Ambessa - Children Building Everywhere

We are tackling the lack of accessible and practical learning opportunities for displaced children affected by poverty and displacement. According to UNESCO 250 million children are out of school and according to UNICEF, 50 million refugee children globally do not have access to any form of schooling, with a significant portion living in conflict zones or refugee camps. 

We work specifically in refugee camps across France (Calais and Dunkirk) and Ethiopia with children aged 6-15. These children are often disconnected from electricity and live in harsh settings. This situation is particularly acute in conflict zones and neighboring countries, where displacement often lasts on average for 5+ years for children - a huge chunk of brain development. 

Using a one for one model, which I will discuss in depth in our solution, we also tackle the problem of lack of essential employment skills. The World Bank predicts that by 2030, up to 800 million youths will lack essential employment skills, highlighting an urgent need for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) educational interventions in particular. Whilst this is not our core problem statement, it is a problem statement we can address achieving two goals with one action. 

We set off designing our solutions asking the exact same question of this challenge statement ‘how can we make learning more inclusive and equitable for refugee children, while improving outcomes for all learners?’.

We designed educational DIY kits and tools with displaced children in refugee camps to address our problem statement. We designed a DIY flashlight that children can build themselves and learn fundamental scientific and engineering concepts through building and experimentation. 

Our approach is grounded in inclusive human-centered design and prioritarianism, using  co-design methodology. Displaced children are the experts, not us. Too often in education for international development, solutions are oversold and underused. We co-designed the kits to meet their specific needs and circumstances. This took three years! For example, the lanyard design or that it needed to fit in their pockets as they travel were important elements. 

We co-designed an in-depth manual into offline resources which can be shared through SMS messaging or downloading through a link. We also ran a pilot hiring refugee women to make the tote bags we deliver in the kits, giving work directly. 

I come from Eritrea, I was born in Sudan and moved to the UK as a child. I have over 53+ first cousins, a large majority who are or have experienced displacement and lived in refugee camps. With a background in software, I would regularly volunteer and run STEM workshops in refugee camps. There, children expressed that they weren’t concerned with coding but needed practical solutions to problems such as a lack of electricity and light in refugee camps. They were also out of school and had little to no learning opportunities.

Our DIY kits alone contain the materials and instructions needed to build simple yet practical devices like electrical circuits and flashlights. The hands-on nature of these kits not only facilitates learning of core STEM principles but also produces functional items that enhance the children's daily lives. Displaced children have asked to co-design a DIY radio and walkie talkie which we are co-designing currently. We also invented new electric connectors that children can easily use to build their circuits after co-designing in displaced camps. Our packaging and case is all biodegradable as we spent time in refugee camps and also experienced the lack of a waste collection system. 

Using a one for one model, we sell these exact same kits to parents in the US, UK and Germany who purchase it to teach their children STEM. We validated feasibility through our successful Kickstarter campaign last year and we now have distributed the kits and aim to scale our solution. 

The combination of inventive technology in a low-tech setting and the ability to make STEM learning more inclusive and equitable for refugee children, while improving outcomes for all learners everywhere, makes our solution both aligned and innovative.

Our solution is designed for and with refugee children aged 6-15 residing in refugee camps. This group often lacks access to structured learning and basic technological resources, placing them at a significant educational disadvantage. Our solution directly addresses this gap by providing hands-on educational kits.

In regards to the impact of receiving an Ambessa Play kit, for many children, this is their first exposure to building a circuit. The build experience helps develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Once built, they have an enhanced self-efficacy. This practical application of knowledge empowers children, boosting their confidence. 

For parents and children who purchase the kits, they not only get to build the DIY flashlight and bring their science textbooks to life - but also learn about the impact of their donation. We avoid an aid narrative and instead adopt a social justice approach to communicating the one for one model - that there are brilliant children everywhere building the exact same kit. 

I completed a MSc in Child Development at the University of Oxford to learn more about how children learn. The aim of the kits is to teach STEM education and boost self-efficacy and resilience among these young learners. There, my professors would ask to buy kits for their children, which is where a sustainable for-profit model was born. Parents continue to purchase these kits and tell us ‘I want my kids to be Elon Musk’ and we continue to donate them through our one for one model. I wrote my thesis on agency and self-efficacy and we integrated this learning into our solution - making it practical, inclusive, problem-solving and also inspiration in regards to social-emotional competencies. For example after building, kids would say ‘I’m an engineer now!’. 

