MatchUp

Samuel Ioron Foundation

MatchUp

MatchUp empowers children living in displacement with literacy and numeracy learning through interactive, tech-driven learning hubs.

Makurdi 970101, Benue, Nigeria

Nigeria

Nonprofit

—

According to the World Bank, only 20% of young Nigerian adults who have completed primary education can read, write or solve a simple digital addition problem. Children from Nigeria's poorest households are up to four times more likely to miss school, lacking basic skills to continue education, secure jobs, and break the cycle of poverty without urgent intervention. In displaced communities, many children face severe barriers to accessing education, including limited literacy, lack of infrastructure, and cultural constraints. In Makurdi’s displaced camps, children and women struggle with traditional education methods. MarchUp addresses these challenges by providing a scalable, tech-driven solution that fosters literacy and digital learning. By creating interactive hubs within the camps, we ensure displaced communities have the resources needed to break cycles of poverty, enhance self-reliance, and access essential skills for economic empowerment.

MatchUp serves displaced children, primarily in conflict-affected regions like the Makurdi camps. With over 500 children reached in the pilot, we have provided them with literacy skills, digital education, and personal empowerment. It combines existing teaching methods with simple technology, including the offline Mavis Talking Books and Pen. The Mavis kit uses a digital pen which plays an audio recording when it touches text or images in the book. The learnings are delivered through community-driven interactive hubs and supported by trained facilitators within the community.

Children between ages 5-11 living in displaced camps in Nigeria.