Sir Emeka Offor Foundation to Bring $7 Million (USD) in School Supplies to Africa
ABUJA, NIGERIA, Oct 31, 2011 - The Sir Emeka Offor Foundation, a non-governmental, philanthropic organization focused on youth employment, families, education, healthcare and infrastructure development, today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Books For Africa ( www.booksforafrica.org/ ). Books For Africa is an American nonprofit organization based in St. Paul, Minnesota and dedicated to collecting, sorting, shipping and distributing books to children and adults in Africa.
The agreement names the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation as Books For Africa's premier distribution partner in Nigeria, paving the way for the shipment of approximately 640,000 books and assorted computers and schools supplies to Africa. The total value of the agreement is estimated at US$7 million.
"Signing this agreement advances a personal commitment to education in Nigeria by supplying books for students and teachers to a significant number of disadvantaged schools across Nigeria," said Sir Emeka Offor, founder of the foundation and chairman of the Chrome Group ( www.thechromegroup.net ), a leading West African oil and gas conglomerate. "Books are the foundation of a strong educational system and I am proud to accomplish this in collaboration with the philanthropic efforts of Books For Africa. I wholeheartedly endorse the mutual goal of helping to improve the book situation in African schools."
Under the agreement, nearly three dozen 40-foot sea containers filled with primary, secondary and university text and library books will be shipped to Nigeria over the next three years.
"The Sir Emeka Offor Foundation is leading the way here in Nigeria with this large book project, the largest single project we have ever undertaken in Nigeria," said Patrick Plonski, Executive Director of Books For Africa. "We commend Sir Emeka Offor for his leadership in helping to advance education across Nigeria, and we look forward to partnering with him."
The shipments will begin immediately and continue through November 2014.
Today's announcement extends and expands the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation's multi-year project to help revitalize education in disadvantaged Nigerian schools. In July 2011, the foundation funded the shipment and distribution of books to more than 200 schools and libraries throughout Nigeria. At the time it was the largest donation by a single benefactor in the history of Books For Africa and the largest-ever donation to Nigeria.
About the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation
The Sir Emeka Offor Foundation is a philanthropic organization based in Oraifite, Anambra State, Nigeria. The Foundation seeks to alleviate the suffering of the less privileged through philanthropy, and focuses primarily on giving support and hope to those in need irrespective of tribe, creed, religion and nation. To date, the foundation has committed more than ?750 million ($4.7 million USD) to charitable projects. For more information, visit http://sireofforfoundation.org or like us at http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Sir-Emeka-Offor-Foundation/186302151410678 .