Young African Express: Learning for life, Learning for sustainable living
This entry has been selected as a finalist in the
Champions of Quality Education in Africa competition.
About You
Location
Project Street Address
18 Muthithi Road - Westlands
Project City
Nairobi
Project Province/State
Nairobi
Project Postal/Zip Code
00606
Project Country
Kenya
Your idea
Country your work focuses on:
Kenya & Horn of Africa
Website URL
What stage is your project in?
Operating for 1-5 years
YouTube Upload
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
<$50
Name Your Project
Young African Express: Learning for life, Learning for sustainable living
Describe Your Idea
Innovation
Describe your idea in fewer than 50 words.
Using the national curricula for upper primary classes we produced a scope and sequence chart that forms the ‘blueprint’ for our monthly 20-24-page textbook in newsprint educational newspaper. This is overcoming barriers to quality education caused by chronic shortages of reading and learning materials—particularly among the disadvantaged majority.
What makes your idea unique?
Monthly Young African Express issues provide students and teachers with content that’s correlated to the upper primary syllabus and sequenced with topics specified for that month. Content of Language Arts, Mathematics, Science & Technology, Social Studies, History, Geography, Civics plus Health & Physical Education, Environmental Studies and Religious Education are presented with illustrations, maps, diagrams and ideas for discovery learning and mastery of skills through practical applications, experiments and critical thinking. Emerging Issues—or new subjects mandated by the Kenya Institute of Education—are also provided. These include Peace Education, Life Skills, Employment & Careers, Human Rights & Gender, Internet Technology, Drug Abuse, Climate Change, Energy and Food Security.
The Young African Express, unlike outdated textbooks and teachers’ guides, offers up-to-date facts, information and current innovations—critical for health, farming, natural resources conservation, technology and science. Building on the widespread newspaper reading culture, teachers use each issue to plan lessons and explore new teaching methods, and students—attracted to the colourful illustrations, cartoons, maps and photographs—read them and extend their learning by exploring concepts in discussions and by conducting experiments in class and at home.
Relevant to the upper primary and lower secondary curricula of most African countries, the Young African Express offers immense scaling-up potential, extending a positive impact on the quality of learning for literally millions of children and young people. Currently, our readership is over 550,000 per issue and the impact of raising literacy while extending learning opportunities to thousands living in poverty is measurably positive.
What is your area of work? (Please check as many as apply.)
Children & Youth , At risk youth , Behavioral issues , Boys' development , Child care , Child exploitation , Child labor , Child protection , Child soldiers , Early childhood development , Education , Education reform , Girls' development , Mentorship , Play , Youth development , Youth leadership , Development & Prosperity , Adult education , Business , Communications , Conscious consumerism , Corporate social responsibility , Design , Economic development , Employment , Energy , Food security , Fundraising , Hunger , Income generation , Information technology , Mentorship , Poverty alleviation , Rural development , Social Enterprise , Sustainable development , Technology , Environment & Sustainability , Biodiversity , Climate change , Conservation , Pollution , Population , Renewable energy , Rural , Sustainable agriculture , Sustainable design , Urban , Waste and recycling , Water , Wildlife conservation , Health & Fitness , Disability , Food , Health care , Health education , HIV/AIDS , Mental health , Recreation , Reproductive and maternal health , Sanitation , Sexuality , Sports , Substance abuse , Wellness , Human Rights & Peace , Abuse and violence , Child exploitation , Civil rights , Conflict resolution , Crime prevention , Disability rights , Food security , Gender equity , Human trafficking , Hunger , Intercultural relations , Mediation , Racial equality , Tolerance , Vulnerable populations , Public Participation & Engagement , Arts and culture , Citizen participation , Citizen sector , Corruption , Democracy and voting , Ethics , Intergenerational relations , Journalism , Law , Media , Mentoring , Sports , Transparency , Volunteerism , Youth leadership.
What impact have you had?
