Access to quality education made simple by BarEl application

In Malawi,  access to education, relevance and quality of education, skills development training; governance and management  in education at all levels leave a lot to be desired.

393 million children have failed to gain the basic literacy skills at age 10 since 2015.

250 million children are not in school, and hundreds of millions are in classrooms that lack adequate access to learning materials.

Nearly   six-out-of-ten children globally are estimated to be affected by learning poverty, meaning they are unable to read and understand a simple text by the age of ten. In low- and middle-income countries, the share is an estimated seven-out-of-ten children. 

Globally, many learners,  out of school youths and adults do not have foundational literacy and numeracy skills. 

Foundational learning rates are alarmingly low in many low-middle-income countries. 

Children who cannot read and understand a simple text will struggle to learn anything else in school. They are more likely to repeat a grade and to drop out of school. They are less likely to benefit from further training and skills programs,  leading to worse health outcomes, greater youth unemployment and deeper levels of poverty. 

According to 2023 Global Education Monitoring Report in Sub-Saharan Africa, literacy rates are below the global average, adversely impacting the achievement of the SDGs. There is a strong correlation between illiteracy, poverty, poor health, and crime. The crisis mainly reflects lack of access, quality, and accountability in educational provision.

Average test scores for literacy and numeracy are low in Eastern and Southern Africa. In Zambia  and  Malawi,  27 percent of students have achieved basic reading skills by Year 6. In mathematics, the proportion of primary students with basic skills is even lower, with fewer than 50 per cent of students in Year 6.

The skills taught—in school or via other informal pathways—may not allow people to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

Many students perform poorly in STEM education  because of lack of access to teaching and learning materials for STEM subjects.

 In Malawi, the gender gap in STEM appears early in life, and it persistently shows up along education and career pathways. In lower secondary, many students perform poorly in Mathematics and Sciences.

In Malawi, the problems in basic education begin with inadequate availability of pre-school programmes and the eventual lack of foundational skills.

Most schools in Malawi lack basic supplies, including teaching and learning materials. 

Students and their guardians or parents lack access to teaching and learning materials due to high poverty rates. As such, many guardians or parents, do not know how to assess or guide their children to read or write or solve mathematical problems or tackle basic sciences. 

Many public schools in Malawi are overcrowded; as such, many teachers pay little attention to the assessment of students' learning.

Malawi, like the rest of Sub-Saharan countries, has under-qualified and unskilled teaching force.

In Malawi, the dropout rate and repetition rate for primary and secondary education are very high.

My team and I believe in positive lasting change.  Our solution uses technology; specifically, BarEl application, which we developed. It provides better education.It improves access to education, relevance and quality of education, skills development training; governance and management in education at all levels.

Our solution through BarEl application provides skills that people need to thrive in their communities; including, entrepreneurial, business, problem-solving and literacy.

BarEl application provides learners with financial or business skills and knowledge that are crucial later in their lives; especially, when they become entrepreneurs, for it facilitates business and financial decisions. It is packed with components of Business Administration. In short, it is MBA made simple. Among other things, BarEl application provides skills and knowledge in the following: financial literacy, financial management, operations management, human resource management, marketing management, small business enterprises, technical and fundamental analyses.

Our solution unlocks the untapped potential of girls and women in STEM.

It supports educators in effectively teaching  STEM subjects in classroom or after-school settings to decrease successive drop-off in completion rates.

Our solution is designed for nursery, primary, secondary and tertiary learners.  

It improves educational outcomes for children ages 2-12 years. 

It ensures inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all; including,  women, girls,  youths, minorities and people with disabilities.

It is effective in complementary basic education.

It facilitates home or self- learning.

It acts as a solution manual; thereby, enhancing self-assessment by a learner.

A learner who is left behind can catch up through our solution. 

BarEl application uses the computer inbuilt narrator to help a learner to read. 

With our solution, every child has an opportunity to master literacy in their mother tongue. 

Our solution has pictures for teaching or learning, which are in themselves telling a story.

It allows targeted teaching as it is flexible as opposed to rigid text books.

BarEl application is offered offline as well as online. This allows us to access remote areas with weak or no internet connection.

Our solution enhances governance and management  of education at all levels by improving financial, human resources and operations management.

The solution involves training teachers and learners on how to use BarEl application.

BarEl application is scalable, simple to use and can be replicated. It delivers reading, writing, STEM subjects and Business Administration courses on computers and low-cost tablets.

Our solution is centered on the needs of communities and learners. It complements rather than replace human interaction. It facilitates efficient network and scale. 

