Ubongo, a leading continental edutainment powerhouse, has launched an initiative dubbed “Edutainment Resource Libraries” aimed at fostering last-mile engagement through regular edutainment sessions at community learning facilities. This initiative will benefit facilities such as community libraries, youth centers, and early childhood development (ECD) centers among others. Launched on November 23, the project is set to run until December 7, starting with five pilot facilities: one in each province of Rwanda and Mahama Refugee Camp in the Eastern Province. Bridging the gap Isaie Micomyiza, Ubongo’s Country Manager in Rwanda, emphasized the organization’s mission to provide free, localized edutainment content for children across Sub-Saharan Africa. This content is designed to enhance children’s cognitive, social, emotional, and life skills. “Ubongo’s edutainment content has been aired in Rwanda through platforms like RTV since 2017, Pacis TV since 2020, and BTN TV since 2022,” Micomyiza noted. “These broadcasts have significantly impacted early learning outcomes for children, as well as parents and caregivers’ commitment to lifelong learning.” However, Micomyiza explained that many children and caregivers remain unreached due to limited access to broadcast media. “The new resource libraries within community-based learning facilities will enable families without televisions to experience the joy of learning through Ubongo’s edutainment cartoons,” he added. He said that Ubongo’s initiative aims to contextualize edutainment content within people’s daily lives, encouraging families to fully utilize their community learning facilities. The project envisions regular edutainment sessions hosted weekly at these libraries. Micomyiza outlined the expected results of the project, including Increased interactions between parents and children through shared learning experiences, enhanced enthusiasm, academic achievement, and retention among children. The development of independent learning skills in children boosted self-esteem through relatable characters speaking their mother tongue and improved the quality of life for local communities. Impact on beneficiaries The pilot phase includes Gatore Community Library in Kirehe District, Mahama Refugee Camp, Ineza Community Library in Rulindo District, Kabaya Community Library in Ngororero District, and Nyanza Community Library in Nyanza District all selected centers equipped with solar-powered TVs, hard drives loaded with edutainment content and 200 printed books adapted from ubongo’s edutainment series. Agnes Nibamuhoze, a parent whose two children benefit from Ineza Community Library in Rulindo, expressed her excitement. “This initiative will provide additional learning materials. Previously, my children learned without access to televisions or many books. Now, they can better understand the content visually,” she said. Nibamuhoze commended Ubongo for empowering remote areas and urged other parents to bring their children to libraries and ECD centers, calling it a strong foundation for their growth. Janvier Niyonsaba, coordinator of Ineza Foundation in Rulindo, shared similar sentiments. “The inclusion of audiovisual content alongside books will significantly improve how children acquire knowledge. This initiative is a welcome addition, especially in remote areas like ours,” he said. Niyonsaba added that the initiative complements and aligns with the work Ineza Foundation has been doing since its establishment in 2018. Reflecting on the journey, he acknowledged that the early days were challenging due to a lack of understanding about the importance of libraries and ECDs. However, over time, parents and guardians have come to appreciate the positive impact such activities have on their children’s development. Commenting on Ubongo’s impact Micomyiza said that the 2022 impact evaluation study demonstrated the effectiveness of its edutainment content, with 76 percent of children showing improved social skills, 87 percent achieving better academic performance, and 81percent becoming more engaged in their education. Additionally, 97 percent of guardians reported an enhanced quality of life for their children due to Ubongo’s programming.