In 2005, a baseline survey was conducted in 150 Kenyan primary schools—600 teachers and 3,750 Standard 5 to 8 students. In 2006, after receiving six issues, we assessed the newspaper’s impact on them: Time spent reading increased 80%, Literacy (reading comprehension, summarizing, writing) increased 83%; Reasoning/Problem-solving skills improved 24%; and General Knowledge scores were 47% higher.
Other impact on learning comments include:
Pupils
• Very high demand; pupils like reading, discussing topics and asking questions
• They’re captivated; keen interest now in reading and learning in and out of class
Teachers
• Teachers use it first in planning classes; it’s curriculum-based; often only reference beyond our memory!
• Class assignments: pupils read Young African Express, answer questions and write summaries
On arrival
• Pupils scramble for them, some fight, most share. They’re reading them at school and home
• Library copies are ‘borrowed’ until none are left!!
Since 2006, circulation increased from 200 schools to 5,000+ schools and Kenya Institute of Education officially approved the newspaper as “textbook in newsprint”. Kenyan readership increased from 150,000 to over 600,000/issue; teachers’ subscriptions increased from 1,000 copies to over 28,000. As teachers get up-to-date facts, skills and curriculum-based and sequenced content—plus charts/maps and brainteaser activities—their quality of instruction improves.
We’re helping them in planning better lessons and supplying them with useful tools and teaching aids.
Student learning outcomes are rising as they have increasing access to learning tools and opportunities—and they’re Learning for Life too!
Describe the primary problem(s) that your project is addressing.
Since 2005, the Young African Express curriculum-based “textbook in newsprint” innovation is overcoming chronic barriers to education in Kenya and other African countries. The extreme requirements to redress this decades-old barrier in a manner that’s able to effectively reach hundreds of thousands—and millions—is increasing every year as illiteracy and the lack of core competency skills incessantly rise, affecting the upward spiraling of the number of people living in poverty.
Our project is also redressing the ‘aid dependency culture’ that’s negatively affecting Africans. We’re seeking to scale-up our circulation by building “Business Partnerships for Education and Social Development Ventures” so that the unit cost is affordable by the impoverished masses. We need investors interested in this business approach.
Education and behaviour change communication is a permanent issue requiring a sustainable solution, and this demands a business approach.
Hon. Richard Nyaulawa, MP, Tanzania
Describe the steps that your organization is taking to make your project successful.
To create “Business Partnerships for Education and Social Development Ventures” so that the unit cost becomes affordable by the impoverished masses, w need to increase our production levels of each monthly issue ten-fold. This will dramatically increase circulation, product visibility or awareness and this will drive demand. We’re in the process of seeking public, private and philanthropic investment partners. Currently we’re exploring potential partnerships with interested groups in Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana and Uganda.
In Kenya, we’re launching the Adopt-A-School initiative and a marketing campaign to attract ‘advertorial’ sponsorship or sales within our the Young African Express. This income-generating campaign will increase our production levels, enabling us to reduce subscription costs.
Across Africa more citizens are wanting to get involved in promoting education for socio-economic development, employment generation for the young majority and political stability. Africans are awakening to the links between education and peace.
Impact
What will it take for your project to be successful over the next three years? Success in Year 1:
We need to attract new investment this year. We have been operating and producing the Young African Express since 2005 and have a growing strongly supportive readership base. However, the political unrest of 2008 in Kenya followed by global economic crises and soaring prices have created unprecedented challenges for education and social enterprise operations. Though of reversed logic, when economic hardships arise, spending on education, reading materials and instructional tools is among the firs to be cut!
Success in Year 2:
Increasing the involvement of Kenyans for Kenyans and Africans for Africans, plus the establishment of new business partnerships and the growth of new markets will be important to secure.
Success in Year 3:
Similar to Year 2.
Do you have a business plan or strategic plan? (yes/no)
Yes. We use this to discuss potential strategic business partnerships.
