10,000 Reasons to Believe in the Transformative Power of Knowledge

We’re currently living the most thrilling chapter yet, and we couldn’t wait to share the good news with you. 

Sustainable Social Initiatives (SSI) is honored to be the recipient of 10,000 books from Book Fairies, a Long Island New York-based nonprofit dedicated to addressing book poverty and advancing literacy by redistributing gently used books to communities that need them most.  Since its founding, Book Fairies has donated millions of books to schools, prisons, shelters, and literacy programs in over 30 countries helping to expand access to knowledge around the world.  

The Prologue 

Our relationship with Book Fairies didn’t start with 10,000 books.  

It started with a much smaller donation, 2,000 books and a leap of faith on both sides. SSI was building credibility as a conduit for change in Nigeria’s educational sector, while Book Fairies was taking a chance on a young organization with a big vision. This initial donation helped SSI celebrate the renovation of the children’s section at the Enugu State Central Library and strengthen a public institution that serves countless students, researchers, and casual readers across Enugu state, and beyond. For many visitors, those books offered a first encounter to new authors, Ideas and perspectives. 

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Fast Forward to Now 

Recently, Book Fairies said, "We want to back your next chapter." And in a handoff captured in images we'll treasure forever, they made a strategic investment in a project we've been pouring our hearts into: “Library to Every School”. With this project, we envision a future where every under-resourced school in Enugu has a fully functioning library that provides children with easy access to books. 

In too many Nigerian schools, a library is either underutilized or absent altogether. Children memorize subjects without ever experiencing the magic of pulling a book off a shelf to deepen their understanding of what they're being taught. Teachers improvise without reference texts, relying on ingenuity to bridge existing gaps. 

We believe that every school, regardless of its location, should have access to a library that opens worlds. It is an ambitious goal, but one we are willing to pursue. And with Book Fairies' donation, we are 10,000 steps closer to making that vision a reality. 

As these books make their way to Enugu, SSI is one step closer to realizing its vision of a library in every school, expanding access to knowledge, imagination, and opportunity for children in under-resourced communities across the state 

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More Than a Donation 

What Book Fairies has given us goes beyond books. Their support shows a belief in SSI’s vision and our ability to turn that vision into a meaningful, measurable impact. 

They understood that the initial donation was proof of concept. Now, with the Library to Every School project, Book Fairies is betting on our ability to scale that impact exponentially. With 10,000 books we can reach dozens of schools, thousands of students, and plant a culture of reading in places where it hasn’t had room to grow. 

Our Promise, Our Gratitude 

To Book Fairies: Thank you for seeing us, trusting us, and fueling this work with both resources and belief. Your continuous support is a declaration that every child deserves every opportunity to read, learn, and dream. 

To our community: The work is real, and the invitation to be part of it is wide open. We'll be documenting this journey, from the arrival of the shipment, through the sorting marathons, to the first school libraries that open their doors. Witnessing this with us is a form of support, too. 

If this mission stirs something in you, kindly lean in. Every contribution helps us sustain these libraries for years to come. 

Join the movement through this link. 

Let's build futures. Together.