Drexel University researcher spearheads book drive to help children in Ghana

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Michael Onu, a researcher at Drexel University, says he wasn't the best student growing up.

"For me, I wasn't the best student. I wasn't a reader. But after discovering and reading the book 'Grit,' reading changed my life," Onu explained.

Now, Onu wants to help others like him, and it's starting with something as simple as a book donation.

He is spearheading a book drive to benefit children in Ghana which will help kickstart the building of libraries there, too.

The book drive is asking for donations of either 600 or 1,000 books. The books will go toward the new community library in Ghana mainly for kids from Pre-K to 6th-grade school level.

Onu is well over 1,000 and says he might do another drive because he's seen such a great response from his friends and family.

He has a connection to Africa too. His parents immigrated from Nigeria to America.

He says that connection helped him choose the African Library Project nonprofit as a beneficiary of his efforts.

"For me, it feels more personal when you're actually doing something to help," Onu said. "I want to pay it forward to benefit others. Put my values forward."

He has a deadline of May 1 when all the books he's collected get shipped to New Orleans. From there, they'll head to Ghana and to the kids that need them.

For more information and to make a book donation, visit his GoFundMe donation site.