MIT Solve

Solution Overview

Solution Name:

DIGITAL ALPHA HUB

One-line solution summary:

DIGITAL ALPHA HUB is a social innovation which uses internet as an enabler of eliminating illiteracy among Rwandan youth.

Pitch your solution.

In Rwanda, Adult literacy rate increased from 38.2 % in 1978 to 73.2 % in 2018 growing at an average annual rate of 12.62 %. 89 thousand (89,000) students are enrolled in schools however access to early childhood education is limited, classrooms are overcrowded, and elementary schooling remains plagued by high repetition rates.

We are proposing Digital Alpha Hub as a solution to this problem because

it uses internet as an enabler of educating youth. We are making videos with contents starting from the basics needed for the beginners, as well as more advanced content for each level of primary and high school. We did not forget students who are attending TVET school, they have their courses on our platforms.

Our solution will change people's life because after 6 months of intensive courses, students will be examined for being awarded a certificate and become competitive to the world of works.

Film your elevator pitch.

What specific problem are you solving?

In Rwanda, Adult (15+) literacy rate increased from 38.2 % in 1978 to 73.2 % in 2018 growing at an average annual rate of 12.62 %. However, significant problems remain. Access to early childhood education is limited, classrooms are overcrowded, and elementary schooling remains plagued by high repetition rates and urban-rural divides. In Rwanda 89,000 students are enrolled in schools. Since the beginning of lockdown due to COVID-19, all schools have been closed, students and teachers have returned back home. They have stopped their studies and there is no way for them to keep studying and continuing their courses because they have to go with the guidelines of the country in slowing down the transmission of COVID-19. Despite this worldwide pandemic, in Rwanda, classrooms are overcrowded, and elementary schooling remains plagued by high repetition rates and urban- rural divides. Students from rural areas, marginalized youth and refugees are more vulnerable. Most factors which contributed to the illiteracy among youth especially girls is our Rwandan traditional culture which were not allowing girls to attend schools easily. Girls were supposed to do domestic activities with their mothers. Having an old generation which did not attend school is also another contributing factor.

What is your solution?

DIGITAL ALPHA HUB is a social innovation which uses internet as an enabler of educating youth. We are making videos with contents starting from the basics needed for the beginners, as well as more advanced content for each level of primary school and high school. We did not forget students who are attending TVET school, they have their courses on our platforms or at our physical hub. The videos are being developed by qualified teachers with educational skills.

DIGITAL ALPHA HUB helps illiterate people with stigma of going to school how to read and write. Our Digital Alpha Hub comes to remove the problem of overcrowded classroom, limited number of teachers, limited access to internet and updated books

Digital Alpha Hub will have computers and a projector which will be used by beneficiaries who will wish to follow their courses to our hub and there will be a facilitator for moderating courses. In partnership with Rwanda Education Board, our beneficiaries who will be at desired levels will be encouraged to join public or private schools to continue education with the goal of getting degrees. After 6 months of intensive courses, students will be examined for being awarded a certificate.

Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?

Digital Alpha Hub is an internet driven solution. It gives access to education to illiterate youth, disabled youth and financially unstable children who cannot afford ordinary schools. Digital Alpha Hub will resort to using the internet as an enabler to each illiterate person without the need of people seeking education to go to a classroom. It hopes to eradicate the problem of overcrowded classrooms and a limited number of teachers. Primary, high school courses and TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) courses will be available on the online platforms such as their website, YouTube TV, Android application and also at their physical hub. Their vision is to impact 50,000 people in the next 5 years. We are using google analytics provided by our website and YouTube channel. We conduct online survey for evaluating our impact, their needs and we conduct interviews with our beneficiaries in order to assess our impact

Which dimension of the Challenge does your solution most closely address?

Increase the engagement of learners in remote, hybrid, and physical environments, including strategies and tools for parental support, peer interaction, and guided independent work.

Explain how the problem you are addressing, the solution you have designed, and the population you are serving align with the Challenge.

Digital Alpha Hub uses internet as an enabler of teaching students across the whole country and even in the whole East Africa. Apart from the courses, we are providing on our website ,android application and Youtube channel,we also have forums on our website where students from different schools and regions meet, discuss and share their courses. Our platforms have forums of teachers from different schools including those located in rural areas and those in urban areas. On our Platform, every students can find teaching materials from different schools with their examination paper which allows them to engage with other students.

In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?

Kigali, Rwanda

What is your solution’s stage of development?

Growth: An organization with an established product, service, or business model rolled out in one or, ideally, several communities, which is poised for further growth.

Explain why you selected this stage of development for your solution.

I have chosen the stage of growth because we have also launched our services and many people are testing them. As our services are available and more than 2000 people have benefited from our courses.73% of our beneficiaries are Rwandans,13% are burundians,9% are ugandans,3% are in Kenya,1% from India.

Who is the Team Lead for your solution?

NIYOYITA Bonaventure