Storytelling for People and Planet
Books on Wheels
A Community Development Program by ABComms.
A mobile library bringing books to villages across rural Kenya and Uganda. Every Saturday, we pack a car with children's books and drive it into villages where the nearest library is too far to reach.
About Books on Wheels
Many children in villages across rural Africa finish primary school without ever choosing a book for themselves. Public libraries sit in town centres, and getting there costs time and transport most families don't have to spare. Books on Wheels closes that distance the simple way: we drive the books to where the children already are.
How it works
We park in a village, 10am to 5pm
Every Saturday, the mobile library pulls into a village trading centre or school ground and stays for the day. No appointment needed. Children just come find us.
Kids read on the spot
Children read right there, on a mat under a tree or beside the car.
Volunteers lead reading groups
Volunteers sit with small groups and read stories aloud, especially useful for children still building the confidence to read on their own.
During school holidays, we go more often
When schools break, we add extra village visits beyond Saturdays, reaching more communities in a shorter stretch of time.
Volunteer with Us
We welcome volunteers from all around the world who would like to share their time, skills and love of reading with the children and communities we serve. As our programmes involve working with children, their safety and wellbeing are important to us. As part of our volunteer onboarding process, we conduct appropriate background and safeguarding checks for all volunteers before you participate in community activities. This helps us create a safe, positive and enjoyable experience for our children, communities and volunteers alike.
1
Run for Books
Once a year, we host a marathon in Uganda. Runners travel in for one week, join us in the villages for community outreach and participate in the run for books that weekend.
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Open to international and local runners
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A fee covers your accommodation and stay
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Race weekend plus a community outreach week
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Proceeds go toward books, fuel, and route costs
2
Holiday volunteering
When schools break in April, August and November, we visit villages more days a week.
Volunteers join us to help sort, catalogue and prepare donated books; create reading corners and activity spaces; plan storytelling sessions, games and creative activities; prepare colouring and craft materials; read individually or in groups with children; assist younger children with art and play-based activities; and help the ABC team prepare for upcoming community visits.
A fee covers your accommodation and stay
Send us books
Already have books at home?
If your kids have outgrown books sitting on a shelf, post them to us, and we'll add them to our mobile library. New or gently used is fine, as long as the pages are complete and the cover is intact. Get in touch first so we can share the drop-off or postal address for Kenya or Uganda.
Picture books
Early readers
Age 2 -5
Age 6-9
Sturdy board books and picture books for first-time readers.
Short-chapter and phonics-friendly titles that build confidence and reading speed.
Junior fiction & nonfiction
Stories of adventure, and simple science and nature titles.
Age 10-13
Local-language titles
All ages
Books in local languages are especially hard to come by and always welcome.
Say hello!
We’d love to hear from you. As a small team, we may not always be able to respond immediately, but we do our best to reply to every message. Please allow up to 48 hours for us to get back to you.
Thank you for your patience—we look forward to connecting with you.
