VISION
The vision of The World is Just a Book Away: A world in which all children have access to books, a quality education, and hope for the future.

MISSION
The World is Just a Book Away believes in building leaders for the future by empowering children and their communities to change their own lives and the world at large. We promote literacy and education by developing libraries and programs that plant the seeds of leadership, environmental consciousness, and community connection.

HISTORY
The World is Just a Book Away (WIJABA) is a global non-profit organization that focuses on inspiring and educating children in developing countries, through providing books, building libraries, and developing curricular programs.

In 2008, James J. Owens, University of Southern California Associate Professor founded WIJABA and was quickly joined by a wide array of professionals on the organization's Board and Advisory Board as well as through its Ambassador and volunteer programs.

The World is Just a Book Away launched in Indonesia in 2009 and has since launched projects and programs to reach 27,000+ children. WIJABA currently operates in Sidoarjo, Indonesia (site of the world's worst mudflow disaster); Padang, Indonesia (site of the devastating tsunami and numerous earthquakes), and Bali, Indonesia. In 2012, WIJABA will begin working with children in Mexico.

RESULTS
Donor generosity at work has launched projects leading to:
  • 27,000+ Children
  • 50,000+ Books
  • 49 Physical Libraries
  • 26 Parent Libraries
  • 2 Mobile Libraries

MAXIMIZING DONATIONS
The World is Just a Book Away strives to maximize the impact of every dollar donated. In fact, every $1 buys a book.
  • $1 provides 1 book
  • $25 provides 25 books
  • $50 provides a chair
  • $100 provides a table
  • $250 provides an audiovisual system within a WIJABA Library
  • $500 provides a Parent Library within a WIJABA Library*
  • $2,500 provides a developmental program within a WIJABA Library*
  • $5,000 provides a fully equipped library and one year of programmatic activities, including leadership development and environmental awareness programs*
  • $10,000 provides a fully equipped library with programmatic activities, which will also serve as a community center for meetings essential to the development of the community*
*Note: Includes naming rights

WHY IS HELP NEEDED?
Hundreds of millions of people around the world are illiterate or functionally illiterate. Billions of children have access to what can only be deemed substandard education, often in overcrowded facilities that are old, dilapidated, and unsafe, with little to no resources. Having a book-just one book-to take home at night and read is a dream almost beyond their imagination. Yet these same children have a thirst for knowledge that, if quenched, opens a world of possibilities. And we all have an ability to provide them with the books and the schools to open their worlds.

At The World is Just a Book Away, we believe that anything is possible-even the seemingly impossible. We believe that every child has a right to dream, every child has a right to education, and every child has a right to a bright future. What's more, we believe that bright future can be attained through education.

WHAT CAN WE DO?
Book by book, library by library, school by school, and child by child, we can rebuild hope for the children.

CAN'T WE DO MORE?
This is just the beginning for The World is Just a Book Away. Although we've launched projects that will ultimately reach 27,000+ children, so many more children still need our help. Fund our programs for children by clicking here.

For more information please contact us at
info@justabookaway.org.