Koyamu

We address the challenge of equity gaps in learning, focusing on children affected by poverty or displacement, learners with disabilities, and those needing skills for a changing world. Globally, 250 million children are out of school, with millions more lacking adequate resources for quality education. In Africa, where we primarily operate, UNESCO estimates 60 million children do not attend school, and many lack access to inclusive, culturally relevant content.
Factors include limited resources, inadequate infrastructure, and social marginalization. Our solution provides culturally relevant educational content through Koyamu, supporting learners of all backgrounds and abilities.

Our solution, Koyamu, is a digital education platform that provides interactive and culturally relevant learning content for children. It offers a diverse range of educational resources, including interactive stories, games, and lessons, all designed to enhance literacy, numeracy, and critical thinking skills. Koyamu works by leveraging technology to deliver engaging and accessible content in multiple African languages, catering to the needs of diverse learners. Through animated characters and immersive storytelling, Koyamu creates an interactive learning experience that captivates children and fosters a love for learning. Our platform utilizes mobile and web technologies to ensure accessibility across various devices, allowing children to learn anytime, anywhere.

Our solution serves children in African communities, particularly those affected by poverty or displacement, who often lack access to quality educational resources. These children are currently underserved due to limited access to schools, learning materials, and qualified teachers. Koyamu addresses their needs by providing a digital platform that offers engaging and culturally relevant educational content. By delivering interactive stories, games, and lessons in multiple African languages, Koyamu ensures that children have access to high-quality learning experiences that cater to their diverse backgrounds. Through Koyamu, children can develop essential literacy, numeracy, and critical thinking skills, empowering them to thrive in their communities and beyond.

Our team at Zenafri is uniquely positioned to deliver Koyamu, our digital education platform, to underserved communities in Africa. As founders and members of the communities we serve, we have an intimate understanding of the challenges faced by children in accessing quality education. Our Team Lead, Elizabeth Kperrun-Eremie, grew up in Nigeria and experienced firsthand the disparities in educational opportunities. As a mother, educator, and entrepreneur, she is deeply committed to improving learning outcomes for African children.

Our team composition reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We have educators, content creators, technologists, and community organizers from various African countries, ensuring that our solutions are culturally relevant and responsive to local needs. Moreover, many team members have direct experience working in education and community development, allowing us to leverage their insights and expertise in designing and implementing our solution.

Community input and collaboration are central to our approach. We actively engage with educators, parents, and children in target communities to co-create and refine our educational content. Through workshops, focus groups, and pilot programs, we solicit feedback, ideas, and suggestions from stakeholders to ensure that Koyamu meets their needs and preferences. For example, we involve local storytellers, artists, and linguists in developing culturally authentic content that resonates with children and families.

Additionally, we prioritize inclusivity and accessibility in the design and implementation of our solution. We work closely with organizations supporting children with disabilities to ensure that Koyamu is inclusive and user-friendly for all learners. By incorporating features such as audio narration, subtitles, and adaptive learning tools, we aim to accommodate diverse learning styles and abilities.

Our team's deep connection to the communities we serve, combined with our collaborative and participatory approach, ensures that Koyamu is not only well-designed but also deeply rooted in the needs and aspirations of African children and families. By leveraging local knowledge, expertise, and resources, we are able to deliver a solution that has a meaningful and sustainable impact on learning outcomes and community development.

To date, we've developed over 40 unique pieces of original content and piloted them in three partner schools, directly impacting approximately 60 students. Our prototype web platform, built on a publicly available CMS, along with the broadcast of our audio content, has reached over 50,000 beneficiaries.

We are excited to apply to Solve as we believe it presents a unique opportunity to accelerate our solution's impact. If selected, our primary objective is to implement our subscription model, a key step towards achieving financial sustainability. Technical support and advice through this would be invaluable.

Furthermore, we see potential in expanding our reach to African immigrants in the West, who seek culturally relevant content for their children. 

However, we recognize the need for guidance on navigating the legal and regulatory requirements associated with this expansion. 

Solve's extensive network and expertise can provide invaluable support in overcoming these barriers, enabling us to scale our solution effectively and maximize our impact on education across communities.

