Ethiopia Reads

Ethiopia Reads’ mission is to create a culture of reading in Ethiopia. Ethiopia Reads collaborates with communities to plant libraries, train educators, boost literacy, and provide youth and families with the tools to improve their lives. Our vision is to empower and strengthen communities through the teaching and learning of reading. We believe providing books, libraries, and trained librarians that engage students’ minds will lead to a more resourceful generation of leaders in Ethiopia. Ethiopia Reads is a tax-exempt 501(c)3 organization founded in 1998 with the goal of providing much needed books to the children of Ethiopia. The vision quickly grew and by 2021 Ethiopia Reads has planted over 80 libraries across Ethiopia and developed an unmatched librarian and educator peer-mentoring/training program. Ethiopia Reads has hosted the annual National Children's Reading Summit since 2019, the primary professional forum to address the many issues around children and reading, quality of primary education, childrens books and libraries. Ethiopia Reads also commissioned that first ever bibliography of Ethiopian children's books, published in 2024, and has been supporting children's authors, illustrators and publishers for many years. Ethiopia Reads serves over 250,000 children annually. Ethiopia Reads as an organization is rated Platinum by Guidestar, indicating the highest level of nonprofit transparency and reporting.