Badoe Family Foundation
The gift of reading for children in Ghana’s villages
We build children’s libraries in rural Ghana, giving kids free access to books, reading programs and a welcoming place to learn, so they can do well in school and beyond.
Our mission
To improve the chances of academic success for the children in the villages of Ghana through the gift of reading.
Our vision
That the children we serve, supported through reading, will excel in school and have better opportunities in the future.
Our first library
The Mankoadze Children’s Library
Opened on December 20, 2017, the library is a bright, colorful children’s center with a section for small children, a section for older children, and a story time space.
- 4,500books on the shelves
- 1,225square feet to read and learn
- 3staff: a librarian and two assistants
At the library
More than a place to borrow books
The library is a community center where children develop a lifelong love of books, reading and learning.
Homework help
A quiet place to study, with a helping hand for schoolwork.
Story time and circle time
Shared stories and group activities for the youngest readers.
Buddy reading
Two children read a book together, from start to finish.
Tell Me Your Story
Older members of the community share childhood stories and tales from long ago, in Fante.
Book club and competitions
Book reports, book discussions and reading competitions that keep kids reading.
Teen volunteers
Teens help with story time, homework, crafts and other small jobs.
Our story
A dream that began more than 25 years ago
Founder Mary Badoe once collected hundreds of children’s books, hoping to open a library in her village in Ghana. The dream stayed with her. After a 2015 mission trip led by her husband and co-founder, Joseph Badoe, the couple started the Badoe Family Foundation, and its first library opened in Mary's ancestral village of Mankoadze.
Read our storyChildren are the heartbeat of every nation. They are our future.
Badoe Family Foundation
Life at the library
Reading, learning and play
Help bring the gift of reading to more children
Your support sustains the Mankoadze Library and its programs while we work toward building more libraries.