The Wales-Argentina Society's Ceris Gruffudd and Esyllt Nest Roberts

The free stock, which includes other material to help children, has cost nearly �7,000.

Supplied by a number of groups in Wales, the Welsh Books Council in Aberystwyth has organised the project.

Esyllt Nest Roberts, a teacher in Patagonia, will collect the books from Buenos Aires airport on Monday.

Thousands of Welsh people left their homeland in search of a brighter future in South America in the 19th Century.

"We are delighted that we are able to assist these pupils out in Patagonia who are learning the Welsh language," said Helgard Krause of the Welsh Books Council.

'Important'

"They have done so much to make sure that the language is passed from one generation to the next."

The list of books was compiled by the Welsh Books Council and selected by Esyllt Nest Roberts, a teacher in Patagonia.

Her post is sponsored as part of the Welsh language in Chubut project, which is run by the British Council and funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.

Alun Pugh, the minister for the Welsh language, who visited Patagonia last year, said: "I have seen at first hand the important work that this project does to maintain Welsh as a living community language in Patagonia.

"This generous donation will be a valuable resource to support those learning Welsh."