Muna Kalati, an organization dedicated to enhancing access to culturally relevant children's literature in Africa, has been selected to join Cohort 4 of the UNICEF Startup Lab. This initiative, launched in 2019, aims to support impactful startups and businesses working towards advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for children and young people.
Out of a pool of over 500 applicants, Muna Kalati emerged as one of the final 25 startups chosen for the accelerator program. These startups represent diverse sectors, including education, health, agritech, fintech, and climate action. Muna Kalati's focus on providing access to diverse children's content to improve foundational literacy skills aligns perfectly with the goals of the Startup Lab.
At the heart of Muna Kalati's participation in the program is their innovative solution called Readopia. This centralized platform aims to promote African children's books by bringing together an extensive catalog from various African publishers. With advanced search functionalities, interactive features, and a user-friendly interface, Readopia seeks to address the critical need for a centralized platform in the African literary landscape. Aside ebooks, Readopia also contains audiobooks and animated videos positively projecting the African culture and identity to children and young adults.
The Executive Director of Muna Kalati, Christian Elongue, expressed excitement about the organization's participation in the UNICEF Startup Lab. "It was a joy to know we were selected for UNICEF Startup Lab. This is a validation of the value and interest of the mobile app that we are developing. Participating in it will help us make significant progress thanks to the technical training and support that we'll be receiving," he stated.
Over the next six months, Muna Kalati aims to gain invaluable insights and knowledge through the Readopia project. Collaboration with UNICEF program specialists will enable them to refine our product and ensure that Readopia effectively meets the needs of its target audience. Additionally, access to global funding opportunities, including the UNICEF Venture Fund, will support the scaling of the project to reach even more children across Africa.
"I anticipate learning best practices in project management, technology development, and content curation from industry experts, which will be instrumental in driving the success of Readopia. I am excited about the prospect of collaborating with UNICEF and leveraging their expertise and resources to create positive change in African communities through literacy and education," Christian remarked.
Eno Kwatemaa, Communications Officer for Muna Kalati also shared her expectations.
“The Readopia project is a commendable initiative that aims to promote reading among children in Africa. With guidance and support from the UNICEF Startup Lab, I anticipate the successful completion of this project, transforming it into a Public Digital Good accessible to children, parents, and African book professionals”.
The UNICEF Startup Lab offers a range of benefits to participating startups, including funding for product development, global investment opportunities, access to a wide network of partners, practical business acceleration, and direct access to resources and social sector program experts. Muna Kalati's Readopia project is poised to address several Sustainable Development Goals, including quality education, reduced inequalities, and partnerships for the goals.
The UNICEF Startup Lab, led by UNICEF in Ghana and supported by KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency) and MEST Africa, serves as a co-creation space and incubator for innovative solutions that benefit children and young people. Through collaboration with various stakeholders, the program aims to drive positive change and create a brighter future for the most vulnerable.
As reported by:
Graphic Online https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/ghana-news-unicef-startup-lab-25-social-impact-ventures-sharpen-skills.html
The Business and Financial Times https://thebftonline.com/2024/05/09/unicef-startup-lab-welcomes-2024-cohort/