Our solution ensures the following: access to foundational learning by every individual, improved performance in STEM subjects, and sterling performance in business administration. BarEl application supports teaching and learning in ways that improve learning outcomes. BarEl application imparts learners with skills that people need to thrive in both their community and a complex world; such as, problem-solving, creativity and critical thinking.It also imparts learners with digital skills, which allow individuals to use and understand technology. These skills are also critical for the development of communities and economies.

The target population whose lives we are working to directly and meaningfully improve includes: Learners, academicians, parents, school owners, school leadership, women, children, girls,  youths, everyone, women, children, girls, youths, everyone,  LGBTQ+, pre-primary age children (ages 2-5), primary school children (ages 5-12), rural, peri-urban, poor, low-Income, middle-income, high-income, refugees and internally displaced,  minorities and previously excluded populations, and persons with disabilities.

Our solution  serves teachers and learners  in all levels of education. It also serves out of school learners. 

They are currently underserved in that access to education, relevance and quality of education, skills development training; governance and management  in education at all levels leave a lot to be desired.

With the aid of  BarEl application, which we developed, our solution addresses their needs as follows:

1. By providing inclusive, equitable and quality education relevant to social and economic development and lifelong learning opportunities for all.

2. By Improving access to quality early childhood development, and pre-primary education so that learners are ready for primary education.

3.  By providing youth and adults with relevant skills for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship. 

4. By preventing gender disparities in education; and promoting equal access to all levels of education and for the vulnerable.

5. Enabling all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy.

The solution impacts their lives in the following ways: 

It provides better education to all learners. 

It improves access to education, relevance and quality of education, skills development training; governance and management of  education at all levels.

It boosts revenue to schools or educational institutions because of the improved pass rate, which attracts a lot of students to enroll at them.

It enables primary students and those pursuing nursery education to access foundational learning, STEM subjects and financial literacy.

It enables secondary students to access STEM subjects and financial literacy.

It also enables tertiary students to access STEM courses and also all courses of Business Administration; including statistics, marketing, accounting, economics and financial literacy.

Our solution provides people with financial literacy, entrepreneurial and business skills that will enable them later in their life in running or managing businesses or enterprises.

BarEl application helps individuals to  become financially literate, improve their businesses or budgeting skills, and increase their business planning acumen. By doing so, BarEl application contributes to reducing poverty and promoting sustainable economic development.   

Our solution improves their educational outcomes, and eventually economic prosperity. The economic situation of affected communities improves as educated individuals are more productive. 

Our solution makes learning more inclusive and equitable, while improving outcomes for all learners.

It enables all learners acquire knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development.

Our solution improves health and well-being, reduces inequalities, enhances gender equality, promotes decent quality work and economic growth and promotes innovation.

All in all, access to quality education results in eradication of poverty; and ultimately socio-economic development and prosperity of communities.

Below is the explanation of how and why my team and I, are well-positioned to deliver this solution:

TK Computers & Consultancy team members are professionals. 

Thumbiko Shumba, the Chief Executive Officer, leads our team. He brings over 20 years of experience in management. He retired as Deputy Director of Finance in the Malawi Government. He worked as a secondary school teacher. He developed BarEl application, which is providing efficient intervention in Malawi. He has extensive experience in research, data analysis, monitoring and  evaluation.

Tiwonge Kuyokwa, Mwawi Mbewe and  Mphatso Simfukwe add value to the team with their experience. They are experienced trainers.

We are professionals with a diverse range of skills, knowledge, hands-on experience in project management, IT,  education, business administration and financial management that help us to enhance educational outcomes.  We leverage our expertise together to foster creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills; thereby, achieving better outcomes and overall development.  

We incorporate human-centred design. Inclusive and equitable outcomes are considered in the design, implementation, and internal operations of our solution.

Our team is ethnically diverse and inclusive. We are gender-balanced.

We  have direct experience with the communities that we serve. We   were all born, raised, live and work in the communities we serve. We interact with our target audience on almost daily basis, enabling us to  understand the challenges they encounter.

We nurture human potential.

We are fluent in the language of our target market; hence, enabling effective communication. 

We  utilise human-centered design principles to ensure that our solution is user-friendly and accessible.

The design and implementation of our solution is meaningfully guided by the communities’ input, ideas, and agendas. We prioritise communities' input and feedback.  We get feedback on our solution from community leaders and members to understand their needs and experiences. We involve community leaders in our undertakings: This makes their people to accept us; thereby, ensuring lasting commitment and local ownership.   We collect data through surveys, focus groups, interviews and consultations.   

We are capable of coordinating, organizing, planning, directing and delivering results.

We are compact, agile and motivated to drive the innovation towards scale.

Our team has a strong commitment to accountability and delivering quality outputs. 

We have a deep understanding of our organisation's goals.

We have a realistic, practical plan for implementing the solution, and it is feasible.

