Home Worldreader.org and Amazon Bring Africa’s Libraries to the World

Worldreader.org and Amazon Bring Africa’s Libraries to the World

Worldreader, the non-profit that distributes e-readers to developing countries to improve literacy, has struck a deal with Amazon and African publishers. They are digitizing and offering African analog books for sale as e-books.

The first of thousands of books by African writers and from African publishers are available now at the Amazon Kindle store. The prices for all books are under $5.00 US. The profits will be split between Worldreader’s program to provide e-readers to students in Ghana and the publishers themselves, who now have a worldwide market.

One of the questions facing the non-profit, which was started by a former Amazon executive, was how the distribution of Western-made e-readers would help the local and regional economies where they were used.

Encouraging the viability of the African publishing trade is not solely an ethical stance, but an economic one. If African publishers, like Ghana-based EPP, Sam Woode, and Woeli, can thrive, readers will have more to read, which will increase demand. Conversely, if African youth become voracious readers, African publishers will be insured a market.

Books currently available include the following.

My Brother the Footballer by Diana Macbagonluri

Two brothers qualify for a regional sports meet in Nigeria. Unfortunately one

is injured and unable to compete. How will the other brother save the day?

Mother’s Tribute by Diana Macbagonluri

Through the lens of traditional puberty rights, we learn the tragic tale of a mother

and her daughter in the context of Ghanaian culture.

The Shark by Peggy Oppong

The story of a teacher from a poor upbringing who is wrongly accused of

inappropriate activity with a high school student, loses his job, and later wrestles

with his feelings for another former student whose wealthy father wants to

promote him within the family company.

Worldreader.org is working with Innodata Isogen to effect the transfer from paper and ink to zeroes and ones. In the coming year, they hope to work with hundreds more publishers. As the Ghana project comes to fruition and new projects take root around the globe, this publishing experiment may be extended as well.

About ReadWrite’s Editorial Process

The ReadWrite Editorial policy involves closely monitoring the tech industry for major developments, new product launches, AI breakthroughs, video game releases and other newsworthy events. Editors assign relevant stories to staff writers or freelance contributors with expertise in each particular topic area. Before publication, articles go through a rigorous round of editing for accuracy, clarity, and to ensure adherence to ReadWrite's style guidelines.

Get the biggest tech headlines of the day delivered to your inbox

    By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe anytime.

    Tech News

    Explore the latest in tech with our Tech News. We cut through the noise for concise, relevant updates, keeping you informed about the rapidly evolving tech landscape with curated content that separates signal from noise.

    In-Depth Tech Stories

    Explore tech impact in In-Depth Stories. Narrative data journalism offers comprehensive analyses, revealing stories behind data. Understand industry trends for a deeper perspective on tech's intricate relationships with society.

    Expert Reviews

    Empower decisions with Expert Reviews, merging industry expertise and insightful analysis. Delve into tech intricacies, get the best deals, and stay ahead with our trustworthy guide to navigating the ever-changing tech market.