Updated May 13, 2021
Ubongo: Edutainment Made in Africa, for Africa
http://www.ubongo.org
Nisha Ligon
We leverage the power of entertainment, the reach of mass media and the deep insights of kid-centered design to bring fun, localized edutainment to millions of kids in Africa.
Ubongo brings kids and their families a fun new way to learn, on the technology that they already have. We work toward our mission and vision through a comprehensive process of thorough human-centered research, powerful storytelling, distribution at massive scale, and rigorous impact analysis. We work directly with kids and caregivers to develop and deliver content that has a real impact in the...
SEE ALLStage 5: Scaling
We broadcast on Free-To-Air TV and radio in 9 African countries, in 4 languages, with 5 more African languages in development and 11 million monthly viewers. We're expanding our operational footprint & building revenue streams for sustainability.
11,200,000
Lives Impacted to Date
2
Key Partners
8
Countries Implemented In
11,200,000
Customers
34
Employees
$1,620,000
Funds Raised to Date
Verified Funding
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Problem
There is an education crisis in Africa, and most of the 440 million kids on the continent stand to miss out on the life-changing opportunity of a quality education. The problem starts from the earliest years, with 44% of children aged 3-4 in Africa experiencing low cognitive of social emotional development. They enter school with insufficient learning readiness, then the problems compound from there.
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Solution
Ubongo brings kids and their families a fun new way to learn, on the technology that they already have. We produce top quality educational media programs in local languages and distribute them through accessible technologies including TV, radio and mobile phones, to bring effective, localized learning to African families at low cost and massive scale. We entertain kids to learn and love learning: building brains, and building change.
Target Beneficiaries
We are scaling and aim to make our fun learning available to all 440 million kids in Africa, via whatever technologies they can access. Currently we focus on families with radio or TV and aim to reach 30 million monthly users in 2021... while also reaching the most rural and vulnerable families through our rural distribution and implementation partners.
Mission and Vision
Our mission is to use top quality, localized edutainment to help Africa's 440 million kids learn, and leverage their learning to change their lives. Our vision is to equip Africa’s next generation with the educational foundation, critical skills and positive mindsets to change their own lives and communities for the better.
Competitive Advantage
We produce our content in Africa, for Africa, and we are currently Africa's top producers of edutainment. We involve kids in our design process to craft super sticky stories and brands. Our content is fun, local and educationally effective, and designed to be rapidly adaptable to new languages and platforms. We have a first mover advantage in African edutainment, and a 11 million strong audience who love our characters and know our brand.
Planned Goals and Milestones
We're currently adapting Akili and Me and Ubongo Kids to 9 languages for distribution across Sub-Saharan Africa. We're also working on new interactive learning apps and new show concepts to deepen kids' learning!
| Funding Goal | 2,600,000 | |
| Projected Cumulative Lives Impacted | 30,000,000 | |
| New Implemented Countries | Ethiopia, Congo, Democratic Republic of the, South Africa | |
| Recruit | Chief Operating Officer, Country Managers in Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa and Reps in other key markets, M&E Manager | |
| New Feature | New Pan-African fun learning series, Android Apps, Interactive Voice Response content for basic mobiles |
The Team Behind the Innovation
Ubongo develops Africa's most beloved edutainment in-house... from curriculum and scripts to final animation. Our Pan-African team of educationalists, producers, animators and business professional is deeply committed to transforming learning for kids in Africa. We're a female led company, led by CEO, Nisha Ligon (award winning educational media producer and social entrepreneur), Chief Business Officer, Doreen Kessy (Acumen Fellow & WEF Global Shaper) and Chief Product Officer, Christina Bwana.
EXECUTIVE TEAM INCLUDES WOMEN AND YOUTH
Milestone
Jun 2020
Recognition ReceivedVERIFIED
Apr 2020
Recognition ReceivedVERIFIED
Oct 2019
Recognition ReceivedVERIFIED
ORGANIZATIONSDalberg, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, U.S. Agency for International Development and 10 more SEE ALLDalberg, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, U.S. Agency for International Development, Global Affairs Canada, Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, Bayer Foundation, Global Innovation Fund, United Nations Children's Fund, Fourth Sector Group, Grand Challenges Canada, United Nations Development Programme, Results for Development and Department for International Development SEE LESS
as part of
Million Lives ClubMillion Lives Club
Jan 2014
New Product Or Service
Launched Ubongo Kids edu-cartoon in Tanzania
Jan 2013
New Country Implemented In
Tanzania
Date Unknown
Recognition ReceivedVERIFIED
Profiled on CEI
