World Book Day: 'Why I've given away 6,000 free books'
Mar 2, 2023 10:48:22 GMT
theravenking likes this
Post by Carl LaFong on Mar 2, 2023 10:48:22 GMT
Imagine having access to thousands of books and giving them all away - for free.
That's exactly what writer and cultural historian, Sofia Akel, did. "Reading shouldn't be a privilege," she says.
The 28-year-old has always loved reading, and she would often find herself in the library near the East London estate where she grew up.
She says this was where she was able to "nurture my mind as a child".
But as Sofia grew older, she realised not everyone had such easy access to books, with many not being able to afford them.
So she created the Free Books Campaign - a non-profit company dedicated to getting books by authors of colour to those who can't afford them.
Since launching in 2020, it has donated 6,000 books to people across the UK and Ireland.
Anyone can ask for a book they'd like to read. The company is funded by donations, and if it has enough money, it will buy the book and send it over.
"[Reading] should be something that everyone is able to participate in, the same way that most people would hopefully agree that education shouldn't be a privilege," she says.
"Why I can relate is that if I wasn't able to have access to the library literally on my doorstep, I wouldn't be where I am now," says Sofia
"My worldview, my imagination and my vocabulary would have been significantly reduced."
www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-64764355
That's exactly what writer and cultural historian, Sofia Akel, did. "Reading shouldn't be a privilege," she says.
The 28-year-old has always loved reading, and she would often find herself in the library near the East London estate where she grew up.
She says this was where she was able to "nurture my mind as a child".
But as Sofia grew older, she realised not everyone had such easy access to books, with many not being able to afford them.
So she created the Free Books Campaign - a non-profit company dedicated to getting books by authors of colour to those who can't afford them.
Since launching in 2020, it has donated 6,000 books to people across the UK and Ireland.
Anyone can ask for a book they'd like to read. The company is funded by donations, and if it has enough money, it will buy the book and send it over.
"[Reading] should be something that everyone is able to participate in, the same way that most people would hopefully agree that education shouldn't be a privilege," she says.
"Why I can relate is that if I wasn't able to have access to the library literally on my doorstep, I wouldn't be where I am now," says Sofia
"My worldview, my imagination and my vocabulary would have been significantly reduced."
www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-64764355