Koyamu, stands out for its innovative approach to addressing educational inequities by harnessing the power of technology to provide accessible and culturally relevant learning experiences. Here's how Koyamu innovates:

1. Culturally Relevant Content: Koyamu offers a vast library of interactive stories, games, and lessons inspired by African cultures and languages. This approach ensures that learners see themselves reflected in the content, fostering a sense of identity, pride, and engagement. By prioritizing culturally relevant education, Koyamu transcends the one-size-fits-all model of traditional curricula and meets the diverse needs of learners.

2. Inclusive Design: Our platform is designed with inclusivity at its core, ensuring that learners of all abilities and backgrounds can access and benefit from the educational resources. We employ inclusive design principles to accommodate learners with disabilities and neurodivergent learners, thereby promoting equitable access to education for all. By prioritizing accessibility, Koyamu sets a new standard for inclusive learning platforms and paves the way for greater participation and success among marginalized learners.

3. Scalable Technology: Koyamu leverages scalable technology infrastructure to reach learners across geographic boundaries and socioeconomic contexts. Our cloud-based platform enables seamless access to educational content anytime, anywhere, making learning more flexible and adaptable to diverse learning environments. By harnessing technology for efficient network and scale, Koyamu catalyzes broader positive impacts by democratizing access to quality education and bridging the digital divide.

4. Collaborative Ecosystem: We recognize that addressing educational inequities requires a collaborative effort involving stakeholders from various sectors. Therefore, Koyamu fosters partnerships with educators, policymakers, NGOs, and community leaders to co-create and implement solutions that meet the unique needs of each community. By building a collaborative ecosystem, Koyamu catalyzes broader positive impacts by mobilizing collective resources and expertise towards a common goal of advancing equitable education.

Koyamu's innovative approach has the potential to transform the educational landscape by promoting culturally relevant, inclusive, and scalable learning experiences that empower learners and communities to thrive in a rapidly changing world. Through our continued efforts and collaboration with stakeholders, we aim to catalyze broader positive impacts and create a more inclusive and equitable future for all.

Koyamu's theory of change is rooted in the belief that access to quality, culturally relevant education is a fundamental right that empowers individuals, transforms communities, and drives societal progress. Our theory of change outlines how Koyamu's activities and outputs lead to immediate impacts and longer-term outcomes for our target population.

1. Activities:

   • Content Development: Koyamu creates interactive stories, games, and lessons inspired by African cultures and languages.
   • Inclusive Design: Our platform is designed to be accessible to learners of all abilities and backgrounds.
   • Partnerships: We collaborate with educators, NGOs, and community leaders to co-create and implement solutions.

2. Outputs:

   • Culturally Relevant Education: Learners engage with content that reflects their cultural identity, fostering a sense of belonging and pride.
   • Accessibility: Our platform ensures equitable access to education for learners with disabilities and those in underserved communities.
   • Collaborative Ecosystem: By fostering partnerships, we mobilize resources and expertise to address educational inequities.

3. Immediate Impacts:

   • Increased Engagement: Learners are more motivated to participate in learning activities that resonate with their cultural backgrounds.
   • Improved Learning Outcomes: Accessible and inclusive education leads to better academic performance and social-emotional development.
   • Community Empowerment: Communities benefit from improved access to education, leading to increased social cohesion and economic opportunities.

4. Longer-Term Outcomes:

   • Educational Equity: Koyamu contributes to reducing disparities in education by providing all learners with access to quality learning experiences.
   • Empowerment: Through education, individuals gain the knowledge and skills they need to pursue opportunities and achieve their full potential.
   • Societal Transformation: By investing in education, communities become more resilient, innovative, and prosperous, driving positive change at the societal level.

Evidence supporting our theory of change includes:

• Third-party research demonstrating the positive impact of culturally relevant and inclusive education on learning outcomes and social development.
• Feedback from our target population, including learners, educators, and community members, indicating increased engagement and satisfaction with Koyamu's content.
• Process evaluations highlighting the effectiveness of our partnerships in reaching underserved communities and co-designing solutions tailored to their needs.

