Book Bus Donations
Make a donation to the Book Bus Foundation via PayPal.
Make a donation to the Book Bus via Virgin Money Giving.
Make a donation to the Book Bus Foundation via CAF. Search 'Book Bus Foundation'.
Our work
The Book Bus Foundation (Charity number 1117357) aims to improve literacy rates in Africa and South America by providing children with books and the inspiration to read them. The Book Bus currently provides a mobile library service for children from disadvantaged communities and families in Zambia, Malawi and Ecuador. Our Book Buses tour schools, hospitals and orphanages to promote reading and storytelling to children who would otherwise have little or no access to books. There's no doubt that stories can make a difference to children's lives and with story tellers onboard, the Book Bus can help maintain the link between local society and its own stories as well as providing inspiration with new stories from afar.
Through repeat visits, regular book donations and help with developing library spaces, they are working hard to sustain that interest.
The Book Bus Fleet
There are currently three Book Buses bringing the joy of reading to children in Zambia, Malawi and Ecuador. Everywhere they go our Book Buses attract attention thanks to the stunning artwork by celebrated children’s artist, Quentin Blake. Quentin is a trustee of the Book Bus Foundation and a staunch supporter of the project.
Zambia: The original Book Bus is a 1981 Leyland Tiger bus that spent its previous life plying the highways and byways of England. After a complete refit and modifications to cope with the African roads, the Tiger was shipped from London to Africa in March 2008. The bus has shelving and storage space for thousands of books and is helping fill bookshelves in 5 primary schools and an orphanage in Livingstone. The Tiger is now a regular feature in Livingstone and has received celebrity status in the town.
Malawi and Meheba UNHCR settlement camp: Our latest Book Bus is a rugged Mercedes Benz expedition vehicle with a “go anywhere stop at nothing” capability. Our thanks go to the generosity of Clifford Chance Solicitors in London who donated the funds to purchase this truck and convert it into a Book Bus. This Book Bus has seating for up to 16 volunteers, plenty of book storage space and is fully equipped with camping gear for extended overland safari work. The Mercedes works in Malawi for part of the year and with UNHCR in northern Zambia. In between these two locations it visits schools in the South Luangwa valley during our Book Bus Safari.
Ecuador: The Book Bus in Ecuador is dedicated to the memory of 5 volunteers who died in a tragic road accident in the country in April 2008. The families of Beci, Indira, Sarah, Emily and Elizabeth (Liz) formed BISEE Books as a means of funding children’s education projects in Ecuador. The BISEE Book Bus is built on a sturdy Mitsibushi chassis with a coach body adapted to carry up to 16 volunteers and a large number of books and artistic material. The Bus works seasonally in 4 regions of the country: Amazon, Andes, southern coast and northern coast.
The Book Bus
Improving Children’s Lives, One Book at a Time