We have set up robust communication channels that facilitate communication and quick decision-making. 

We have a network of  partners, including community-based organizations, giving us the opportunity to tap knowledge and experience through collaboration.

We are a team that has supported one another in many ways. 

We are geared  to create positive lasting change.  

We have a sound theory of change.

We provide consulting services. 

We have an active advisory board.

Lastly, we are well-positioned to deliver the solution to the target population; owing to our proximity to the communities we serve and our commitment to human-centered solutions. We leverage our dexterity and expertise, promote partnerships, maintain robust communication channels and prioritise activities.

The detailed reasons we  selected the stage above are explained below:

We already moved from the concept stage and prototype stage, and we are now in the pilot stage. So far, we have developed an application called BarEl. 

Our solution has been launched in at least one community, but is still iterating on design or business model. It is working to gain traction.  It has 10+ users/direct beneficiaries. It is a full product but released on a small scale to a select group of users or a small audience aimed at collecting valuable feedback. 

We conducted the following studies under pilot stage: baseline survey and foundational study.  Under baseline survey and foundational study (literature reviews, desktop research) we found out that Malawi, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the entire world are going through education crises. Globally access to education, relevance and quality of education, skills development training; governance and management in education at all levels leave a lot to be desired.  Nearly   six-out-of-ten children globally are estimated to be affected by learning poverty. Average test scores in foundational literacy and numeracy in Malawi and Sub-Saharan Africa  are pathetic.

We have just concluded  formative study (usability study; feasibility studies; case studies; user interviews;  process evaluation and correlational studies). The formative study revealed that 

there is a correlation between educational outcomes and  use of BarEl application. 

The study showed that performance in STEM subjects and foundational literacy and numeracy for learners who were using  BarEl application improved tremendously. We also did qualitative studies, where we collected data through focus groups discussions, interviews and case studies. The respondents expressed sentiments that BarEl application tremendously helps learners to acquire foundational skills.

The average test scores of learners were much higher than those collected during baseline survey and higher than the national average test scores. The study also showed that entrepreneurs who started using our application experienced positive financial performance in their businesses.

The study showed that users of BarEl application used it, without any problem. The study also revealed that the application passed the following feasibility tests: technical, operational, economic or financial,  legal, market, cultural and political.

We measured user experience qualities like usability, functionality and desirability to mitigate risk so as to save us from making a large investment into something users will not adopt.

Focus groups, case studies, and user interviews were  conducted: They revealed that respondents scored highly on preference and favourability tests. 

We are currently using live data and we are delivering live service. Our product is actually going through the normal implementation
and service transition processes.

We are at the first stage of an implementation. It is an initial small-scale implementation to prove the viability of solution. It is a test release of our product to a select group of users, designed to gather feedback and validate assumptions.  We are   exploring a novel new approach or idea. It is a live activity.  We are using or modifying live data. We are  limited in scope in that we have a limited number of  users.

Our product is at a stage where it can be useful to iron out any minor creases, or understand how it works in reality, before expanding use. We are at a stage of identifying any deficiencies,  to make minor changes to the solution and to manage the risk of the product  before substantial resources are committed.

So far outcomes of the pilot stage are compelling us to  roll out the full implementation after making minor changes to the solution. We are carrying out surveys through focus groups and interviews from the community we target. Data gathered from the surveys is  informing the design and the pricing model. 

Our solution is hybrid of for-profit and nonprofit. It has raised little investment capital through the personal savings of the CEO, Mr Thumbiko Shumba. 

Before our solution entered the pilot stage, it passed through the concept stage and the prototype stage.

During concept stage, we did a small exercise to test the real-world potential of our idea in the early stages of developing our product. We did not deliver the idea for live use but demonstrated whether it was feasible. And we came to the conclusion that our product can be developed.

 During prototype stage, we conducted prototype testing to evaluate performance quality, conformance quality, durability, reliability, repairability, style, design, usability, favourability,  desirability and preference of BarEl application. The application passed the prototype testing.

The prototype was put through rigorous functional tests and customer tests. We did the alpha testing to see how our prototype performs in different scenarios. We also did beta testing by enlisting customers to use the prototype and give feedback on their experiences. 

We also did consumer testing by offering freemium. We have achieved an impressive migration rate from the freemium to the subscription model.We have sold the product to very few end-users.

We also did market testing to learn how large the market is, and how consumers and dealers react to handling, using, and repurchasing our application. 

The major methods of market testing we applied are: sales-wave research, test markets and market-tested at trade shows. 

We also conducted the following feasibility tests to check if our prototype is feasible or infeasible.

