According to the UNESCO Report in 2010, more than one out of every three adults in sub-Saharan Africa are unable to read and write. While the United States has a literacy rate of 99%, the average literacy rate in countries in sub-Saharan Africa are under 63% for the entire adult population. Moreover, out of the 10 countries in the world with the lowest recorded adult literacy rates, 9 are located within this region.​

​   In terms of sheer numbers, over 176 million adults in sub-Saharan Africa are unable to read and write and over 53 million school-aged children are not in school.

  While most African children grow up without access to reading materials, bookshelves and landfills in the United States overflow with books people don't read anymore. Many African teachers teach subjects like reading, writing, and math without even a single book to use as a reference.

  Books are the key to literacy, and literacy and education are the #1 tools out of poverty.