Taleemabad: Making learning fun for the young

App has been downloaded 15,000 times

Orenda chairman Haroon Yasin was recently conferred a Queen's Young Leader award.

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The annual award is presented to recognise efforts of the young striving to bring about positive change.

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The honour is conferred on youth across the Commonwealth for distinguished service.

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Yasin was felicitated in connection with Orenda's "path-breaking work in education". The Orenda chairman was also named Acumen fellow earlier in 2017.



Orenda employs technology to provide underprivileged children with innovative learning models. The group said they had been awarded the British honour for developing Taleemabad, an online application which teaches the national curriculum in an "engaging way to the country's youngsters".

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Released in February, 2017, the learning application features animated episodes and games to promote ensure basic literacy and numeracy among children.

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The application, downloaded over 15,000 times, is available nationwide. Taleemabad is also popular in Johannesburg, Pretoria, London and Mountain View (California).

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Taleemabad is premised on the idea that children learn better and remain engaged for longer when education involves fun. In addition to games, the application boasts a cartoon series featuring local characters who go on adventures. The stories involve learning too.  For example, an episode on receiving eidi is combined with a lesson on arithmetic.



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The application also features content and testing mechanisms created by teachers, animators and game developers well acquainted with needs of students in rural Pakistan.



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Orenda has been planning to expand Taleemabad's reach. "Our mission is to get this application to as many deserving children as possible. This will enable us to make up where public schooling falters and private tutors fleece children," Zunaira Arshad of Orenda said. The organisation has worked alongside both, public and private concerns to formulate programmes on revamping education standards through technology.