The New and Improved NABU App Showcased at the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship Demo Day in Kenya

The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship Demo Day marked a defining moment for NABU in Kenya as we showcased our evolution from a digital publisher of bilingual children’s stories into a cutting-edge EdTech platform. This transformation is reshaping how children in underserved communities access high-quality, culturally relevant books in their mother tongues, fostering foundational literacy skills that open doors to brighter futures.

Globally, 250 million children in low-income countries face limited access to books and struggle to learn how to read. This literacy crisis not only stifles individual potential but also undermines national economic growth. NABU offers a simple yet powerful solution: a free, user-friendly app that bridges opportunity gaps by delivering mother-tongue bilingual books while empowering educators, parents, and caregivers.

At Demo Day, we highlighted the tangible impact of our work and the incredible opportunities the fellowship has created to tackle these challenges more effectively.

With support from the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship, we have introduced transformative features to the app:

• Personalized Learning Paths: The app dynamically adjusts reading materials based on each learner’s progress, creating an engaging and tailored experience.
• Interactive Assessments: Quizzes provide immediate feedback, track comprehension, and recommend books best suited to a learner’s needs.
• Parental and Teacher Support: Parents can create profiles for their children, customize reading experiences, and monitor progress. Teachers benefit from tools that enhance classroom engagement and improve learning outcomes.
• Gamification: New interactive games and a playful NABU mascot make reading fun and immersive, inspiring children to explore more stories.

Milestones Achieved

NABU Kenya shared impressive achievements made during the fellowship:

• 30,000+ new app downloads
• 40,000+ active users on the web reader
• 70,000+ books completed
• 513+ teachers trained across 185+ schools
• 300,000+ users in Kenya alone

These figures underscore our growing impact and NABU’s ability to create lasting change in literacy outcomes.

A Vision for the Future

NABU has set ambitious goals to reach 1 million users in Kenya by 2025 and impact 25 million children globally by 2030. Achieving these milestones requires support in three key areas:

1. Technology Development: Securing $250,000 to enhance the app’s features, including advanced assessments and classroom integration.
2. Content Expansion: Raising $250,000 to translate its 160-book library into French, extending its reach to francophone children.
3. Strategic Partnerships: Building collaborations with networks and platforms to expand distribution across schools, libraries, and communities in East Africa.

Join the Mission

NABU’s journey through the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship has laid the foundation for even greater achievements. To continue this transformative work, NABU invites individuals, organizations, and stakeholders to join its mission. Whether by downloading the app, partnering to expand its reach, or contributing resources, every effort helps bring us closer to solving the global literacy crisis.

Together, we can ensure every child has the tools to read, grow, and succeed.