We are pleased to announce a partnership with Indigo that will bring books to children and youth in Athletes for Africa impact areas in northern Uganda.
Through their Greening Operations program, Indigo was looking for charity partners who could put unsold books to use and save them from recycling before being read. At the end of 2009, Indigo was able to donate over 30,000 books, which will be shipped to northern Uganda and distributed to communities.
We will find a home for many of them in the eight youth centres we’re building there—a great fit since the centres are designed to serve as hub for learning, recreation and culture. The libraries established at these centres will be an integral part of the larger reconstruction effort in the region, which focuses on peacebuilding, health and education. Above all, they’ll be a welcomed resource for many abandoned children, former child soldiers and other war-affected youth in the Gulu region, where all aspects of community life—including reading and literacy—were disrupted by civil war for more than 20 years. Remaining books will be distributed directly to schools in the area through our partners on the ground.
We are grateful for Indigo’s support and are excited to be contributing both to environmental responsibility and to educational efforts in Uganda through this initiative.
For more about Indigo’s Book Product Donation Program and it’s other Greening Our Operations initiatives, please visit Chapters Indigo, Indigo Green.
About Indigo’s Book Product Donation Program:
In 2009, Indigo developed its Book Product Donation Program where unsold books are donated to literacy organizations in need. Through this program, managed through Home Office, Indigo has identified a number of literacy partners. Since January 2010, Indigo has donated more than 20,000 pounds of books (over 34,000 books) to Athletes for Africa, GuluWalk’s parent charity, and to the Canadian organization, Frontier College. This donation program not only improves our waste management practices by keeping books out of landfills, it also ensures that these books find a good home while helping those in need.
About GuluWalk:
GuluWalk is a campaign of Athletes for Africa that supports war-affected youth in northern Uganda. Started by two concerned citizens in 2005, today GuluWalk is an international movement for peace and reconstruction with over 30,000 participants in 75 cities in 16 different countries.
About Athletes for Africa:
Athletes for Africa is a nonprofit organization that uses the power and profile of sport to promote global citizenship and empower the next generation of youth in Africa. By raising funds and increasing awareness, A4A supports local programs that strengthen communities, provide education and foster skills development.
