A book that has finished its journey in one home can still open doors for a child somewhere else. Bhakti Mundra, a former student of Dubai International Academy, has built a community-led book donation initiative around that idea, collecting more than 55,000 books for children in African communities.
Launched in 2022, the initiative has received support from more than 250 volunteers across the UAE. Its work has reached communities in Kenya, Senegal and Zambia, helping redirect unused reading and educational materials towards children who have limited access to books.
Mundra, who is now continuing her education in Texas, developed the project from an effort to connect surplus books with communities that could benefit from them. What began as an individual initiative has grown into a wider volunteer-supported activity involving students, families and other contributors in the UAE.
How a Dubai-linked initiative reached African communities
The project addresses a simple problem: books that are no longer needed by their original owners can remain unused or eventually be discarded, even when other children need educational resources.
By encouraging UAE residents to donate books, Mundra’s initiative creates another route for those materials to reach readers. Volunteers have played an important role in collecting and supporting the project, with participation extending across the Emirates.
The initiative’s reach into Kenya, Senegal and Zambia also demonstrates how community contributions originating in the UAE can support educational efforts beyond the country’s borders.
Its approach gives families and students an opportunity to contribute without necessarily making a financial donation. Books that are still suitable for reading can become useful resources for another child.
Book donations also support recycling efforts
The project’s work has an environmental dimension alongside its educational purpose.
More than 1,100 kilograms of paper have been recycled through the initiative, according to the reported figures. This adds a waste-reduction element to the project, ensuring that paper unsuitable for continued use can also be directed towards recycling.
The distinction matters: reusable books can serve new readers, while paper that cannot reasonably be reused can enter recycling channels. Both approaches help reduce unnecessary waste.
For communities participating in book donation campaigns, this provides an additional reason to consider the condition and usefulness of books before throwing them away.
Supporting young people beyond traditional education
Mundra’s interest in educational opportunities also extends to academic research.
She founded Researchory, a platform intended to help students share and publish their research. The project reflects a broader interest in creating opportunities for young people to participate in learning and communicate their academic work beyond the classroom.
Her book initiative and research platform address different aspects of education: access to reading resources on one hand, and opportunities for students to develop and share knowledge on the other.
Diana Award recognises her humanitarian work
Mundra received another recognition for her efforts on November 4, 2026, when she was named a recipient of The Diana Award 2026 during a virtual ceremony.
Established in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, The Diana Award recognises young people for their social action and humanitarian contributions.
Mundra said she shared the recognition with the volunteers, donors and community partners who had supported the initiative. She also expressed hope that the project would encourage more young people to begin community work using the resources available to them.
The recognition comes as the initiative continues to demonstrate how an education-focused project can combine community participation, resource reuse and support for children beyond the UAE.
For donors, the idea is straightforward: a book no longer needed at home does not necessarily have to reach the waste bin. If it remains suitable for reading, it may still have considerable value to another child.
Q1. Who is Bhakti Mundra?
Bhakti Mundra is a former Dubai International Academy student who founded the Book Donation Drive in 2022 to improve access to books for children in underserved African communities.
Q2. How many books has Bhakti Mundra collected?
The initiative has collected more than 55,000 books, according to Gulf News and The Diana Award’s 2026 Roll of Honour.
Q3. How many volunteers support the initiative?
Gulf News reports that more than 250 UAE volunteers have supported the project. The Diana Award separately refers to more than 150 student volunteers.
Q4. Which African countries have benefited from the book donation initiative?
Gulf News identifies Kenya, Senegal and Zambia. The Diana Award’s official profile specifically mentions rural Kenya and Senegal.
Q5. When was the Book Donation Drive launched?
The initiative was founded in 2022 by Bhakti Mundra.
Q6. What is The Diana Award?
The Diana Award is an international recognition established in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales. It celebrates young people working towards positive social change.
Q7. What is Researchory?
Researchory is a platform founded by Bhakti Mundra to help students share and publish their academic research.
Q8. How much paper has the initiative recycled?
The reported environmental contribution includes more than 1,100 kilograms of paper donated for recycling.
