If you stacked all of the books De Beers has given away to children in Canada, they would stretch four times taller than the CN Tower or the equivalent of 2.5 kilometres.
That’s the result of De Beers’ $1.2 million investment in Books in Homes since 2003. Launched in the Northwest Territories, Books in Homes provides new books to children attending school in 14 Aboriginal communities in the NWT and James Bay region of Ontario. To date, close to 72,000 books have been distributed.
De Beers believes literacy and education empower people through knowledge gained, helping to shape their own future. Individual growth stimulates community development and economic success. The De Beers Books in Homes program is focused on isolated Aboriginal communities which do not have access to a community book store.
Through Books in Homes, each child selects three books – free of charge – to read and enjoy.
Dubbed “the flying bookstore” by some because most communities are only accessible by air, Books in Homes keeps De Beers busy for several months. The program begins in the James Bay communities of Attawapiskat, Kashechewan, Fort Albany, Moose Cree, and Peawanuck in March and continues in April and May in the NWT – Behchoko, Whati, Gameti, Wekweeti, Dettah, N’dilo, Lutsel K’e and Fort Resolution. Things wind up in June with the final delivery of books for children to take home before the end of the school year.
This year, De Beers expects to give away close to 8,000 new books through the Books in Homes program.