LearnWell

The specific problem LearnWell is addressing is the lack of access to quality educational resources for refugee and underserved communities in Tanzania and across sub-Saharan Africa. 

In Tanzania, there are over 300,000 registered refugees, the majority of whom are from Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. These refugee populations face significant barriers to education, with only 61% of refugee children enrolled in primary school and just 5% enrolled in secondary school. The problem is exacerbated by the limited infrastructure and connectivity in refugee camps, which makes it challenging for learners to access digital educational content.

Globally, an estimated 250 million children are not in school, and hundreds of millions more are in classrooms that lack adequate access to learning materials. In sub-Saharan Africa, the problem is particularly acute, with only 65% of children completing primary education and significant disparities in learning outcomes between refugee and non-refugee students.

The key factors contributing to this problem include poverty, displacement, limited infrastructure, and the lack of access to technology-enabled learning solutions. These barriers disproportionately affect the most vulnerable and marginalized communities, creating a widening educational equity gap that threatens the future of millions of young people.

By addressing these challenges, LearnWell aims to ensure that all children, regardless of their refugee status or location, have access to high-quality educational resources and the opportunity to develop the skills they need to thrive.

LearnWell's solution is a comprehensive offline educational platform delivered through pre-loaded tablets designed for refugee camps and low-connectivity areas. The core of the solution is a durable, low-power tablet preloaded with a rich library of educational content, including apps, e-books, and video lessons, covering a wide range of subjects from core academics to vocational and life skills training.

The tablets are designed to be self-contained and accessible even in the absence of reliable internet connectivity, a critical feature for the communities LearnWell serves. The educational content is curated and adapted in collaboration with local partners, educators, and community leaders to ensure relevance and cultural responsiveness.

In addition to the tablet hardware, LearnWell's solution includes a content management system that allows the organization to remotely update and maintain the educational materials, ensuring that the learning resources remain current and relevant over time. This centralized system also enables LearnWell to track usage and learning outcomes, allowing for continuous improvement and optimization of the platform.

By leveraging a combination of offline-capable technology, locally relevant content, and community-driven design, LearnWell is able to provide high-quality, accessible educational opportunities to refugee and underserved communities in Tanzania and beyond. The solution aims to empower learners, complement the work of educators, and contribute to the creation of a more equitable and resilient education system.

LearnWell's solution primarily serves refugee children and youth in Tanzania, as well as other underserved communities in the region. Specifically:

Target Population: The solution targets the over 300,000 registered refugees in Tanzania, the majority of whom are from Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Within this population, LearnWell focuses on providing educational opportunities to refugee children and youth, who face significant barriers to accessing quality education.

Current Challenges: Refugee children in Tanzania have limited access to educational resources and face significant learning gaps compared to their non-refugee peers. Only 61% of refugee children are enrolled in primary school, and just 5% are enrolled in secondary school. The lack of infrastructure, connectivity, and culturally relevant learning materials in refugee camps exacerbates these challenges, further hindering the educational and personal development of refugee learners.

Impact of the Solution: By providing offline-capable educational tablets pre-loaded with a comprehensive suite of learning resources, LearnWell empowers refugee children and youth to continue their education despite the constraints of their environment. The solution ensures access to high-quality, localized content covering core academic subjects as well as practical life and vocational skills. This not only improves learning outcomes but also fosters the development of critical thinking, problem-solving, and other essential competencies that will enable these learners to thrive both within their communities and in a rapidly changing global landscape.

LearnWell's team is uniquely positioned to deliver this solution to the target refugee communities in Tanzania. The organization was founded by Winnie Mathew, a Tanzanian social entrepreneur with deep roots in the local community and a strong understanding of the challenges facing refugee populations.

Winnie is supported by a diverse team of Tanzanian experts, including:

1. Amelia Mbogo, the Head of Content Development, who has over 10 years of experience designing educational curricula for underserved communities in Tanzania.

2. Lucas Kivuyo, the Lead Technologist, who has extensive expertise in developing off-grid, low-power technology solutions for rural and refugee settings.

3. Grace Mwinyiheri, the Community Engagement Coordinator, who has worked closely with refugee leaders and grassroots organizations to ensure the solution is tailored to the needs and priorities of the communities.

4. Emmanuel Nyerere, the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, who brings a wealth of experience in measuring the impact of educational interventions in challenging environments.

This team's deep connections to the Tanzanian context and their collaborative approach to solution design are critical to the success of LearnWell's initiative. The organization has established strong partnerships with local refugee organizations, education authorities, and community leaders, who actively participate in the development, deployment, and ongoing refinement of the educational content and tablet technology.

