The Commercial-News, Danville, IL

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January 3, 2008

Book sales help developing countries

BY MARY WICOFF

DANVILLE — Five years ago, Michael Sweikar’s actions had an impact on the people of Uganda, and now his words are making a difference.

When someone buys the book, “Mzungu: A Notre Dame Student in Uganda,” from Better World Books, a portion of the money goes to St. Benedict’s School, where he taught for two months.

His book is available through major book distribution Web sites, but Better World is the only one that donates a portion of each sale of all books — not just Sweikar’s — to charitable organizations.

Sweikar said he is donating his profits from sale of the book to St. Benedict’s.

Local people are making a difference, too. Guests at Michael and Roxie’s wedding in August 2005 contributed more than $2,400 to St. Benedict’s in lieu of gifts to the couple. That money helps to pay for students’ tuition.

Parishioners at St. Paul’s Catholic Church also bought 50 copies of his book, he said.

A chapter at the end of the book, titled “How You Can Become Involved,” lists numerous organizations that help the people of Uganda.

Better World Books was founded by three University of Notre Dame alumni in 2002 to benefit literacy organizations around the world. Since then, the business has donated more than $4 million to organizations, such as Books for Africa, WorldFund and Room to Read.

Sweikar’s partnership with Better World to sell “Mzungu” means that organizations serving Africa will benefit both from the sale of the book and through donations from Better World.

In addition, organizations can sign up as an affiliate with Better World Books and receive 5 percent of revenues from any book bought through the company.

Justin Brandon is a Notre Dame alum who served in the same program as Sweikar did, except he was stationed in Ghana a year later.

He now does the online marketing campaign from Better World’s office in San Francisco. The company also has a warehouse in South Bend, Ind., that employs 100 people.

Brandon knew Sweikar from Notre Dame, and talked to him before going to Ghana.

“I had done some traveling, but never to an impoverished country,” Brandon said. “Michael laid down the rules for us.

“I looked up to him. He had this energy about him. I loved the way he looked at things — ‘these are potential friends, not just people I can help.’”

Brandon went to Africa with the idea that he was a student from an elite school who was going to help people. However, he became ill right away with E. coli.

“All of a sudden, I was the one who needed help,” he said. “That completely changed my perspective.”

That two-month service also changed his life, as well, and led him to a career with Better World.

He continues to stay in touch with his friends in Ghana and recently shipped 32,000 books to that country through Better World.

Brandon said he just got Sweikar’s book in the mail and hasn’t had time to read it yet, but added, “I’m really excited about it.”

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