Providing localized content increases relevance, improves learning outcomes and promotes cultural diversity in education. This is the noble mission set by the promoters of Africa e-Library. Designed by Snapplify, a South African startup that has been at the forefront of edtech solutions in Africa since 2011, the project is aimed at individuals and institutions.
Working with governments and more than 1,000 local and international partners, Snapplify has already equipped more than three million learners. The project brings together educators, parents and the wider community to promote the joy of reading and lifelong learning.
The e-library platform actively promotes the development of mother-tongue literacy in Africa and provides 24/7 access to engaging educational and recreational reading content. With more than 50,000 free e-books, teachers can instantly share curriculum-aligned educational materials and create reading communities in their schools, using relevant analytical data on student activity and performance. The platform interface is differentiated according to language settings, and teachers benefit from language-specific training and support. Snapplify currently hosts content in all eleven official South African languages, as well as several other African languages.
“This program promotes literacy learning for people from different linguistic backgrounds"
This has earned them the UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize 2023. "Receiving this prestigious award is an incredible privilege. This recognition follows our nomination by the Department of Basic Education and the South African National Commission, and is a testament to our revolutionary e-library program," said the winners. "This program not only addresses the critical need for accessible digital educational resources, but also promotes literacy learning for people from diverse linguistic backgrounds."
He added: "Our e-library program was inspired by an awareness of the immense linguistic diversity that exists in the world. It became clear that access to sufficient digital educational resources was a challenge, particularly for learners from different linguistic backgrounds. With this in mind, our aim was to create a solution tailored to these learners, enabling them to access educational content in the language of their choice. The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the importance of distance learning and the need for easily accessible digital resources, making our e-library platform even more important".
“Our mission is to revolutionize learning”
"I'm very proud of what we've achieved as a company and to see the impact we're having on children's lives. It has been very emotional at times. We've been warmly welcomed by the whole community, from the oldest gogo (grandmother) to the village chief, and our contribution to their children's education has been deeply appreciated," said Stephen Bestbier, Government Partnership Manager, at the launch of the program in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. “It was humbling to see young children in some of the most remote parts of our country proudly reading books that they only have access to because of our work.”
An award that the company sees "not as an end in itself, but as a springboard" for developing new educational projects! "Our mission is to revolutionize learning by providing innovative solutions for teachers, students, institutions and integration partners worldwide. From software to 24/7 support, Snapplify provides institutions with everything they need to create a secure and collaborative online learning environment. "As an industry leader, we understand the evolving needs of educators and learners in today's digital age.”