Special Report: Books bridging borders

Racheal Adriko Spillberg - Martin Luther King Jr. School
"I know you have questions about Africa for me?"

Students at the Martin Luther King Junior School are taking a trip to Africa.

No, they're not leaving the country...they're using their imaginations!

Their teacher, Racheal Adriko Spillberg, was born in a small village in Uganda where they can't afford a basic thing like a book.

Racheal Adriko Spillberg - Martin Luther King jr. School
"We even had to take some drastic measures as really having some experiment where we got rid of all the books in the classroom and try to experience what it was like in school with no tools. "

Now, Racheal's students, in this after school program, are helping her bridge the education gap.

They're creating a mobile library to take overseas.

First, they collect books in this Cambridge school.

Then, Racheal travels to Africa to hand them out.

So far she has delivered 1,000 books.

Every day a volunteer travels by bike to bring these books to kids and adults in five African villages.

Racheal Adriko Spillberg - Martin Luther King Jr. School
"I am so grateful and fortunate and that is what African culture really teaches it's children if you go out and have a chance to do something with your life it's really important to think of the others who did not have that chance."

This time around, they've collected more than 10,000 books!

Racheal plans to bring them over this spring.

But her students are not stopping there; they're also making other school supplies like bookmarkers and newspapers…

Nicholas Yang - Student
"This word Ming ha means hello"

filled with lessons for African children who can't afford an education past the 6th grade.

Nicholas Yang - Student
"Since we're learning another language here. I think they should have the privilege to also learn another one."

Alice Nakibuka - Student
"It's kind of sad but if we give back they will see that we really do care and it's good to give an education back to them."

Racheal and her class are hoping to help bring an education to Africa one book at a time.

"Given those tools they will change the world."

Racheal and her class are still collecting books.

Then, they have a tough task of figuring out how to ship more than 10,000 books to Africa.

Related Link:
AfricaReads.com

(Copyright (c) 2006 Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)