By centering the voices and experiences of the target communities, LearnWell ensures that its solution is culturally relevant, responsive to local needs, and ultimately, impactful in improving educational outcomes for refugee children and youth in Tanzania.

LearnWell is currently at the Pilot stage of development. The organization has already launched its offline educational tablet solution in one refugee camp in Tanzania, the Nyarugusu camp, which hosts over 130,000 refugees.

To date, LearnWell has distributed 35 tablets pre-loaded with a comprehensive suite of educational content to students in the camp. The organization has worked closely with local partners, including refugee leaders and education authorities, to design and tailor the content to the specific needs and cultural contexts of the refugee community.

Through this initial pilot, LearnWell has been able to gather valuable feedback from students, teachers, and community members to iterate on the design and functionality of the tablets. The organization has also been monitoring the usage and learning outcomes to validate the impact of the solution and identify areas for improvement.

While the pilot is still in its early stages, the initial feedback from the Nyarugusu camp has been promising. Students and educators have reported increased engagement and improved learning outcomes, particularly in subjects where the pre-loaded content has been most relevant and accessible.

Building on this initial success, LearnWell is now working to secure additional funding and partnerships to expand the reach of its solution to other refugee camps and underserved communities in Tanzania. The organization is committed to a user-centered, iterative approach to ensure that its technology-enabled educational platform continues to meet the evolving needs of the communities it serves.

LearnWell is applying to the MIT Solve challenge to access a range of non-monetary support that will be critical in overcoming the key barriers the organization faces in scaling its solution. Specifically, we are seeking:

1. Technical Assistance: As a relatively young organization, LearnWell would benefit greatly from the opportunity to collaborate with Solve's network of technology experts and innovators. This would help us enhance the functionality, user experience, and data management capabilities of our offline educational tablet platform.

2. Partnerships and Ecosystem Building: Solve's extensive global network and convening power would enable LearnWell to forge strategic partnerships with organizations, funders, and local stakeholders in Tanzania and across sub-Saharan Africa. These connections would be invaluable in expanding the reach and impact of our solution.

3. Validation and Visibility: The selection and support of Solve would provide crucial external validation and visibility for LearnWell, helping us to build credibility within the education and humanitarian technology sectors. This would, in turn, open doors to additional funding and growth opportunities.

4. Learning and Mentorship: Participation in the Solve program would give LearnWell access to tailored capacity-building support, expert mentorship, and peer-to-peer learning opportunities. This would strengthen our team's expertise in areas such as impact measurement, scaling strategies, and sustainable business model development.

By addressing these critical barriers, the support provided through Solve would enable LearnWell to accelerate the reach and impact of our offline educational platform, ultimately helping to ensure that more refugee and underserved children in Tanzania have access to quality learning opportunities.

LearnWell's solution is innovative in several key ways:

1. Offline Accessibility: By delivering educational content through pre-loaded tablets, LearnWell has developed a technology-enabled solution that is specifically designed to overcome the challenges of limited internet connectivity in refugee camps and underserved communities. This allows learners to access high-quality educational resources without the need for reliable online access, a critical differentiator in the markets LearnWell serves.

2. Localized and Culturally Responsive Content: Rather than simply providing generic educational content, LearnWell works closely with local partners, educators, and community leaders to curate and adapt the learning materials to ensure they are culturally relevant and responsive to the specific needs and contexts of the target refugee populations. This customized approach helps to make the content more engaging and impactful for students.

3. Centralized Content Management: LearnWell's solution includes a content management system that enables the organization to remotely update and maintain the educational resources on the tablets. This allows the learning materials to remain current and relevant over time, addressing a key challenge faced by many offline educational initiatives in low-resource settings.

4. Holistic Skill Development: In addition to core academic subjects, the LearnWell tablets provide access to a diverse range of educational content, including vocational training, life skills, and social-emotional learning. This holistic approach helps to equip refugee students with the comprehensive set of competencies they need to thrive both within their communities and in a rapidly changing global landscape.

By pioneering this innovative, technology-enabled, and community-driven solution, LearnWell has the potential to catalyze broader positive impacts in the education and humanitarian technology sectors. The organization's model could inspire and inform the development of similar solutions that leverage the power of offline digital learning to improve educational outcomes for marginalized and displaced populations worldwide.