To date, Ambessa Play kits have reached over 5,000 children, significantly enhancing their understanding of science and building their confidence in their ability to influence the world around them. 

Our team comprises of educational experts with a range of engineering, research, data science and design backgrounds. Our founder and CEO, Sara Berkai, has a background in technology, charity, and an MSc in Child Development from the University of Oxford. Sara's personal journey from a low-income background to first generation student, underscores her deep understanding of and commitment to educational equity. Recognised as a Forbes 30 Under 30 for Social Impact, as 'Young ICT Leader' by the UN's ITU and 'Young Innovator' by The Conduit, her leadership is driven by a vision to ensure every child has access to quality education, including the 50+ million out-of-school children worldwide.

Leo, our chief electrical engineer with a Phd in Electrical Engineering from the University of Oxford, brings technical expertise having volunteered running STEM workshops in rural Brazil. Meghna, our lead designer with an MA from UAL ensures that each kit is not only effective in teaching concepts but also engaging for young learners. Our team's proximity to the global learning challenge makes us passionate about our participatory design processes, ensuring our solutions are tailored to the real needs and conditions of displaced children.

We are fortunate to have worked with organisations such as Project Play, Terre des Hommes and Refugee Council in co-designing the kits across refugee camps. As we scale, we hope to work with even more organisations at scale. We are also fortunate to work with academic institutions such as the University of Oxford and University College London. 

Total number of customers paying: 2,300

Total number of kits distributed: 5,000

Total number of countries reached: 13+

Total number of refugee camps reached: 3 (11 by end of 2024)

Testing:

We spent 2-3 years testing our DIY flashlights across various refugee camps in France (Calais and Dunkirk) and in Eritrea and Ethiopia. We tested the kits with over 50+ children aged 6-15.

Business Feasibility and scale:

We validated our feasibility by launching a Kickstarter campaign in March 2023. We offered the option of donating a flashlight directly to a displaced child, or for double the price, parents could buy a kit for their child and one would be automatically donated to a displaced child. 95% of our 650+ backers bought the kit for themselves. I then spoke to many of our parent backers, mostly based in the US and Germany who said they wanted their children to learn STEM but loved the offline component. None explained the impact model as a reason to purchase the kits.

We have since raised small grant funding and angel investment. We have filled our patent application for the invention of an electrical connectors.

We are now also selling directly on our website and we have since been featured in the following:

• Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/profile/sara-berkai?list=30under30-europe-social-impact/ 

• Fast Company: https://www.fastcompany.com/90874394/this-brilliant-diy-flashlight-gives-displaced-children-a-gleam-of-hope

• Design Week: https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/3-april-7-april-2023/ambessa-play-pentagram-diy-flashlight-children/

• Disegno: https://disegnojournal.com/newsfeed/lessons-in-a-flashlight-ambessa-play

• Creative Boom: https://www.creativeboom.com/news/diy-flashlight/

• Dezeen: https://www.dezeen.com/2023/05/10/pentagram-designs-ambessa-play-flashlight-kit-child-refugees/

In one of the recent webinar sessions, it was mentioned that folks who were part of the programme 7 years ago are still active and can take advantage of the network. MIT Solve therefore seems to be an amazing indispensable opportunity both throughout the programme and beyond. 

Networking:

Our mission is to reach every displaced child through educational tools and MIT Solve can scale our impact here. What we imagine to be the most effective support is the access to MIT Solve mentorship, workshops and network overall. 

I have ticked several of the boxes in the application as we could use support for all these elements as we scale our work. More specifically, the opportunity to also learn from a global alumni network of 400+ innovators would be fantastic - particularly learning from the other 61% for-profit/hybrid impact teams as a for-profit ourselves. As a solo founder, I am fortunate to have an amazing incredible team but I am particularly excited about the chance to meet other social impact entrepreneurs also as the founder role is naturally incredibly challenging and also somewhat lonely. The chance to attend the flagship event in New York and to meet alumni and funders in-person is incredibly exciting. 

Funding:

Both the prize and the investment opportunities allow us to extend our work. The opportunity to garner further prize funding from the pool and the opportunity to pitch to the Solve fund would also be fantastic. Not to mention, the backing of MIT, a prestigious institution, would undoubtedly help in both press and networking and future partnerships from both CSR funding as well as NGOs. 