Technical Feasibility Test: . Our application passed the test. Below are some key elements which we assessed for technical feasibility :

• Technological Stack - programming languages and operating systems, front-end framework, back-end framework, data storage and querying.
• Availability of resources: the availability of a skilled workforce with diverse expertise and knowledge.
• Integration and compatibility: Our application functions smoothly with different types of hardware .
• Risk assessment:  We assessed the possible risks that could arise during product development and we strategized contingency plans.
• Security and compliance: We identified and evaluated security vulnerabilities to avoid situations like data breaches, loss of data, or severe system malfunction. Our application has a security  feature that has multifactor aunthentication, in other words, password security with multiple layers of  protection. It also has a backup for data recovery.
• Scalability: Our product has the ability to accommodate future growth due to increasing user demand without major glitches in performance.
• Monetary constraints: Our project’s budget is not enough if we are to scale. We need support from Solve.

Operational Feasibility Test:  Our application passed the test.  We did tests on whether our application is easy to operate or maintain after deployment or usable. 

Economic or Financial Feasibility Test:  We analysed whether or not our project is fiscally viable.  We conducted cost-benefit analysis and it revealed that the benefits of the solution outweigh their costs.  

Legal Feasibility Test:  The test revealed that our solution conforms to the legal and ethical requirements in Malawi and beyond.

Cultural and Political Feasibility Test : The test showed that we will manage change. The suggested changes would be received owing to the involvement of the target population in the project. 

Market Feasibility Test : We evaluated how  the project’s deliverables will perform in the market through a market analysis, market competition breakdown, and sales projections. The test found that  there is a feasible market for our solution.

The following are specific financial, technical, legal, cultural, or market barriers that we  face and hope Solve can help us to overcome:

Financial barriers: This includes: challenges in pitching to investors and lack of easy fundraising process that  diminishes our financial position, which negatively impacts our operations.

Technical barriers: This includes challenges in accessing cloud services, managing time, navigating team dynamics, adapting to new technologies and compatibility issues.

Legal: We face challenges in  license and distribution agreement,  intellectual property and  international laws for applications.

Cultural:  We face challenges in cultural compatibility where  beliefs, values, and customs may mismatch. We work in communities where the local populace can not comprehend the language we have used in our application. We anticipate language barriers in countries where French, Portuguese and Swahili are used as languages of instruction.

Market barriers: They include: competitive rivalry, threat of substitution, threat of new entrants, challenges in distributing our product, and in web development or design.

Our solution would benefit from some of the resources that the Solve community can provide. 

We are applying to Solve because of the following reasons:

• We want Solve to help us to access in kind and pro-bono resources to empower our innovation journey and support our growth. We need financial help for operations. We need funding in the form of grants and investments, including through prizes and Solve Innovation Future. We  want funding opportunities to scale up the solution. 
• We want Solve to support us in pitching to investors.
• We want Solve to help us in Product / Service Distribution (e.g. expanding client base)
• We want Solve to help us in web development/design.

• We want Solve to help us to join a class of impressive peers that act as a trusted support group, offering inspiration and guidance.
• We want Solve to help us to join a powerful network of impact-minded leaders across industries and sectors, with dedicated spaces to meet year-round and during Solve’s flagship events such as Solve at MIT.  We are excited to connect with Solve, as we believe that by associating with it and the connections it offers, we can reach the next level in our work.

• We want Solve to help us to access leadership coaching and strategic advice from experts in the Solve and MIT networks. 
• We want Solve to help us to receive monitoring and evaluation support to build an impact measurement practice. 
• We want Solve to help us to gain exposure in the media and at conferences.
• We want  Solve to help us to access relevant in-kind resources such as software licenses and legal services from Solve supporters.
• We are looking for support from Solve to access more partners, mentorship, technical expertise, media publicity and exposure, impact measuring and monitoring, and business development assistance, that can help us scale our solution and make a greater impact. We want to tap into a network so as to leverage international and local partnerships to grow and scale up the solution.  

The following make our solution innovative:

It approaches the problem in a new or significantly improved way. It catalyses broader positive impacts from others in this space. It changes the market/landscape. 

It is a new application of an existing technology.

 It is high-tech, low-end and end-to-end solution.

It addresses bottlenecks connected to sustainable development goals; particularly, education.

It is scalable, replicable, sustainable,  easy to manage and maintain. It is highly scalable.  It can be cascaded to the entire market ecosystem. It is scalable owing to a huge potential market world-wide.

It is designed to be easily transferred to community-based organizations. It increases  participation in a personalized manner. 

It can be customized.

It enables inclusivity and accessibility.  Training local communities on how to use BarEl application allows for acceptance of the project. 

It brings lasting and  huge impact.  It decreases workload of its users.  It uses Big Data, Machine learning and Internet Of Things. 

