Over 40,000 New Books for Children in Ebola-Affected Liberia

New Books for Children in Ebola-Affected Liberia

First Book, a nonprofit social enterprise that provides new books to children in need, announced Monday that it will provide 40,000 new books to children in Ebola-affected Liberia.

Thanks to financial support from C&S Wholesale Grocers, Lee & Low Books, The NEA Foundation, Penguin Random House, Townsend Press, and individual donors, these books will be sent to Liberia later this month along with other aid materials, according to First Book.

Since the Ebola outbreak, schools across the region have closed. Children have been without access to traditional education opportunities and the continuity and moral support teachers provide during times of crisis.

Related Stories:

Ebola and Pets: What Are the Risks?

How to Test Ebola in Just 60 Seconds

Knowledge Stories for Children and Young Adults – Storybooks

RMN KidComm – Art of Communications for Kids

Robojit and the Sand Planet – The Story of the Future Universe

Arabic Cartoon Webisode Series Debuts on YouTube

For this special project, First Book is collaborating with two strategic partners: the We Care Foundation and Library and the International Book Bank.

These organizations will prepare and distribute home schooling kits that include child-focused information about the disease as well as an array of children’s books for the children and families served.

“We know books provide educational opportunities,” said Chandler Arnold, First Book‘s chief operating officer, “But in times of trauma they also provide comforting bedtime stories, moments of family togetherness and the chance for children to temporarily escape from a frightening situation.”

Funds for this initiative were raised via, A Container of Hope, First Book’s first crowd-sourced fundraising campaign.

Photo courtesy: First Book