Summary:

I would undoubtedly make use of all the opportunities available to me through the support programme from pro bono resources to cohort calls to the monthly offerings. I have yet partaken in an impact oriented programme of this type. The visibility, mentorship, networking and funding opportunities all aligned with impact - makes this programme exactly what we’re looking for at this stage of our journey and could catapult us further in terms of impact and scale.   

Our solution, rooted in the principle of prioritarianism, innovatively addresses the educational needs of the most marginalised—displaced children. This approach not only makes our solution unique but also ensures that the benefits extend to all children. Inspired by the philosophies in Morgan Ames’ The Charisma Machine and Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed, we involve children directly in the creation process of our educational kits. This participatory design approach ensures the final products are not only functional but also useful and engaging across diverse contexts.

Our hypothesis, formed during my MSc programme, is grounded in designing universally accessible solutions. For example, a wheelchair-accessible building benefits everyone, not just wheelchair users. This philosophy has proven effective; our educational kits are universally appealing, used by children from LA to Venice with equal enthusiasm. The kits, such as the DIY flashlight, are designed through continuous interaction with displaced children—from initial sketches to 3D printed prototypes—ensuring their needs and preferences lead the innovation process.

Usually one for one models can be inferior. It's inferior because the 'user' who receives the free product isn't always considered in the design process, but a second afterthought. Displaced children are at the center of our design process. We can’t design based on assumptions and assume we know best.  It embraces humility & a willingness to look foolish and get things wrong but re-evealuate and test again. It's a costly, slower and a harder process -  so yes there's a tradeoff in time. It means we ship a product slower - it's taken us over 2-3 years to work on this, but also we can feel proud that kids have led our design decisions and it shows in our sales.

This participatory method, though time-consuming and costly, has led to a product that genuinely reflects the needs and creativity of its users. Continuous feedback loops and real-world testing in environments like Calais have led to practical features, such as portability and additional functionalities tailored to the children’s living conditions.

Looking ahead, we plan to further innovate by using recycled materials from refugee camps for 3D printing our kits, transforming environmental challenges into educational opportunities. This initiative will not only make our kits more sustainable but also teach children about circular economies and environmental stewardship.

By prioritising the needs of the most disadvantaged, our solution sets a precedent for inclusive design in educational technology. It challenges the market to reconsider who is at the centre of design processes and demonstrates the profound impact of truly inclusive educational tools. This approach does not merely fill a gap in the market; it has the potential to transform how educational products are designed and used globally, encouraging more inclusive practices across the industry.

Theory of Change: Our theory of change revolves around the premise that equitable educational opportunities can fundamentally alter the life trajectory of displaced children. 

Inputs and Activities: We distribute the educational kits designed to build simple electronic devices, engaging children in experiential learning. We also run our 'give work' system where displaced adults, many with unrecognised qualifications in their host countries, are employed and trained to guide and educate these young minds.

Outputs: Children experience an average 86% increase in self-efficacy, as determined by our internal assessments, and they acquire tangible skills from constructing functional devices. For adults, the program offers meaningful employment and validation of their expertise.

Outcomes: The increased self-efficacy among children encourages them to further engage with their environment and pursue educational endeavors. For adults, the opportunity to work promotes dignity and contributes to their socio-economic stability within host communities.

Impact: Over time, the program aims to achieve lasting impact through enhanced educational and employment outcomes. Children are more likely to continue their education in their host country, leveraging their improved self-efficacy and problem-solving skills. Adults experience economic upliftment and a restored sense of purpose through their contributions to the education of the next generation.

Assumptions:

Our theory of change is predicated on several assumptions:

• Displaced children and adults are willing to engage with the educational tools provided.

• The kits effectively enhance learning experiences beyond conventional schooling.

• Enhanced educational experiences correlate with improved economic and social outcomes.

Evidence: 

We will consistently evaluate the programme’s effectiveness through a range of quantitative and qualitative metrics, including but not limited to, self-efficacy scales, educational attainment tracking, and economic stability indicators.

We were also inspired by Kevin Starr's theory of change structure as follows:

Mission: Get rural refugee adults earning and the world’s poorest kids learning. 

Big Idea: Create co-designed educational resources with local employment creation.

