By Ade Ogutoye

May 26, 2022

We have continued of our support for the Shima Foundation with a second partnership. This time we have made a $50,000 sponsored partnership to the Shima Foundation. With our first grant of $25,000, the Shima Foundation completed the basic and intermediate Kiswahili (Swahili) language curriculum. This work was done with additional partners at  the University of Nairobi and the National Museums of Kenya.

The curriculum was an important first step in having a dynamic course for students.  With our current $50,000 partnership, the Shima Foundation has begun work with consultants to create source books on the curriculum for teachers and students. These books will include a written version, an audio version and animated vignettes to illustrate concepts. 

Additionally, The Shima Foundation has contracted with Deveint, a leading software developer based in Kenya, to develop an app that will allow students all over the world to access the Kiswahili Language curriculum and have virtual, real time conversations with students who are native Swahili speakers on the African continent.

The app is being created with the assistance of the end users, students. The developers have engaged students from The B.E.S.T. Academy in Atlanta Public Schools, Precious Blood Girls Riruta in Nairobi, Kenya as well as Friends School Kamusinga located in Kimilili, Kenya. The students are giving their input and feedback to the developers so that he app will be not just functional, but engaging.

The source books and app are all scheduled to be completed this summer, in time for the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year. 

There is a saying that “if you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go with a group.” We have used this philosophy with these grants by supporting an organization that has deep roots throughout the country and is mission aligned. The sponsored partnership with the Shima Foundation is an example of the power of partnerships to achieve transformative outcomes for Black people.