The Gaborone Book Festival Trust (GBF) is a non-profit organisation and was founded in late 2017 by sisters, Keikantse and Kenanao Phele, who are passionate readers and wanted to share their love for reading with Batswana. Our main objective is to encourage people of all ages to read for pleasure, with a keen focus on promoting engagement with the literary works of authors and storytellers from Botswana, as well as those from other African countries. Gaborone Book Festival is the only existing book festival in Botswana that further offers various literary platforms throughout the year apart from its flagship September book festival.
To support local authors and writers to network locally, in Africa, and internationally.
To create a sustainable high quality interactive and beneficial platform to Batswana authors and all those in the eco book system, locally, in Africa, and internationally.
To ultimately through research, contribute to policy and reform on issues of literacy in Botswana.
To achieve our mission and vision, the Trust uses various platforms throughout the year to engage audiences from primary school-going children to adults. These activity-driven platforms include a nationwide year-long school literacy outreach program; the GBF Winter Series; Quarterly Book Nights (pre-covid), GBF Book Club and the cornerstone event being the annual Gaborone Book Festival.