Four years ago, when Emily Kumpel was 9, she learned about South Africa. The nation's new leader, Nelson Mandela, had ended apartheid (a-part-hide), a system that kept black people powerless and separate from whites. Thousands of black children headed to school for the first time, but their schools had little money for books. Emily began gathering books in her hometown, Wakefield, Massachusetts. She's sent at least 50,000 books to South African schools! Last year an assistant principal from South Africa came to visit and showed Emily a video of happy kids receiving the books. "They have formed their own library," says Emily. "It felt good to know I was helping."

Daily News from TIME for Kids

October 24, 1997 World Report