Jote Taddese: Leading Books For Africa’s Mission to End the Book Famine

Jote Taddese’s leadership at Books For Africa has been instrumental in addressing the book famine that has plagued much of the African continent for years. As the President of the Board of Directors for the organization, Jote has helped steer the ship toward achieving its ambitious mission: to end the book famine in Africa.

Books For Africa, headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, has become the world’s largest shipper of donated books to Africa. Since its inception, the organization has shipped over 42 million books to all 55 African countries. Jote’s involvement with Books For Africa began humbly as a Container Captain, a role that required mobilizing community members both locally and globally to open the first library in rural Oromia, Ethiopia, where his parents were born.

The idea to build a library came from Jote’s visit to his ancestral town, Nedjo, in Oromia. During his time there, he witnessed the community’s incredible efforts to take ownership of their development. It was this spirit of selflessness and dedication that inspired Jote to help organize the first library for the people of Oromia. What began as a simple community-driven project soon turned into a global initiative, with Jote contributing to the growth of Books For Africa.

Jote’s work with the organization has expanded its mission and scope, bringing not only books but also technological resources like e-readers and computers to students across Africa. By providing access to education, technology, and knowledge, Books For Africa is helping to create opportunities for African youth who may otherwise have limited access to these critical resources.

Jote is a Senior Technology Advisor at Medtronic, a global leader in medical technology. His professional career allows him to pursue his passion for education and service to his home continent. Through his work at Books For Africa, Jote has been able to directly impact the lives of millions of children and young adults across Africa, many of whom now have access to the resources that will help them break the cycle of poverty and reach their potential.

For Jote, education was always viewed as the pathway to a better life. Growing up in Ethiopia, Jote’s parents, both highly educated professionals—his father an Agricultural Economist and his mother a nurse—instilled in him the importance of education as a tool for social and economic mobility. These values continue to drive his work with Books For Africa. Through his leadership, the organization has not only provided books but also the promise of a brighter future for African youth.