Building with Books likes a challenge – almost as much as getting results. Fortunately, for some of our country’s toughest school districts and rural communities in developing countries around the world, BwB has proven adept at both.
Through the unique duality of its programming, BwB empowers U.S. high school students to improve their own lives and communities, as well as to take an active role in the construction of schools in developing countries. BwB works in some of the poorest and most isolated regions in the world, empowering communities to overcome the crippling cycle of illiteracy, poverty and low expectations by opening the door to education.
Youth engaged in BwB's U.S. After-School Programs are active both locally and globally. They volunteer thousands of hours in service to their own communities, learn about other cultures through global education activities, and raise funds to foster BwB’s construction projects overseas.
Many students actually travel with BwB to developing countries to put shovel in dirt and mortar on brick to build schools to reverse the crippling cycle of illiteracy and poverty. For students who have never left the U.S. – or even their own neighborhoods – it’s a tremendously empowering and transformational experience which bridges cultural gaps and forever changes their perspective.
All of BwB’s good intentions would be meaningless without results. Through 130 after-school programs in six states, BwB members compiled more than 100,000 hours of service during the past year alone. It is work that touches many lives: 223,000 individuals in need here in our own communities have felt the kindness and generosity of BwB students.
Since 1992, BwB’s School Construction Program has overseen the building of more than 285 primary schools with many more on the way in Haiti, Malawi, Mali, Nepal, Nicaragua and Senegal. In addition, BwB provides adult literacy and community development to adults and older children through its Community Education Program. We are proud to say that more than 30,000 children are currently counted "present" each day at a BwB-built school.
With support from individuals, families, businesses and organizations around the world, our programs help people change their own lives for good – and help their villages, communities and nations build a brighter future for everyone.
If you are interested in supporting Building with Books programs in the U.S. and around the world, please click here.