The Literacy Future

A technological revolution is upon us, and yet we failed to support half the world's population to participate in the formal economy. A billion people are illiterate, and another 3 billion struggle to read below the 4th-grade level, widening the digital divide due to low literacy. Even in areas not lacking infrastructure, those suffering from complete or functional literacy struggle to access digital learning, proper health care, and financial services.

TLF SaaS leverages voice to deliver Literacy and STEAM skills for those excluded from formal education systems and unable to interact with written content. Our unique Credit Score functionality unlocks microloans' opportunities for families as they progress toward their educational achievements, helping to create economic development. 

We believe that once people learn how to read fluently, they can teach themselves any skill. If TLF were globally scaled, it would level the playfield so everyone could participate in the digital economy.

The global spread of Illiteracy is a hidden pandemic itself, with one billion illiterate people and another 3 billion reading below basic levels, almost half of the world's population can barely participate in an increasingly technological future. 

Even in areas not lacking infrastructure, those suffering from complete or functional literacy struggle to access digital learning, proper health care, and financial services, exposing people to poor health outcomes, welfare dependency, lack of social cohesion, a higher level of exposure to crime, and a lack of self-worth. 

Women and girls are often the losers when it comes to worldwide literacy, exposing them to higher disadvantages than men, such as higher levels of unemployment, domestic violence, early pregnancy, early marriage, and higher maternal mortality.

In the USA alone, 45 million people read below the fourth-grade level, costing the private industry US$ 3.1 billion to bolster the literacy skills of entry-level workers. On top of that, 1 million immigrants/refugees arrive in the USA each year, with many of them lacking literacy in their first languages. The struggle to learn a second language can be overwhelming and slow their progress, enhancing their inability to communicate, attend school, and finding employment. 

TLF SaaS leverages voice to deliver Literacy and STEAM skills for those excluded from formal education systems and unable to interact with written content.

We use AI/ML algorithms that adapt to students' individual learning needs based on their strengths and weaknesses, combining the six components for an effective literacy program; phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, and writing. We also added STEAM activities to expose our learners to essential sciences concepts, creative processes and increase their critical thinking through hands-on learning experiences.

It also makes it easier for us to monitor and evaluate the results, assess every students' difficulties, and collect valuable data that we use to improve the platform.

AI/ML also empowers our unique Credit Score functionality. We believe that literacy and numeracy are the best way to predict a loan's payment, avoiding high interest rates and unsustainable debt. Our software unlocks microloans' opportunities for families as they progress toward their educational achievements, helping to create economic development. 

Adult learners face a distinct set of challenges. Most existing literacy programs are location-based and provide direct, in-person services, making it difficult for those with jobs or childcare needs to attend consistently.

Literacy improves every aspect of life, combating poverty, improving health outcomes, reducing crime and violence against women, promoting democracy and social development.

A technological revolution is upon us, and yet we failed to support half the world's population to fully participate in the formal economy. Around a billion people are illiterate, and another 3 billion struggle to read below the 4th-grade level, increasing the digital divide.
Even in areas not lacking infrastructure, people suffering from complete or functional literacy struggle to access digital learning, proper health care and financial services. Hence, teaching people how to read and write is the first step to close the digital gap.

In our current phase, we are problem-solving concepts by partnering with organizations worldwide to test our solution in exchange for feedback. This soft launch is helping us to understand better the needs of our beneficiaries and refine our business model.
Currently, we partnered to offer our solution in Nigeria to an NGO called Dreams from the Slum. They will start testing the solution with around 1000 people, mostly girls and young women. 

We are also talking to indigenous and refugee communities in Canada and in the USA.

Literacy is a very time-consuming one-on-one process, and it's demanding to offer tailored content to meet the needs of each student. AI algorithms easily adapt to students' individual learning needs and can deliver instruction based on their strengths and weaknesses, generating a unique learning path. Also, making it easier for us to monitor and evaluate the results, assess students' difficulties, and collect data used to improve the platform.

We are also talking to indigenous and refugee communities in Canada and the USA. By the end of 2022, we want to have at least seven different organizations using our solution, serving more than ten thousand people.

By 2026, we aim to have refined the product, launching the solution in all English as first and second language speaking countries, serving one million SaaS users. 

By the same time, we should be ready to start scaling to other languages, and our ultimate plan is that in 10 years, our solution will be available in any language/dialect so every person can learn to read and write.

5 full-time staff

7 part-time staff

Many refugees/migrants are illiterate or had their educational journey interrupted by violence, conflict, persecution, or natural catastrophes, making them more vulnerable to human trafficking, sexual abuse, organized crime practices, etc. 
We believe that literacy could change their fates.

Women are often the losers when it comes to worldwide literacy, representing two-thirds of the illiterate population.  Studies show that illiteracy is a bigger disadvantage for women than for men, exposing women to higher levels of unemployment, domestic violence, early pregnancy, early marriage, higher maternal mortality, amongst others. In the most recent years for which data are available, young women accounted for 2/3 of the total illiterate youth population.