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization? STEP 1:
(As stated in No. 11 to 13 above)
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization? STEP 2:
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization? STEP 3:
Describe the expected results of these actions.
We envision having business partners managing subscription marketing and sales, adding local content and cover page stories to our monthly issues as produced in Nairobi ad sent to them electronically, publishing and distributing them in at least three (3) countries by 2011: Ethiopia, Tanzania and Uganda.
What was the defining moment that led you to this innovation?
As I was close to clocking 50 years of living—with 20 years of professional engagement in curriculum development and production of instructional materials in several African countries, and having founded our publishing company, Jacaranda Designs, in 1990 in Nairobi, I asked myself what would be the best contribution I could strive to achieve for the benefit of Africa in my next decade of work? The answer: a tool to overcome chronic barriers to educational achievement that’s capable of reaching the masses because it can be affordable, and a tool that is designed as a self-instructional tool, offering content that is also significant in raising the quality of life of the learner. Crazy?
In 2003 and 2004, I hired a small team of University Students and Graduates and we exhaustively researched, compiled and constructed a scope and sequence chart based on the curricula of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania together with the curricula I helped develop in southern Africa for the countries of Lesotho, Botswana, Swaziland and some Departments of Education in South Africa. This is the blueprint for our monthly products.
However, this would never have become a reality had we not received financial assistance for our first three (3) years from the Rockefeller Foundation. To this group and one special champion of education therein, I will forever be grateful. Creating change is usually tough; attempting to do so in a developing context is challenging—and quite humbling.
Tell us about the social innovator behind this idea.
In addition to No. 17 I will add a few details: I’m Susan Scull-Carvalho, now age 50 years, and daughter of two American missionaries. I grew up in Indonesia, attended high school in Singapore, returned to the US for university studies and completed my undergraduate and master’s education in the states of Oklahoma, Colorado and Massachusetts.
Since 1990, I’m a permanent resident in Kenya—where my husband and I raised our now adult twin sons. I’m fully committed to him, them and the improvement of life for Kenyans and others on this continent, especially the majority who are today below the age of 28 years.
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
In May 2009, I had the privilege of meeting Dr. Ward Heneveld and visiting again with Dana Schmidt of The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. They urged us to visit your website and apply, as did a few of our friends.
This Entry is about (Issues)
Sustainability
What would prevent your project from being a success?
A worsening economic crises or another violent mass-action uprising instigated by socio-political and economic injustice might be very difficult for us to surmount.
Financing source
Yes
If yes, provide organization name.
The Young African Express is the major focus of our education and social marketing communication publishing company: Jacaranda Designs Limited
How long has this organization been operating? (i.e. less than a year; 1-5 years; more than 5 years)
more than 5 years
Does your organization have a Board of Directors or an Advisory Board?
Our Board of Directors comprises Kenyans, British and American investors and shareholders.
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with NGOs? (yes/no)
YES
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with businesses? (yes/no)
YES
The Story
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with government? (yes/no)
NO
Please tell us more about how these partnerships are critical to the success of your innovation.
While we do not have signed official agreements with the Government of Kenya, but our Young African Express newspaper is approved by the Kenya Institute of Education as the result of a long vetting process. This is an important factor since this approval is required if schools are to use any public funds to purchase subscriptions.
Several NGOs promote the use of our newspapers—Plan International, National Environmental management Authority, The national Museums of Kenya, The Wildlife Clubs of Kenya, the Boy Scouts/Girls Scouts, etc. A few private companies are also actively promoting ways to grow corporate involvement with education by supporting our newspaper. These are urging their corporate peers and counterparts to consider collaboration among their discreet divisions of Corporate Social Responsibility.
How many people will your project serve annually?
More than 10,000
What is the total number of employees and total number of volunteers at your organization?
14 full-time professionals, three part-time and have 10 volunteers.
