A University of Colorado at Boulder program that encourages students to spend spring break helping other people has collected more than 1,600 college textbooks to help communities in several African nations.
The Books for Africa drive took place April 27 through May 11 on the CU-Boulder campus. The CU Alternative Breaks program organized the event, collecting updated literature, math and social science books from the CU Book Store and from students, faculty and staff at the University Memorial Center and the Engineering Center. The student group worked in partnership with literacy support groups Books for Africa and Better World Books.
CU-Boulder was one of several U.S. colleges and universities to contribute to this year's national Books for Africa book drive.
"We'd like to thank students, faculty and staff for their contributions," said Brie Sampson, a senior integrative physiology major and president of CU Alternative Breaks. "These books, or money raised from their resale, will help African students who often don't have high-quality textbooks available to them."
Sampson said Better World Books, based in Mishawaka, Ind., would sort through the books and ship some of them to Africa, where they will help reinforce literacy efforts in various countries. Some of the books will be sold online to raise funds to ship other books and some books will be recycled, she said.
CU-Boulder's Volunteer Clearing House coordinates CU Alternative Breaks, a program that encourages students to learn more about social issues affecting other local communities over spring break.
This past spring break CU-Boulder students helped residents with Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts in New Orleans, assisted with the renovation of a medically managed child care facility in Dallas and cleaned and prepared summer camp cabins in Willow Lake, Minn., for children affected directly or indirectly by the AIDS virus. Next year, the volunteer program hopes to add winter break trips and at least one international trip in the spring.
To learn more about CU Alternative Breaks, the CU-Boulder Volunteer Clearing House, Books for Africa and Better World Books, go to , , and .