Tuesday, September 1, 2009
For more information, contact:
John Torres, Senior Public Relations Manager

SILVER SPRING, Md. \u2014Through an ongoing distribution of more than 25,000 new books to schools in northwestern Nigeria, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is improving the quality of education for thousands of students in that region, and helping communities discover the opportunities that reading can provide.

\u201cThis is our first shipment of educational supplies to Nigeria, and we are very
pleased with how successful it has been,\u201d said David Holdsworth, director for
Material Acquisitions for ADRA International. \u201cAt ADRA we are certain that these
materials will encourage many young people to achieve their educational and
professional goals.\u201d

This latest shipment of books, donated by Pennsylvania\u2010based Brother\u2019s Brother
Foundation, is valued at more than $775,000, and is part of ADRA Nigeria\u2019s Healthy
Minds Project, which seeks to improve learning among Nigerian pupils from
kindergarten through secondary school. By the completion of this project, more
than 11,000 youth between the ages of four and 17 will have received access to
much\u2010needed educational materials.

\u201cThrough an enhanced library collection, students, teachers, and parents will have
the print resources they need to complement classroom instruction and extend their
learning beyond their classes,\u201d said Tomi Daniel, director for ADRA Nigeria\u2019s
northwestern regional office.

The first phase of the book distribution, which was completed on July 30 with the
assistance of ADRA volunteers, provided books to nearly 10 schools in Ife, a city in
southwestern Nigeria, and shipped off to the towns of Ibadan, Akure, Benin, Jos and