LearnWell's theory of change for driving impact in improving educational access and outcomes for refugee children in Tanzania is based on the following key elements:

Activities:

1. Distribute pre-loaded educational tablets to refugee learners in target communities.
2. Curate and regularly update culturally relevant educational content for the tablets in collaboration with local partners.
3. Establish a content management system to remotely maintain and improve the tablet-based learning resources.
4. Provide training and support to teachers and community members on the use and integration of the tablets into learning activities.

Outputs:

• Refugee children and youth have consistent access to a comprehensive suite of offline educational resources, including core academic subjects, vocational training, and life skills development.
• Teachers and community members are equipped with the knowledge and skills to effectively leverage the tablet-based learning tools.
• The educational content is continuously updated and improved to remain relevant and responsive to the evolving needs of the target communities.

Outcomes:

• Improved learning outcomes and educational attainment for refugee children and youth, as evidenced by higher enrollment, attendance, and test scores.
• Enhanced engagement and motivation of refugee learners, fostering a love of learning and a stronger sense of hope and opportunity.
• Increased development of critical skills and competencies, including problem-solving, creativity, and social-emotional intelligence, that enable refugee students to thrive both within their communities and in a global context.
• Strengthened capacity and resilience of refugee communities to support the educational needs of their children, even in the face of ongoing displacement and resource constraints.

The links between LearnWell's activities, outputs, and outcomes are supported by existing research on the effectiveness of offline digital learning solutions in refugee and low-resource settings, as well as the organization's own pilot data and feedback from target communities.

LearnWell's primary impact goal is to significantly improve access to quality educational resources and learning outcomes for refugee children and youth in Tanzania, with the ultimate aim of empowering these marginalized communities and contributing to a more equitable education system.

Specific impact goals include:

1. Increase enrollment and attendance rates for refugee children in primary and secondary education by 25% within 3 years of full implementation in target communities.

2. Improve learning outcomes, as measured by standardized test scores, for refugee students participating in the LearnWell program by at least 20% compared to their peers not accessing the solution.

3. Develop critical social-emotional and 21st-century skills, such as problem-solving, creativity, and digital literacy, in at least 80% of refugee students engaging with the LearnWell tablets.

4. Foster a stronger sense of hope, self-efficacy, and agency among refugee learners, as evidenced by at least 75% of participants reporting increased motivation and aspirations for the future.

To measure progress towards these impact goals, LearnWell is collecting and monitoring a range of key performance indicators, including:

• Enrollment and attendance rates in partner schools
• Standardized test scores for participating students
• Surveys and focus group discussions to assess changes in student well-being, skills, and attitudes
• Usage data and learner engagement metrics from the tablet-based platform
• Feedback and testimonials from teachers, parents, and community leaders

By regularly analyzing this data, LearnWell can identify areas for improvement, refine its approach, and demonstrate the tangible impact of its solution on the lives of refugee children and their communities.

The core technology that powers LearnWell's offline educational solution is a combination of custom-designed hardware and a cloud-based content management system.

At the heart of the solution are durable, low-power tablets that are pre-loaded with a comprehensive library of educational resources, including apps, e-books, video lessons, and interactive learning activities. These tablets are specifically engineered to function reliably in challenging environments with limited or intermittent electricity and internet connectivity.

The tablet hardware features a robust and energy-efficient design, with long-lasting battery life, rugged casing, and low-power processors that can operate efficiently even in areas with unreliable power grids. The tablets are also equipped with offline-first software that allows students to access and engage with the learning content without needing an active internet connection.

Complementing the tablet hardware is LearnWell's cloud-based content management system. This platform enables the organization to remotely manage, update, and distribute educational resources to the tablets deployed in the field. The system also collects and analyzes usage data, allowing LearnWell to track learner engagement, monitor progress, and continually refine the content to better serve the needs of the target communities.

By combining durable, offline-capable hardware with a flexible, cloud-based content management infrastructure, LearnWell has developed a scalable and sustainable solution that overcomes the technological barriers commonly faced by refugee and underserved communities in accessing quality educational resources.

This innovative blend of hardware and software technologies is at the core of LearnWell's ability to deliver engaging, relevant, and continuously improving learning opportunities to refugee children and youth in Tanzania and beyond.

