BES Islands

Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba 

Biblionef Nederland donates and ships books to this area, the volunteers and partners distribute them.  

Thanks to the donations from various funds and organizations, such as Het Rampenfonds and Madurodam Kinderfonds, Biblionef has been able to provide school libraries with books and educative materials. This has given children the opportunity to read new books, allowing them to develop their reading skills and – above all – allowing them to experience the pleasure of reading.  

Biblionef decided on the selection of books in collaboration with the local schools. They can communicate their wants and needs through the application forms. All books are suitable for all ages, ranging from 3 to 18 years old, but the selection for each school was modified to suit the age range and reading level of the children as well as the kind of books they had asked for.  

Bonaire 

Biblionef has been providing the pleasure of reading for children in Bonaire for 10 years. Once or twice a year Biblionef sends books to Bonaire, our volunteers there distribute the books among schools and other organizations which regularly request books from us. If your school wants to apply for books, send us an e-mail to: curacao@biblionef.nl 

St Eustatius 

Biblionef has been working with St Eustatius for 4 years, to increase the books available to children in schools there. We ship the donated books to the island and volunteers and partners there manage the distribution.  

Saba 

Biblionef has been working with Saba for 4 years to increase the books available to children in schools there. We ship the donated books to the library which is in contact with the schools, and they then manage the distribution of the books.  

Finalized projects: 

In 2020 Biblionef received a donation from Stichting Pharus (Pharus Foundation) for the project Promoting Dutch language for children and young people on St Martin, Saba and St Eustatius through reading and picture books. 

We made a selection of books in consultation with the schools; they sent request forms indicating what they needed. In total we were able to donate 2,484 books. 

St. Eustatius: 1,176 books donated to 5 schools. 

Saba: 300 books donated to 2 schools. 

New and current projects 

Through our work in other countries, we know that donating books without training for teachers, is only partially effective. Teachers, in addition to the donation of new books, also need help to make the most of them.  

In 2024, Stichting Lezen (Reading Foundation) and Biblionef will provide the “Leesbevorderingsprogramma (Promoting reading skills program) to provide training for teachers and school principals in all schools.