Mission: Get the world’s poorest learning.  

Outcome: Increased STEM understanding among the world’s poorest children, leading to interest in science and technology fields, improved academic outcomes > broader set of future opportunities. Most importantly: increased self-efficacy and confidence. 

Behaviours:

Customers purchase educational kits for children.

Interventions: 

B2C: Sell kits on websites, museums, gift stores. 

B2B: Partner with NGO’s, corporates and schools. 

Behaviours:

Refugee parents are paid to teach or manufacture educational resources. Recruit and train displaced parents in refugee camps.

Interventions: 

Create ‘local makerhub’ within refugee camps with the necessary tools and materials for production, ensure a sustainable & flexible supply chain. Partner with NGO’s and grassroot charities. Provide training and production skills. 

Behaviours:

Refugee children receive a free one-for-one donation from each kit purchased. 

Interventions: 

Set up a distribution network in ‘local makerhub’ to ensure the donated kits reach displaced children.

1. Doer: Ambessa + Partner charities / NGO’s  

2. Payer: Customers, Retailers, Government, Investors, NGO’s, Private philanthropy  

From SDG 4: Quality Education

Impact Goal 1: Deliver DIY STEM kits to 500,000 displaced children, promoting equitable education.

• Transformational Impact: This will disrupt the cycle of educational deprivation, opening pathways to academic and career opportunities in STEM.
• Measurement of Progress: Monitor kit distribution and the completion of educational projects by children.
• Indicator: SDG Indicator 4.1.1: Achievement of minimum proficiency levels in reading and mathematics post-engagement with kits.

Impact Goal 2: Develop self-efficacy and critical thinking skills in children through practical STEM applications.

• Transformational Impact: By building self-confidence, children are better equipped to pursue further education and career opportunities.
• Measurement of Progress: Conduct pre- and post-assembly self-efficacy evaluations and track engagement with problem-solving activities.
• Indicator: SDG Indicator 4.4.1: Measurement of ICT skills development through kit activities.

Impact Goal 3: Establish Educational Partnerships

• Transformational Impact: Our mission is to turn informal camps into classrooms themselves, creating spaces where learning thrives, in sync with SDG 4.a's goals.
• Measurement of Progress: We measure this by the number of partnerships with educational entities in camps and the activity within these spaces.
• Indicator: SDG 4.a.1, ensuring these partnerships yield facilities that have the required technological resources.

Impact Goal 4: Economic Empowerment via Educator Training

• Transformational Impact: By providing training and employment opportunities to displaced adults, we contribute to their economic stability and capacity to educate, in line with SDG 4.c.
• Measurement of Progress: Noting the number of displaced adults we train and hire.
• Indicator: SDG 4.c.1, focusing on the proportion of trained teachers within our programs.

Impact Goal 5: Establish collaborative learning infrastructures in refugee camps with our educational partners.

• Transformational Impact: Strengthen the capacity of communities to support children's education and foster sustainable development.
• Measurement of Progress: Count of educational infrastructures developed and the frequency of educational sessions held.
• Indicator: SDG Indicator 4.a.1: Assessment of the inclusivity and safety of learning environments established.

From SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

Impact Goal 5: Use renewable energy sources to power the electronic devices in our STEM kits.

• Transformational Impact: Encourage environmental stewardship and energy literacy among displaced children, integrating sustainability into education.
• Measurement of Progress: Percentage of kits utilizing renewable energy and feedback on their practical use.
• Indicator: SDG Indicator 7.2.1: Share of renewable energy in the total energy consumption by the kits.

From SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

Impact Goal 6: Through our one-for-one model, provide equal educational opportunities to children in underprivileged communities.

• Transformational Impact: Reduce educational inequalities by granting access to quality STEM resources, regardless of socioeconomic status.
• Measurement of Progress: Compare the number of kits sold versus donated, ensuring a 1:1 ratio.
• Indicator: SDG Indicator 10.2.1: Enhance the socio-economic inclusion of all, irrespective of status, through educational equality.

Continuous Monitoring:
We adapt our methods and materials based on ongoing assessments and feedback from both beneficiaries and partner organisations, ensuring our work remains impactful, relevant and scalable to the needs of displaced communities. Feedback from partners, such as educational NGOs and humanitarian organisations also provide assistance when assessing the efficacy of our solution. 