BarEl application catalyses sustainable education in emerging markets by empowering learners and teachers with skills. It catalyses by providing 24/7 information about education stakeholders. It catalyses by providing BarEl application freely to disadvantaged learners.It catalyses positive change in knowledge.

BarEl application does not solely rely on internet or require expensive devices and technology to operate. It can be used both online and offline.

Our solution has distinct differences that set it apart from every rival solution. It is delivered in a distinctive and superior way of obtaining the benefit and cannot be copied easily by competitors. It is affordable, profitable and sustainable. It is differentiated along these dimensions: product, service, personnel, and image.

Product Differentiation: It excels in performance, conformance, durability, reliability, repairability, style, design and features.

BarEl application is feature rich. It has a back-up for data recovery, audit trail and multifactor aunthentication, in other words, password security with multiple layers of  protection. 

Services Differentiation: It excels in ordering ease, delivery, installation, customer training, customer consulting, maintenance and repair.

Our personnel are competent, courteous, credible, reliable, responsive and communicable. 

Our distribution channels are found in more locations. Our staff is better trained, and perform more reliably than competitors.

Our image is conveyed through logos, media, special events, symbols and atmosphere.

Our solution is a positive improvement. It stands out from the rest and truly lives of its users easier. It is something different and unique. It is multipurpose. It is a successful change.  

It is feasible.It saves time. It improves productivity. It brings about cost reduction. It is a very easy application to use and learn. It enhances security and  internal control environment. It increases quality and accuracy of information. 

It makes learning more inclusive and equitable, while improving outcomes for all learners.

It is centered on the needs of communities and learners, and  complements rather than replace human interaction. It facilitates efficient network and scale. It provides skills that people need to thrive in both their community and a complex world, including problem-solving and literacy around technology.

The target population whose lives we are working to directly and meaningfully improve is about 390 million.

Context

Teachers, learners, NGOs and governments are engaged in the project because they are agents of change.

Beneficiaries of the project are:

• Academicians/educators.
• Learners.
• Parents.
• women.
• children.
• girls.
• youths.
• everyone.
• ethnic minorities.
• people with disabilities.

The assumptions and risks are:

• Funding provided.
• No inflation.
• No electricity outages.
• Workers work as designed.
• Workers are well-trained and motivated.
• School authorities are interested in BarEl application.

Enablers

• Quality of staff 
• Availability of vehicles.

Inputs: staff, funds,  fuel, training workshop, equipment, skilled personnel to train users, 
local partners to raise awareness.

Activities

Mobilising and training of users of BarEl application on how to use it in foundational skills, literacy and numeracy skills, STEM education and business or entrepreneurial skills.

Installing BarEl application.

Maintaining BarEl application and providing technical support.

Provide office services and routine activities.

Conduct monitoring, evaluation, research, tests and studies.

Achieve policy dialogue, coordination and knowledge management.

 Promote project results.

Customer service. 

Support and participation activities. 

Enhancing service delivery in Early Childhood Development.

Improving teaching inputs to facilitate more effective learning.

Improving usage and access of ICT in all levels of education.

Outputs

• 390 million learners  trained and taught respectively to use BarEl  application on how to acquire foundational skills, literacy and numeracy skills and STEM education.
• 1 million BarEl applications installed.
• 100% of installed BarEl applications monitored and evaluated.
• 100% of installed BarEl applications maintained and technical support provided.
• Literature review conducted of similar solutions.
• Interviews done with the implementation team:
• Focus Group done to  identify areas of strength and improvement.
• Formative study that might contribute to design. Research report including analysis of data and recommendations.
• Feasibility studies done to evaluate the BarEl application. 

Outcomes: 

1.More inclusive and equitable learning with improved learning  outcomes.

2. Improved access, equity, quality and relevance of nursery, primary, secondary and higher education. 

3. Improved quality of labour force.

4. Improved access and equity in skills development training.

5. Improved governance and management of education at all levels.

6. Improved performance of STEM subjects among learners.

7. Improved management of businesses.

8. Improved capacity of researchers in research or studies or tests.

9.Dissemination of research or test or study results.

10.Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing among stakeholders.

11.Policy Influence.

12.Concrete evidence of the value of BarEl application to bring funders and partners.   

13.Scaling and replication of BarEl application throughout Malawi and beyond.

14.Exposure and buy-in with stakeholders. This will  enable us to secure larger grants, therefore expand the reach and scale.

Impacts

1 More economic prosperity and improved living standard.

2. Expansion of partnerships to increase the reach and impact of the application.

3. All youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy.

4. All learners acquire knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development.

5. Inclusive, relevant and equitable quality education and skills; and promotion of lifelong learning opportunities for all

The following are the impact goals and how they will be achieved:

• Expansion of partnerships with schools, NGOs, and universities to increase the reach and impact of the application.
• Improved pass rate. 

