Program Reviews

Just got back from a phenomenal trip to Kadzakalowa village in Malawi, Africa! We built a library, decorated it, set up computers and solar panels for charging them, and had a fantastic time! The kids and adults all were thrilled to have books, computers, computer programs, and other resources available to them! I loved interacting with them all, visiting their homes, and seeing firsthand the impact that such simple resources to us can have on them. They have hope for a bright future! The other expedition-goers were diverse in their life experiences, we all bonded quickly, and the the leaders of the expedition were top-notch! Mac and Brittany are servant-leaders with enthusiasm and dedication! The organization cared about our safety, comfort and fun! I am planning on going with them on another expedition next year!

This trip was so unreal. I couldn't believe I was really there in that remote location. I was very surprised at how grateful all of the villagers were and how willing they were to be involved and take ownership of their new library. I felt like I was giving so little and yet they treated it like one of the most amazing events of their life. The organization makes it a big point to impact generations instead of a couple people for a couple years. I really like that. They make sure that the villagers are very involved and work a lot with us which is special to get to know them but also so that they truly appreciate it. Over all the trip was very authentic. We got to participate in their lives and culture. . . .

I had the wonderful opportunity to go on two trips with Village Book Builders. In January, I went to Mexico. In August, I went to Malawi Africa. Both of these experiences had a major impact on my life. These kids live in areas where education is a difficult thing to access whether for financial reasons or lack of resources. Those who do attend school, usually travel a far distance to get it. When these villages found out that they were going to receive a library filled with books and computers, they were beyond excited! By bringing these resources, we have given them hope for a brighter future. Village Book Builders mission is just that and I am the lucky one to have been a part of it! One of my favorite experiences was visiting the people in their homes. We brought books with us and read with the families to encourage them to do the same after we left. The excitement that was present on the faces of not only the children but the mothers and fathers will never leave my mind. For some, this is the first book that they have had in their home. I definitely recommend choosing this group to travel with! Be a part of something bigger than yourself and bring hope through books to deserving people around the world!

I went with this organization a year ago and I loved the experience that I had with them. I went to Ghana, Africa to build a library down there. I just loved experiencing the culture up close and personal. It was extremely eye opening and humbling. I also loved being with the kids and helping to open their eyes to the world through books. I remember reading with some kids and them being so excited to learn what a dinosaur was. I was personally shocked that these kids had not idea what dinosaurs were. It was just amazing to see the impact these books would make. It also loved watching the kids get so excited to read with us. We would have kids just run to us as we held our books we would read. It definitely was a real experience so not a 5 star hotel, but it was real and I loved the impact I felt like I was making. It really changed my life. I would highly recommend!

Last summer I heard a friend talk about the work she was doing to help build a library in a small Mayan community in the Yucatán. Curious, I reached out to her and she told me more about Village Book Builders, which was then a fairly new humanitarian organization. I loved what I heard and ended up signing up for that trip. 4 months later I boarded a plane with 20 other very excited volunteers. Our group was a mix of college students, working professionals, teenagers, and even a few families with young children came along. There were volunteers from the US, Canada, and Mexico with us, all with something unique and important to offer the establishment of the 2 libraries we would build over the next week and a half.
I loved my experience with Village Book Builders because it had a real focus on building a lasting relationship with the community we were serving. As I taught art classes, painted the library and met the community, I came to learn that VBB had been working with leaders of these Mayan communities for over a year to get the community ready to have this library. Thus really gave the community lasting ownership over the library and it was amazing to see how involved the parents of school-aged children were in setting up the library.
I had an amazing experience with Village Book Builders. It’s really important to me that I serve with organizations that make a positive lasting impact, and who empower the people they are serving. Village Book Builders does both of these things. As a result, I’ve continued to stay involved with VBB this past year, even with demanding work and school schedules and plan to do two more trips with them in the coming year. It was an unforgettable experience. I highly recommend going on a trip if lasting change and adventure are important to you.

Never have I felt that I was making a real and lasting impact in the lives of others until I went on a trip with VBB. I went with this organisation to southeast Africa (Malawi), where we built what we later found out to be the only library in the whole country to have computers, solar panels, reading lamps, RACHEL server database (which allows access to thousands of educational websites/materials offline) and many other educational resources. It was great to see the looks on the faces of the kids as they held a computer for the very first time. We also got to experience what I felt to be a deep culture immersion as we visited the homes in the village, and got to visit the local public market. It was indeed a life changing experience for my wife and me. I would highly recommend this organisation to anyone that wants to be part of something bigger than themselves.