Koyamu's theory of change illustrates how our activities and outputs lead to immediate impacts and longer-term outcomes, ultimately driving positive change for learners and communities across Africa. Through our continued efforts and collaboration with stakeholders, we aim to realize our vision of an inclusive and equitable education system that empowers all individuals to thrive.

1. Increased Access to Quality Education: Ensure that all children, particularly those affected by poverty or displacement, have equitable access to culturally relevant and inclusive education.
2. Improved Learning Outcomes: Enhance academic performance, critical thinking skills, and social-emotional development among learners, leading to improved educational outcomes.
3. Empowerment and Inclusion: Foster a sense of belonging, pride, and agency among learners, including those with disabilities and from marginalized communities, promoting social inclusion and equity.

Measuring Progress:

1. User Engagement Metrics: Track metrics such as active users, session duration, and content interactions to assess the level of engagement with Koyamu's platform.
2. Learning Outcomes Assessments: Conduct pre- and post-intervention assessments to measure improvements in literacy, numeracy, and socio-emotional skills among learners using Koyamu.
3. Accessibility Metrics: Monitor accessibility features utilization and gather feedback from users with disabilities to ensure the platform effectively meets their needs.
4. Community Feedback: Regularly solicit feedback from learners, educators, and community members to gauge satisfaction levels, identify areas for improvement, and ensure ongoing relevance and impact.
5. Partnership Impact: Evaluate the reach and effectiveness of partnerships with educational institutions, NGOs, and community organizations in extending Koyamu's reach and impact to underserved communities.
6. Demographic Data Analysis: Analyze user demographics to ensure equitable access and inclusion across diverse populations, including gender, age, socioeconomic status, and geographic location.
7. Long-Term Tracking: Establish longitudinal studies to track the educational and socio-economic trajectories of learners who have engaged with Koyamu over time, assessing long-term impacts on educational attainment and life outcomes.
8. Alignment with SDGs: Align impact goals and progress metrics with relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions), to ensure contributions to broader global development agendas.

By systematically monitoring these indicators and evaluating progress against our impact goals, we ensure accountability, inform strategic decision-making, and continuously optimize Koyamu's effectiveness in driving positive change for learners and communities across Africa.

Koyamu leverages modern web-based technology to provide accessible and interactive educational content to African children. Our platform utilizes  a customized CMS to create engaging learning experiences that can be accessed through web browsers on various devices, including computers and tablets. Through our web platform, learners can access a diverse range of educational materials, including interactive stories, games, and lessons, all designed to promote foundational learning skills in literacy, numeracy, and STEM subjects.

In addition to web technology, our solution incorporates multimedia elements such as animations, illustrations, and audio to enhance engagement and comprehension. We prioritize culturally relevant content, ensuring that learners see themselves reflected in the stories and characters featured on the platform. This approach fosters a sense of identity and pride among young learners, promoting social cohesion and cultural preservation.

While our current focus is on web-based delivery, we recognize the importance of expanding to mobile platforms to reach a broader audience. Our roadmap includes plans to develop mobile applications for iOS and Android devices, allowing users to access Koyamu's educational content anytime, anywhere, even in areas with limited internet connectivity.

Furthermore, we are committed to enhancing accessibility features within our platform to ensure inclusivity for all learners. While text-to-speech functionality and alternative navigation options are not currently available in our beta version, they are on our roadmap for future development. By continuously improving our technology and incorporating user feedback, we aim to create a solution that meets the diverse needs of learners across Africa and beyond.

Full Time - 3

PartTime - 4

Contractors vary per project and range between 4 and 35 

# years. Koyamu was born out of the COVID-19 Pandemic as solutions were sought for remote education.

At Zenafri, we are deeply committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion within our team and across all aspects of our work. We recognize the value of diverse perspectives and experiences in driving innovation and creating solutions that truly meet the needs of our communities.

Our leadership team reflects our commitment to diversity, with members from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and lived experiences. We prioritize inclusivity in our hiring processes, actively seeking out candidates from underrepresented groups and ensuring that our team represents the communities we serve.