• Increased reach and accessibility of the application.
• Improved education outcomes for users of the application, such as improved proficiency in   foundational literacy and numeracy ie reading and writing; primary and lower secondary mathematics and science.
• Sustainability and growth of the initiative through a viable and scalable business model.

• All  people acquire quality education relevant to social and economic development; in particular, foundational, business, entrepreneurial, mathematical and scientific skills.
• Collaboration and Partnerships: We evaluate the effectiveness of our collaborations and partnerships by assessing the outcomes achieved collectively. This includes measuring the extent of joint initiatives.
• Inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all.
• Improved access to quality early childhood development and pre-primary education so that learners are ready for primary education. 
• Improved access for all women and men to affordable and quality education.
• Substantially increased number of youth and adults who have relevant skills for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
• No gender disparities in education; and equal access to all levels of education and for the vulnerable.
• All youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy.
• All learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development.
• Achievement of Sustainable Development Goals vis a vis no poverty, zero hunger,
   good health and well-being, gender equality, clean water and sanitation,  decent work and economic growth and reduced inequalities.
• We will excel in the following aspects of impact: cost-effectiveness, rigor and replicability.
• We employ a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods in our research activities.

Before project implementation,  we conducted baseline survey using focus groups and interviews. We will later conduct end-line survey.

TK Computers & Consultancy implements monthly remote survey, collects data on class performance of learners,  performance of BarEl application etc.

The metrics to help track our success towards the goals we have set across the following SDGs:

SDG 1. No Poverty.
SDG 2. Zero Hunger.
SDG 3. Good Health and Well-Being.
SDG 4. Quality Education.
SDG 5. Gender Equality.
SDG 6. Clean Water and Sanitation. 

SDG 8. Decent Work and Economic Growth.
SDG 10. Reduced Inequalities.

We are measuring our progress toward our impact goals by using the following indicators:

1. Proportion of children and young people:

(a) in grades 2/3; (b) at the end of primary; and
(c) at the end of lower secondary achieving at least a
minimum proficiency level in (i) reading and
(ii) mathematics, by sex.

2. Percentage of population in a given age group achieving at least a fixed level of proficiency in

functional (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills, by sex.
3. Participation rate of youth and adults in formal
and non-formal education and training in the previous
12 months, by sex
4. Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by type of skill.

5. Proportion of schools with access to the Internet and computers for pedagogical purposes.

The core technologies that power our solution are described below.

Our solution is an  application called BarEl, which we developed using database management and Microsoft Excel. Though BarEl application is based on Microsoft Access, it can be upgraded to Express Edition, which has a bigger capacity to store information. It can also be upgraded to SQL Microsoft Azure, which can enable it to reach many users worldwide through cloud services.

BaEl application is interactive, friendly and easily accessible. 

It needs simple training.

It leverages technology, data and expertise. 

It uses predictive modelling to predict patterns.

It delivers a seamless and comprehensive user experience.

It easily saves records and accesses a wealth of valuable information.

It analyzes vast amounts of user data, extracting valuable insights with remarkable accuracy. 

It is a data management tool. 

BarEl application is on-premise.  It is an application for decision support. With it, one can save time on a daily basis; thereby, improving productivity. One can save money because less paper and less labour is used; thereby, enhancing profit margin or surplus. BarEl application provides effective solutions to existing problems; thereby, eliminating a certain amount of stress and saving mental sanity. It is a very easy application to use and learn. It enhances customer management, security and the internal control environment through segregation of duties as a result of multifactor aunthentication, in other words, password security with multiple layers of  protection. It also has a backup for data recovery.. It has security features which prevent unauthorized users from accessing the application to deter manipulation of data.  BarEl application reduces costs, provides clear cut job with authorization. It enables comparison and analysis of data across an organization within a specific period and between two or more periods. It facilitates integration and collaboration across departments. It increases quality and accuracy of information.  It is accurate and fast. It provides up to date information. It is reliable. It produces automated documents. It facilitates the real time production of management information reports. It has an audit trail component. It is capable of easy customization or personalization.  It permits fast and accurate retrieval of data and information. It is flexible e.g availability and design of various reports.  It is able to interact with excel through exporting and importing data facility; thereby, enabling flexible reporting. In many instances, it interprets results or makes decisions - an aspect of Artificial intelligence. It has a training manual as well as videos for training on YouTube and Facebook or Meta.

TK Computers & Consultancy has 4 full-time staff, 3 part-time staff and 6 volunteers.

The four full-time staff are: Thumbiko Shumba,Tiwonge Kuyokwa, Mphatso Simfukwe and Mwayi Mbewe.

