, the program has taught over 80 adults and children to read in their native tongue. She has continued to expand the young program, recently completing the Reading Town Community Library which will provide for the education of future generations of Ghanaian children.

Anne is originally from Mishawaka and had heard about us through an acquaintance. I met with her and asked what Better World Books could do to help. At the time, she was near finishing her library and really needed books. We were more than happy to oblige.

Unfortunately I couldn’t meet with them when she and her husband came in to select them. I had a meeting with another potential partner (more on that in the coming months) so I asked my colleague, Jon Metzger, to assist them. Jon spent his early years in Sierra Leone, where his dad was a surgeon. It turns out that Anne’s husband, Cameron, remembered meeting Jon and his dad over 18 years ago in Sierra Leone. I guess the Sherman Brothers were right.

The Gongwers were able to take 4 boxes of books with them on their way back to Ghana. We hope to be able to get them more books in the future!

Action Child Mobilization in Ghana Receives Books!

admin — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 22:36:40 +0000

Last week, Action Child Mobilization in Ghana received their 20-foot container of books from Books for Africa! The shipment contained lots of new books and left the U.S. back in September – $8,000 of the shipping costs were funded by the Better World Books Fund.

Here’s a statement from the National Director of Action Child Mobilization, Pastor Francis Opoku:

As for the quality of the books … I must tell you I am VERY HAPPY. The books are very good. The workbooks in particular would be very helpful to our village schools where they have no books at all. They will have something to work with. My wife is a professional teacher and has confessed the books will make teaching easier for the schools that would receive them. She admits they are more fun to teach with than the Ghanaian books. I am very happy with the content of the container.

Here are some pictures from the arrival!