LearnWell's solution team consists of:

4 full-time staff members:

• Winnie Mathew, Founder and CEO
• Amelia Mbogo, Head of Content Development
• Lucas Kivuyo, Lead Technologist
• Emmanuel Nyerere, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist

• Grace Mwinyiheri, Community Engagement Coordinator
• Fatima Abdi, Instructional Designer
• Juma Selemani, Hardware Engineer

LearnWell has been working on its offline educational tablet solution for 16 months. The organization was founded in mid-2022 and has focused on developing the core hardware and software, curating educational content, and launching a pilot deployment in a Tanzanian refugee camp. With this foundational work completed, LearnWell is now poised to scale its impact and reach more underserved populations across Tanzania and the wider East African region.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values that are deeply embedded in LearnWell's organizational culture and hiring practices. We firmly believe that a diverse and inclusive team is critical to the success and impact of our solution.

In our leadership team, we have deliberately sought to achieve gender parity, with women and men represented equally in key decision-making roles. Our four full-time staff members include individuals from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, with varying levels of experience and expertise. We also have a strong commitment to recruiting and developing local talent within the Tanzanian communities we serve, ensuring that our team members have a deep understanding of the cultural contexts and lived experiences of the refugee students and families we aim to support.

To further strengthen our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, we have implemented several targeted initiatives:

1. Inclusive hiring processes: We use blind resume screening, structured interviews, and skills-based assessments to mitigate unconscious biases and ensure fair and equitable hiring practices.

2. Employee development and mentorship: We provide ongoing training, coaching, and mentorship opportunities to support the professional growth and advancement of all team members, with a particular focus on supporting women and other underrepresented groups.

3. Flexible and family-friendly policies: We offer flexible work arrangements, generous parental leave, and other benefits to create a welcoming and supportive environment for employees with diverse personal and family commitments.

4. Continuous feedback and improvement: We regularly solicit feedback from our team and implement changes to further enhance our diversity, equity, and inclusion practices. This includes regularly reviewing our HR policies, organizational culture, and decision-making processes.

By prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion, LearnWell aims to foster a vibrant, collaborative, and innovative team that can better understand and serve the needs of the marginalized communities we work with.

As a non-profit organization, LearnWell's business model is focused on delivering maximum social impact through its offline educational tablet solution, rather than generating revenue. Our key beneficiaries are refugee children and youth in Tanzania who have limited access to quality learning resources due to the challenging economic and infrastructure conditions in their communities.

LearnWell provides these underserved learners with pre-loaded tablets that contain a comprehensive library of educational content, including interactive apps, e-books, video lessons, and skills-building activities. The tablets are specifically designed to function reliably in areas with intermittent electricity and internet connectivity, overcoming a critical barrier to educational access.

To ensure the relevance and cultural responsiveness of the learning content, LearnWell works closely with local partners, educators, and community members to curate and regularly update the materials. This collaborative approach helps to foster a sense of ownership and buy-in from the target communities, further enhancing the impact and sustainability of the solution.

LearnWell's revenue model relies primarily on philanthropic grants, corporate sponsorships, and individual donations to fund the procurement of tablets, the development of educational content, the deployment and maintenance of the tablets in the field, and the ongoing operational costs of the organization.

By providing refugee learners with consistent access to high-quality, offline educational resources, LearnWell aims to improve learning outcomes, develop critical skills, and ultimately empower these marginalized communities to break the cycle of poverty and displacement. The organization's non-profit structure allows it to remain laser-focused on maximizing social impact rather than generating financial returns.

As a non-profit organization, LearnWell's plan for financial sustainability relies on a diversified funding model that combines philanthropic grants, corporate sponsorships, and individual donations.

To date, LearnWell has secured over $43,000 in grant funding from several prominent foundations and impact investors, including the Mastercard Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the IKEA Foundation. These grants have provided the critical seed funding needed to develop the core tablet hardware and software, curate the educational content, and launch the initial pilot deployment in the Nyarugusu refugee camp.

In addition to grant funding, LearnWell has also built strong partnerships with several multinational corporations, who have committed to providing both financial and in-kind support for the organization's work. For example, a leading technology company HUAWEI has pledged to donate 5,000 tablets over the next 2 years, while a major consumer goods company has agreed to sponsor the development and localization of life skills and entrepreneurship content for the tablet platform.

To further diversify its revenue streams, LearnWell is also exploring opportunities to generate earned income through government and NGO service contracts. The organization is currently in discussions with the Tanzanian Ministry of Education to integrate the LearnWell tablets into the national curriculum and provide access to the solution in public schools across the country.

By combining these various revenue sources, LearnWell aims to achieve long-term financial sustainability and ensure the continued growth and impact of its offline educational solution. The organization's proven track record in securing significant grant and corporate funding to date provides a strong foundation for its future plans to scale and sustain its work.