What is your organization's business classification?
For-profit
Have you received funding from any of the following groups? (Please check as many as apply.)
Ford Foundation , Rockefeller Foundation , United Nations (UN) .
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Comments
Congratulations Susan for being selected among the finalists for the Champions of Quality Education in Africa! Your idea is a reminder to all educators that education is for sustaining life. If this begins with the young ones, just like your innovation is promoting, then it lays a foundation for a better future generation. Congs!
Susan and her team in Kenya are such dedicated professionals and I can honestly say that working with them in Africa was truly an educational and giving experience. I recall hearing Susan describe to the team how they were going out to educate and what the subjects up for discussion were. It was so simply beautful as about peace, self-sustainment, health, caring for others, friendship, community, support, cleanliness, nutrition, safe sex, safety, and again, peace. Not only is Susan an amazing woman, her office is so bright and intelligent that I find myself grateful for having been able to meet such dedicated individuals in the field to their sisters and brothers and babies and the nature of that beautiful beautiful country. I look forward to going back to Kenya and meeting them all again, and I will always recommend them for whoever and whatever their needs are! I have also read a lot about Ashoka, and read "The Tactics of Hope". Wilford, this is the team! This is the schooling we want for Africa! I pray that African Express be selected for whatever their grant needs are. in peace and with love, Sofia Balme
I'am delighted that theYoung African Express has been selected as one of the 14 Finalists in the Champions of Quality Education in Africa competition. I was priveledged to be part of the team when the idea was hatched, I contributed as a cartoonist and illustrator before I left to work for a Daily newspaper, theYoung African Express is a brilliant idea whose time had long come, I beleive It is timely and appropriate and effective learning tool for the african child. Best of luck Susan and the brilliant team at Jacaranda designs
best luck
victor ndula
cartoonist illustrator
the star
I'am delighted that theYoung African Express has been selected as one of the 14 Finalists in the Champions of Quality Education in Africa competition. I was priveledged to be part of the team when the idea was hatched, I contributed as a cartoonist and illustrator before I left to work for a Daily newspaper, theYoung African Express is a brilliant idea whose time had long come, I beleive It is timely and appropriate and effective learning tool for the african child. Best of luck Susan and the brilliant team at Jacaranda designs best luckvictor ndulacartoonist illustratorthe star
I want to sincerely thank the organizers for this opportunity and for the few comments that I have read from colleagues even outside Nigeria, I feel so honored and I am humbled and will continue to do my best as a champion of quality education in Africa. I want to thank everyone for the very positive remarks that you have made and pledge to truly live up to your expectations and serve as a Champion of Quality Education in Africa. As a teacher leader and motivator, I will raise more champions in Africa and all over the world for quality education. I also want to congratulate my other colleagues who have been selected as finalists. I believe we are the ones that Africa has been waiting for and this is an opportunity to make a new determination and offer a new vision for quality education in Africa.
Also, I see this rather as a recognition that commissions you and I to a higher service to humanity and I pledge to live and work with other colleagues to bring the dream of qualitative and quantitative education for the millions of children in Africa and around the world to reality. Thank you Ashoka Changemakers for the recognition and thank you colleagues for your VOTE, which is not just for me, but for the 59 million teachers around the world who have never been recognized enough for the contributions they make and for the hundreds of millions of children who look up to us as teachers for their future. I hope that this will inspire many more to join the 14 of us who have been selected to work for quality education in Africa. I urge my colleagues who have emerged finalist to see this as a moment to truly give a new direction to education in Africa. Let us become the champions of champions for quality education in Africa. While governments in Africa and the UN are making effort to ensure education for all children (quantitative), let us use this recognition to serve as advocates and changemakers for quality education, so that the education of children in Africa will be both qualitative and quantitative.