To further promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within our organization, we have established clear goals and initiatives. These include:

1. Diverse Recruitment: We actively recruit talent from diverse backgrounds, including individuals from underrepresented ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic groups. We strive to create job postings and recruitment strategies that attract a wide range of candidates and actively combat biases in the hiring process.

2. Inclusive Policies and Practices: We have implemented inclusive policies and practices to create a welcoming and supportive work environment for all team members. This includes flexible work arrangements, parental leave policies, and ongoing diversity training for staff and leadership.

3. Employee Resource Groups: We encourage the formation of employee resource groups (ERGs) to provide a space for staff from marginalized groups to connect, share experiences, and advocate for change within the organization. These groups play a crucial role in fostering a sense of belonging and representation within our team.

4. Continuous Learning and Development: We prioritize ongoing education and training on diversity, equity, and inclusion topics for all staff members. This includes workshops, seminars, and discussions led by internal and external experts to deepen our understanding of systemic inequalities and unconscious biases.

5. Community Engagement: We actively engage with and support organizations and initiatives that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in our communities. This includes partnerships with local nonprofits, schools, and advocacy groups working to address social justice issues.

By prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion in our team and our work, we aim to create a culture where all team members feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives and talents. We recognize that our commitment to diversity is an ongoing journey, and we remain dedicated to continuously improving and evolving our practices to create a more equitable and inclusive organization.

Our current business model, albeit in its beta phase, relies on a pay-per-purchase model, where users pay for individual pieces of content. However, we are in the process of transitioning to a subscription-based model in the coming weeks. This subscription model will offer users monthly access to our entire content library, providing them with a more cost-effective and comprehensive learning experience.

In addition to subscription revenue, we have identified another revenue stream through the original content we produce. We plan to license this content to various broadcasters, including streaming services and television networks. By doing so, we aim to capitalize on the growing demand for high-quality educational content while generating a sustainable source of income to support our platform's continued development and expansion.

This dual revenue model not only ensures broader access to our educational resources but also enables us to create a scalable and financially viable solution for addressing learning gaps and promoting educational equity.

Our plan for achieving financial sustainability revolves around diversifying our revenue streams while maintaining a focus on delivering value to our users and communities. We aim to generate revenue through a combination of subscription fees, content licensing, strategic partnerships, and potential investment funding.

1. Subscription Model: Transitioning from a pay-per-purchase model to a subscription-based model will provide us with a more predictable and sustainable source of revenue. By offering users monthly or annual subscriptions for access to our entire content library, we can ensure recurring revenue while providing users with a cost-effective learning solution.

2. Content Licensing: Our original content, including educational videos, interactive lessons, and digital resources, presents an opportunity for additional revenue through licensing agreements. By partnering with broadcasters, streaming services, educational institutions, and other organizations, we can license our content for distribution, thereby reaching a broader audience and generating royalties.

3. Strategic Partnerships: Collaborating with educational institutions, governments, NGOs, and corporate partners can unlock new funding opportunities and revenue streams. Through partnerships, we can access grants, sponsorships, and funding for specific initiatives or projects aligned with our mission. Additionally, strategic partnerships can help us expand our reach, enhance our content offerings, and access new markets.

4. Investment Funding: While we are currently bootstrapped and have not yet pursued external investment, we recognize the potential value of securing investment funding to accelerate our growth and scale our operations. We may explore opportunities for investment capital from impact investors, venture capitalists, or philanthropic organizations that align with our mission and vision.

To date, we have successfully secured grant funding from organizations such as the Royal Academy of Engineering UK as part of the Pandemic Preparedness program. These grants have enabled us to develop our initial content, build our platform, and conduct pilot programs with partner schools. Additionally, we have generated modest revenue through our beta phase, primarily from pay-per-purchase transactions.

Moving forward, we will continue to explore new revenue streams, strengthen existing partnerships, and pursue strategic opportunities for growth and funding. By diversifying our revenue sources and maintaining a sustainable business model, we are confident in our ability to achieve long-term financial sustainability while delivering meaningful impact to our users and communities.