The core technology of our solution includes the biodegradable and educational packaging, our patented modular electrical circuit build, and the instructional design of our DIY kits. In a world where the digital divide is stark, our learning tools stand out. Instructional guides come in dual formats: physical for tactile engagement and digital for broader reach, accessible through basic SMS and online downloads.

Each kit contains components to build devices like flashlights, radios, and walkie-talkies, which are tailored for ease of assembly and use in resource-limited settings. The kits are designed with safety, durability, and environmental considerations in mind, using biodegradable materials and low-power components. Our instructional content is available both in print and digital formats, accessible via SMS and downloadable links, ensuring that it is accessible even without continuous internet access. We patented our electronic connectors designed specifically for children, enhancing both the educational and practical value of the kits. 

In the spirit of collaboration, we open source our kits for charities with access to 3D printers, such as Terre des Hommes in Hungary who we worked with delivering workshops to Ukranian children.

Next year, we also aim to design an augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) offering for schools in countries such as the US to bring the build experience to life. Our in house designer Meghna, conducted her MA in AR and VR and once we have consistent funding and sales we will fulfill requests from parents of offeiring a VR option to also show their children the donated setting in majority countries. 

Full-time: 3

Part-time: 1 (investor turned pro-bono support)

3 years

Team:

• Founded by a first-generation immigrant Black woman.
• Entire team of immigrants from the Global South (Eritrea, Sudan, India).

Diversity:

We are committed to diversity in the workplace. All applicants will be considered without regard to ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, age, gender or economic background.

We provide a range of additional measures for diversity & inclusion in the workplace.

Equity and Inclusion: 

We run a participatory workshop for all contractors or any partners we work with which goes through the equity centred design process. This is an example video: 

Beneficiary: Displaced children: We provide our educational kits free of charge to displaced children who need them as a necessity e.g. our DIY flashlight provides light in the absence of electricity. We are familiar with many studies exploring the difference between paid and aid services. We are open to charging a very small amount where the context allows for employment but we tend to work with the world’s poorest families so we will continue to offer it for free. 

Paying B2C: We sell directly to parents of children aged 6-15 globally. The majority of our customers are based in the US, UK, Germany and the Netherlands. Parents purchase the exact same DIY product for their children. They tell us they purchase and need the kit as an offline screen-free educational alternative. We provide these products by selling them directly on our website. They surprisingly do not buy our kit for the impact or one-for-one model but they tell us it is a ‘nice additional feature’. 

Paying B2B: We also sell our kits to schools and museums who purchase our kits for both the science education and the impact initiative. Our B2B clients help us reach a wider audience and amplify our impact on a larger scale.  

In the future, we would love to partner with NGOs and governments also to deliver our solution. 

Sales: 

B2C Sales: Launched via a successful Kickstarter campaign this time last year, our DIY educational kits have been purchased parents in over 13 countries, with more than 2,500 kits sold directly to consumers. Our patent-pending DIY flashlight kit, retails for $39 and generates a substantial profit margin that supports our social mission (61%). 

B2B Sales: We have established B2B sales channels with schools, universities, and corporate partners interested in STEM education. Notable partners for 2024 include The Tate and The Design Museum. This expands our market reach but also aligns with our educational goals by integrating our kits into formal and informal learning environments.

Donations and grant: We selected a for-profit model based on the successful feedback of our Kickstarter and inspired by Kevin Starr’s work (Mulago Foundation) on how to create sustainable models. We do not rely on donations but we are still open and eligible to receive them! 

Grants:

1. The Conduit Young Innovator award £20k 

2. Innovate UK: Women In Innovation £50k 

3. Havas Media Grant: £50k 

4. Courier media grant £3k 

Revenue generated:

• £50k 

Investment funding raised: 

• £100k from angel investors such as Michael Norton OBE who is the founder of UnLtd. We also devised an equity for good pledge that our investors sign stating that they aim to repurpose any of that funding into impact investments, projects, and products or services. 

Our financial model is designed to be self-sustaining in the long term. The revenue from sales covers not only the cost of production and distribution but also funds the donation of kits to children in need, ensuring that our social mission is intrinsically linked to and supported by our business operations. By 2024, we project a significant increase in revenue, reaching £2.5 million with substantial growth in both DTC and B2B sales.