For the 14 of us selected as finalists, instead of seeing each other as competitors, I will rather request that we work cooperatively as the people chosen at this time to promote quality education in Africa. Let us become the embodiments of quality education in Africa, and let us work to raise more champions of quality education and eventually produce qualitatively educated children who will address and overcome the many critical challenges (corruption, HIV/AIDS, poverty, etc) facing Africa even in the 21st century.
Dear Colleagues, this is a win-win situation for all of us. Let us work more collaboratively to ensure that quality education in Africa is realized. Whether we emerge as final winners or not, let us maintain this momentum and quickly forge a common ground for the sake of education in Africa. I propose that the organizers create a G14 group and a G300+ group for both the finalists and other colleagues who were not selected but passionately believe in quality education in Africa to work together as the new champions of quality education in Africa who will raise many more champions for quality education in Africa. In this way, we shall all be able to work transcending the borders of finalists and non-finalists to bring quality education to Africa. Thank you all for being a part of this and let us mobilize others to join this initiative.
I have been interacting on a regular basis with the multi-disciplinary team of the Young African Express since its very start in 2005. The Young African Express is a monthly magazine for schoolchildren (and their teachers) focusing on life skills, health and nutrition, and environmental education. I have been contributing to the technical information on some of the pages, and we have also used these pages on home gardening and agroforestry to produce a very nice book entitled "Trees and Gardens for Life: Practical Tips for Healthy Tree Nurseries and School Gardens".
An exciting development is that the Young African Express has been approved by the Kenya Institute of Education (KIE), so it can be used as part of the official school programmes. I am currently coordinating an educational programme called “Healthy Learning” in collaboration with the Ministry of Education here in Kenya, the Flemish Association for Development Cooperation and Technical Assistance (VVOB) and the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF). The aim of this programme is to create opportunities for schoolchildren and their communities to acquire relevant skills and knowledge to grow up healthy. We feel that the Young African Express can significantly contribute to the objectives of our Healthy Learning programme, and we have therefore arranged for subscriptions for all the schools and districts involved in the programme. So far, the response has been very positive.
The team at Jacaranda Designs has always been extremely committed to high quality results and outputs: they are all very creative and technically skilled.
I am therefore highly recommending the Young African Express as a Champion of Quality Education in Africa, as the magazine for young people is clearly emerging as an innovative, high-impact trend-setter in education for sustainable development in the East Africa region and has great potential to help address global challenges such as sustainable agriculture, food and nutrition security, and climate change.
Tom Vandenbosch
Programme Coordinator, Healthy Learning
World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) - VVOB
On July 28, 2009 the judges reviewed the entries for the Changemakers “Champions of Quality Education in Africa” competition and would like to pass on the following feedback (listed below) for your entry. Thank you for applying and for your hard work in the field. We are excited to archive your entry to serve as a leading solution for the worldwide community of innovators. We wish you continued luck with your innovative, sustainable, and socially impactful initiatives.
All the best, The Changemakers Team
“I loved this entry! One of the biggest problems in developing countries is that teachers do not have the time to plan wonderful lessons everyday and they’re not trained for it either. Because teachers have so little to go on that’s useful and the materials that do exist are so sporadic and problematic, providing these papers on a regular basis makes a big difference. It offers teachers the opportunity to explore new methods and introduce new ideas. I think this can revolutionize Kenya!”
“It’s an innovative approach that looks at the sole issues of outdated, outmoded school books and tries to come up with ways to get around it. I found it to be a really different way of learning – it’s more current, more flexible and incorporates broader social issues as well.”
“The thing that makes this initiative so dynamic is the possibility of having on-going curriculum change, rather than thinking in seven-year cycles of new curriculum and materials. You can continually innovate and develop tests, in a cost-effective manner. I’m also impressed by the sustainability of this initiative.”
- Changemakers “Champions of Quality Education in Africa” Judges: Escuela Nueva, Center for International Education at the University of Massachusetts, Valentino Achak Deng Foundation, CARE (United States), African Leadership Academy, UNICEF
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