Soma Safari
Soma safari is a term that translates to "reading adventure." The Soma Safari Book Ecosystems project is a pilot literacy initiative building sustainable book ecosystems so children can reach the benchmark of owning 100 books by third grade. Current efforts focus on installing Little Free Library boxes at schools and community hubs, hosting free book fairs, and launching an Open Access Certificate to train local literacy leaders through a partnership of San Jose State University iSchool, Kenya National Library Service, Knowledge Empowering Youth, Books For Africa, and Little Free Library. The project is now expanding into Ghana and Nigeria with many new promising developments to increase literacy across the African continent.
Why This Moment Matters
Our model builds on the success of the Reading Nation Waterfall project, an initiative supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services that demonstrated how coordinated distribution and local stewardship can transform access in underserved areas. In its first year in Kenya, Soma Safari successfully:
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Delivered a full shipping container of 52,000 books in partnership with the national library system.
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On track to reach 1,500+ children across six pilot book ecosystems.
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Launched the Open Access Certification program, training over 60 local librarians and educators in year one
The 2026 Vision:
Expansion
Building on this early success, we are moving into Year 2 expansion and sustainability. Our goal is to raise $106,950 to fund three complete country-wide ecosystems in Kenya, Nigeria, and Ghana. This expansion includes large-scale book distribution combined with professional local training to systematically remove the core barriers to literacy: convenience, affordability, and cultural relevance.
Soma Safari: Where every child's journey begins with a book. Growing readers, growing futures.
Ghana
Expansion in Ghana is currently underway with the Three-Legged Stool model being adapted to suit the specific needs of rural communities in Ghana. 8,000 books have already been distributed to 24 different schools thanks to local partnerships and initiatives. Present actions consist of expanding literacy projects to parties interested in the model across the country.
Nigeria
The Nigeria Book Ecosystems project has reached several important milestones. The project has identified multiple pilot sites to expand into with a plan in place to install Little Free Libraries using local craftspeople as opposed to sending prefabricated book boxes. Training material is being developed to help volunteers teach literacy skills to children emphasizing foundational phonics, book care and book choice. The project has also established a partnership with the National Library of Nigeria and is only $10,750 away from fully funding a shipment of 100,000 books from Books for Africa to Nigeria in the fall. To donate to this initiative, please visit the donation page at Books for Africa
Open Access
Certification Program
The Open Access Certification Program is a professional training initiative designed to equip local educators and volunteers with the fundamentals of Library and Information Science (LIS). The program has proven to be successful in increasing local capacity and leadership within communities to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Book Ecosystem.
We Need Your Support
To advance this proven model, we need support to fund the team that makes this work possible.
Your support helps us continue this vital work for the children who need it most. All donor-designated gifts are used solely to advance global book ecosystem work.
For more information, contact Program Director, Dr. Anthony Chow at a.chow@sjsu.edu.