One of the best things about being on an expedition with Village Book is the way they encourage you to build relationships, not just with the people you travel with but with the village! There was a little girl who was native to the village that I had the opportunity to be friends with. She was about 4 years old and fell playing with the other kids. I had a little first aid kit and took care of the little scrape on her nose. She wanted me to pick her up and for the next several days we were nearly inseparable! It seemed like every volunteer had the opportunity to really have a special relationship with someone from the village! During one of our visits to the villagers homes, I was with a family that was volunteering too and the mom of the family was speaking with the mom of the family we were visiting. There was a language barrier, but the two moms had a very special moment, tears of happiness spilled from their eyes. We all knew that building these relationships was a huge part of building this community!

My first experience with VBB was in November of 2017. Over Thanksgiving, I joined a group constructing a library in the mountain village of El Olvido, México. During construction, we spent hours sweating through the sun and the rain, mixing concrete with shovels on the side of a dirt road. Energy depleted, at day’s end, we’d walk down to the house with Alfredo and two of his children -- eight-year-old Violeta and twelve-year-old Rico. Alfredo had worked harder than anyone, but he always had enough strength to keep up with his kids’ antics. For me, walking into the house never failed to reinvigorate my spirit. Reina -- the queen of the house -- joined by Rocio and Aracely, the elder daughters, greeted us with hugs and had a bean and tortilla dinner ready for us every time. My Spanish was by no means perfect, but they didn’t care. We shared stories while we shared a meal and laughed at my lack of vocabulary. Many nights ended with a dance party set to the tune of the dusty radio in the corner. Other nights ended with us reading books from the library with the family. I learned so much from the family in these experiences. They were so happy, so long as they were together. They had little material goods, but they didn't focus on that; they made up for it in the spirituality shared among the community. When departing, tears dampened my cheeks and those of the family. (Except for Alfredo. That guy was tough as nails.) I wasn’t ready to walk away from what they had given me. In my excess of material goods, I had not noticed I fell short elsewhere. We gave them a library, but they gave us much more.

From a logistical standpoint, VBB does a great job instilling a culture of reading with the village. To be entirely honest, the construction is tough work but isn't what makes the real difference in the community. VBB engages in a classroom experience as well as home visits to show what access to books and education at large can do for kids and adults alike. When VBB leaves a library, they also want the village to take ownership of it. Although VBB continues to support and track the progress in El Olvido, the village has complete control and sustains the library fully. Since El Olvido, I've gone on trips to build three other libraries with VBB. Let that be a testament to my experiences. I highly recommend this group to anyone who wants to spread literacy and have a taste of another culture.

I had a life changing experience traveling with VBB. It was amazing to learn about another culture and read books with the kids. I went to Ghana and we traveled out to a remote village and helped them build the library and help the kids get excited about reading books. We visited the kids in their homes and talked to the parents. We stayed in a nice home that had comfortable beds and was very secure. We also did some sight seeing. We went to a national forest and to the Cape Coast Castle. Cape Coast Castle was also a life changing experience for me. I am so glad I went on this trip and highly recommend the organization and it’s mission. If you are wanting to have a great time, learn about another culture, and meet amazing people (both fellow volunteers and locals) then this organization is your ticket!

I have spent the last few weeks in Malawi, a country that surely lives up to its name, “The Warm Heart of Africa.”

The purpose of my trip was to participate in the construction of a library in a remote village called Kadzakalowa. I went with a group called Village Book Builders, whose mission is to instill generational difference among villages around the world. It filled my heart to see how excited people of all ages were to use the library resources and it was even more precious to see children who didn’t know how to read open books and make up stories based on the drawings and “read” to other children.

Within the library, there were of course books available to check out, as well as lanterns so that where there is no electricity, it would be possible to see at night. This is especially impactful on the young girls who had to walk long distances in the dark to attend school.

Perspective comes from experience and understanding, and I am grateful for the opportunity I had for my eyes to be opened. Malawi and its people will always have a warm place in my heart. I will always recommend participating in an experience such as this, and I feel that Village Book Builders balances enjoyment with meaningful work that impacts lives for generations to come.