Thumbiko Shumba is the CEO & Founder. He holds the Bachelor of Business Administration Degree. He is a writer.  He won Peer Gynt Literary Prize. He retired as Deputy Director of Finance in the Malawi Government.  

Tiwonge Kuyokwa is the Data Analyst.

 Mwayi Mbewe is also the Data analyst. She adds value to the team with her experience in education.   

Humphreys Simfukwe is the IT Coordinator with relevant experience.

We have been working on our solution for seven years.

TK Computers & Consultancy started working on BarEl application, in 2017. It was founded in 2017 in Malawi. 

Below is the explanation of how we ensure that our team is diverse, minimizes barriers to opportunity for staff and provides a welcoming and inclusive environment for all team members.

We incorporate human-centred design. Inclusive and equitable outcomes are considered in the design, implementation, and internal operations of the solution.

TK Computers & Consultancy has a diverse, educated team with different tribes, ages, gender, backgrounds and experiences.

We foster a culture of inclusivity and anti-discrimination. 

We have a diversity policy for hiring.  We hire local talents and the best people. We prioritise diversity, equity and inclusion in our operations, leadership and managerial roles.

We ensure that our leadership team is diverse by promoting women, people with disabilities, youths and ethnic minorities into leadership positions.

Our approach incorporates inclusivity by empowering our target beneficiaries regardless of their socio-economic status, ethnicity, class, gender, religion, or political affiliations. 

We have collaborations and partnership opportunities with organisations and individuals that vigorously promote diversity, equity and inclusion. 

We focus on minority demographics that lack job opportunities. We do not exclude women and the youth.  

We do community involvement. We have gender and inclusive policies and practices. We encourage training and awareness of diversity, equity and inclusivity among our team members.  We respect everyone regardless of their background. Everyone’s voice is heard. We encourage open dialogue, collaboration and a culture of respect and empathy.  We provide equal opportunities for growth and professional development. We conduct diversity training that helps employees understand how cultural differences can impact how people work and interact at work.  We train and provide support on diversity-related issues. We  advocate an atmosphere of empathy, understanding, acceptance, equal rights and opportunities for all; including, diversity, equity, and inclusivity in everything we do.  We intend to employ multiple individuals with disabilities. 

We train, develop and promote those who would not be able to traditionally access such opportunities.  We work with people from underrepresented groups.  

Diversity, equity, and inclusivity are at the heart of our culture and policies.  Violation of diversity, equity, and inclusivity is punishable.  

We seek feedback from our team members to ensure that their needs are taken into account.  

We collaborate with communities we serve to customize with their needs. We partner with community organizations.  

We oftentimes review our progress on diversity, equity, and inclusivity for continuous improvement.

We ensure that our leadership team is diverse by promoting women, people with disabilities, youths and ethnic minorities into leadership positions.

Our team includes  women, men and the youth. Some of the women we have are as follows: Tiwonge Kuyokwa and Mwayi Mbewe. 

We help employees to understand how individuals are impacted by unconscious bias, and what actions continue to reinforce biases. 

We respect and embrace other people's experiences and realities. 

We observe equal pay for equal work.

We promote awareness of, and acknowledge a variety of upcoming religious and cultural holidays. 

We ensure that people of different gender, cultural background or age are working together. 

We believe in equity and justice.

Our business model has various revenue streams. We provide end-to-end solution via our application under monthly subscription. We sell the application on upfront basis.  Other services that include consulting and training are on fee basis.
Key Partners  and stakeholders
Teachers, learners, parents, governments,  NGOs, CBOs,  schools, community leaders, media, social networks, associations, foundations and businesses.
Knowledge partners: 
Axel Angeli of Logos! Informatik GmbH (Germany) and Jasper Bhaumick of UMa Soft GmbH( Switzerland).

Collaborative partners: 
Youth and Society (Malawi).

Research Partners: Research Software and Systems Engineers  Africa.

Business and inclusive partners:
EMD Consulting Engineers (Malawi) and  BIZ-LOGIC SOLUTIONS LIMITED (Tanzania).

Key Activities 
Mobilisation and training of partners.

Developing training materials.

Training of leaders and influencers.

Training users of BarEl application.

Provide office services and routine activities for management of the project.

Set up monitoring mechanisms and conducting evaluation.

Achieve policy dialogue, coordination and knowledge management through advocacy.

Promote project results.

Customer service.

Support and participation activities.
Key Resources
Human – employees and volunteers.

Financial – cash to scale and for trainings, conferences, research, monitoring and evaluation.

Physical - computers.

Cost-driven:

Fixed costs –  salary, rent etc 
Variable costs – fuel, allowances, training,  impact assessment costs.

Economies of scale - facilitation allowance.

