Somalia is a country that has been ravaged by decades of civil war, famine, and poverty. Its education system is one of the worst in the world, with a literacy rate of only 26 percent for adults and 31 percent for youth. But a new app is trying to change that, by using artificial intelligence and gamification to teach Somali literacy to over 410,000 people across the Horn of Africa.
The app is called Daariz, which means “bridge” in Somali. It was created by Ismail Ahmed, a former refugee who became a successful entrepreneur in the UK and founded WorldRemit, a money transfer service. Ahmed says he wanted to give back to his community and help them achieve their dreams. “I believe that literacy is the key to unlocking human potential and creating social change,” he says.
Daariz uses voice recognition, text-to-speech, and image recognition to teach users how to read and write in the Somali language, which has a complex script with 32 letters and four tones. The app also uses gamification techniques, such as rewards, badges, and leaderboards, to motivate users and make learning fun and engaging. Users can also access stories, poems, songs, and news articles in Somali, as well as chat with other learners and mentors.
One of the users of Daariz is Hodan Artan, a young mother in Somaliland, a self-declared state within Somalia that is not internationally recognized. Artan says she always wanted to learn how to read and write but never had the opportunity. “Daariz changed my life. It gave me confidence and hope,” she says. Artan says she can now read books, newspapers, and signs, and write messages to her friends and family. She also says she wants to pursue her education and career goals.
Daariz has also received support from the Somaliland government, which has endorsed the app as part of its national literacy campaign and has distributed tablets with the app to schools and community centers. Abdirahman Dahir Osman, the Minister of Education and Science of Somaliland, says Daariz is not just an app, it’s a movement. “It’s empowering people to take charge of their own learning and development. It’s creating a culture of reading and writing in Somaliland,” he says.
Daariz has also been praised by experts and academics for its innovative approach to Somali literacy. Dr. Mohamed Dahir Afrah, the Director of the Institute for Somali Studies at Mogadishu University, says Daariz is a game-changer for Somali literacy. “It’s using cutting-edge technology and innovative methods to make learning fun and engaging. It’s reaching people who would otherwise be left behind by the traditional education system,” he says.
Dr. Martin Orwin, a lecturer in Somali language and literature at SOAS University of London, says Daariz is a remarkable example of how technology can be used for social good. “It’s inspiring millions of people across the Horn of Africa to learn one of the oldest and richest languages in the world,” he says.
Daariz is not only teaching Somalis to read and write, but also to bridge the gaps between generations, regions, and cultures. It’s giving them a voice and a vision for a better future.
Relevant articles:
– The app teaching Somalis to read and write, BBC News, 13 September 2023
– Daariz language app helps 350,000 East Africans to read and write in the Somali language, HapaKenya, 2 June 2023
– Somaliland: Daariz app helps thousands of people learn to read and write, The Africa Report, 15 September 2023
– Somaliland: Daariz app is changing lives through literacy, Somaliland Standard, 16 September 2023