Where can you find 35 libraries packed in a box? In our first container headed to Lesotho! Soon chugging along in a freighter to the mountain Kingdom of Lesotho, the container will carry more than 34,000 books packed in 457 boxes. The books will be used in preschools, primary schools, secondary schools, community libraries, and even a small jail library in Lesotho. 
 
We wanted to share a few of the highlights from the tremendous efforts that have taken place from Vermont to California to fill this container with beautiful books. Girl Scouts,  schools, companies, senior citizens, churches, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, a Leos Club and the families of Peace Corps Volunteers have all led book drives to fill this container, having each partnered with one or more individual library projects in Lesotho.

La Honda Elementary School of La Honda, California joined efforts with Inkspell Books located in Half Moon Bay, California, to send 1284 books to Kholo-Ntso Primary School where PCV Phoebe Harward will help the school organize them into a library. 
 
Mountain View High School’s Leo’s Club in Mountain View, CA ran a dizzyingly fast book drive to start a library at Tsoana-Mantata Secondary School. Combining 100 strategically placed grocery bags and a presentation to the entire faculty, the Leos collected 1182 appropriate books in just one week!

On the other side of the country, 12 year old Bar Mitzvah Scott Braverman collected books in Medfield, Massachusetts to create a community library for Semonkong, Lesotho. Scott’s uncle, Robbie Prime is a Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV) posted to Semonkong. Scott was so successful, he also was able to send books to Peace Corps Volunteer Mike Wong to help organize a library at Peka Primary School.

In St. Alban’s, Vermont, when Staples heard about the efforts of their local schools, Georgia Elementary and Middle School, to help start libraries in Africa, they generously donated over $3,000 in school supplies. The amazing Bettina Laidley, mother of Peace Corp Volunteer Belinda Laidley-Colias, spearheaded an effort to fundraise and purchase the necessary supplies to set up 30 Peace Corp Volunteer libraries. Meanwhile Georgia Elementary and Middle Schools, alma mater of PCV Belinda Laidley-Colias, collected books to start libraries at Mohale High School and Sebapala Community Library.

And finally, last but not least, California Middle School in California, Missouri, tied our African Library Project record by starting 5 libraries with a super-successful book drive. Teacher Jackie Hodson led the way changing the lives forever of the students of Mekaling Primary, St. Theresa Secondary, Katse High School, the citizens of Teyateyteng and the inmates at the Berea Jail! 
 
What does it take to fill a container full of books? Grassroots efforts from around the U.S. who are willing to put in the elbow grease to make it happen. Thank you for your incredible efforts.