Intellectual - copyright, knowledge, skills etc.

Cost Structure

Field activities and operating costs (35%); salaries, payroll tax (15%);
fees for facilitators and coordinators (20%); accounting and auditing
(10%); Monitoring & Evaluation;
(10%); marketing and communication (10%);
staff, online platforms,
medical fees and 
logistics expenses.
Classes of business structures:
Economies of scope –  computer costs, labour, utilities and stationery.

Characteristics of cost structures:
Cost of delivery, marketing and
logistics.

Social Innovation.
Service subsidization, awareness & cause, environmental, entrepreneur support and low-income client.

Format of the intervention
Provision of BarEl application.

Training workshops on how to use BarEl application.

Development program and
collaborative work.

Value Proposition
Better education.

Price of BarEl application is reasonably low.

BarEl application is a quality , convenient, cost-effective, efficient and customizable brand. 

Cost savings.

Time savings. 

Revenue increase. 

Customer satisfaction.

Vertical scaling.

Coverage and impact of workshops.

Coverage and effectiveness of the network.

Network of beneficiaries integrated.

Revenue streams
Grants.

Revenue due to training workshops and consultancies.

Donations.

Asset sales: revenue from sales of BarEl application.

Participation and support funding.

Subscription fee.

Surplus
This is how we intend to use the surplus:

Make a donation to a social mission-aligned organization.

Reach out to more customers, stakeholders and beneficiaries.

Community reinvestment: reinvest our surplus into growing our social business.

Customer Relationships
Personal assistance: social media, forums.

Self-service: user manuals.

Personalized service, repeat custom, loyalty.

Consumer benefits
Better education, economic opportunity, better environment and reduction in costs associated with education.

Distribution channels
Types of channels
1. Owned channels: website, social media, online advertising.

2. Partner channels:  partner websites, retail, social media and referral marketing
Customer segments
Mass market: General public.
Niche market.

Diversify:  Government, NGOs, philanthropists,  businesses, ethical consumers.

Beneficiaries
Academicians, learners, funders, women, children, girls, youths and everyone,  

Impact measure will be done through these Indicators: Economic growth rate, GDP per Capita per head, pass rate etc 

The solution has a plan for financial viability and the potential to be scaled to affect the lives of more people. 

Our plan for financial sustainability is to combine  different revenue streams to fund our work. 

One of our primary revenue streams will come from selling our product. 

We plan to secure grants and sustained donations . We will diversify donor base, beneficiaries and stakeholders. We are also looking forward for grants or donations from MIT Solve.

We will  partner with governments and other organizations to secure service contracts.   

We will collaborate with our partners on the operational aspects.  

We will engage with a com­mu­nity of investors who are inter­ested in invest­ing in the mis­sion of social busi­nesses. 

We plan to raise investment capital. We will attract equity investors to scale our operations and reach more beneficiaries.

We plan to scale through vertical and horizontal scaling. We will increase customer base through promotional activities. We will use internet and enter more markets; including national, regional and global markets. BarEl application is on YouTube and Face Book marketplaces. We want to join other platforms or marketplaces like MIT Solve.

Our solution can be replicated, enabling it to reach scale and achieve wider and sustainable impact .

Our customers can access our products through subscription, fee-based service, license fee and Software as a Service.

We offer freemium to our potential customers. 

We plan to charge a small fee for installation, maintenance, consultancy and training. 

We plan to charge different prices to different customers,  depending on size, location and type of customer.  

We will effectively and efficiently manage financial and physical resources. We want to achieve profit or  improve our gross and oper­at­ing profit margins or revenue optimization through cost minimization or cost efficiency. We will ensure input efficiency by conducting trainings en-masse and at once; hence, reducing training cost per unit, resulting in higher profit margins. 

We will also be advertising our application called BarEl on partner websites. 

We partnered with Axel Angeli who facilitated a trip to New Delhi for some of our staff for India Soft Event which was organized by the Government of India in 2022 and 2023.

Locally, we partnered with EMD Consulting Engineers and NBM Development Bank.

We invested around $1000 as seed investment capital. We are eyeing for angel investors.

Our plan to achieve financial sustainability has already yielded promising results, as evidenced by the following successful milestones: Freemium to subscription migration: We have secured some paying customers.

We raised $2000 through events and collaborations.

We  also had some revenue through provision of consultancy services. This business activity has the potential of generating $12.5 million annually in Malawi.

We have raised $2000.00 from monthly pension of Thumbiko Shumba, our CEO.

We  man­aged work­ing capital through proper cash management.

We effi­ciently invested cap­i­tal by implementing  investment appraisal techniques and  break-even analy­sis.

The Total Addressable Market for our solution in Malawi is $36 million; and for Africa, it is $4 billion.