About Us

WHY WE EXIST

When we started, we were selling a device to help children take notes in class and be able to play them back later. However, parents were concerned that their children could not speak their local languages (Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, etc.). This led us to develop the language learning series of our Talking Books. At conferences and seminars, we learned about the challenges with basic education in Nigeria and the large number of out-of-school children. This led us to develop the core education series of the Mavis Talking Books™, starting with the Hausa-to-English Talking Book (uses Hausa as the language of instruction to teach English), which won the global 2017 British Council ELTons Award (English Language Teaching Innovations) in the local innovation category.

OUR PRODUCT

A Mavis Talking Book™ consists of a digital pen (Mavis Pen™) and a specially printed book (Mavis Book™). When the pen touches text or pictures in the book, it reads out the corresponding audio, including interactive games, quizzes, multi-language translations, etc. Our Mavis Talking Book™ is learner-centered and we have developed over 51 talking books so far for literacy, numeracy, health and other subjects –English with Phonics, Storybooks, Mathematics, languages (French, Arabic, Spanish, Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba).

OUR FOCUS

We focus on reaching children in unserved or underserved communities through literacy and numeracy programs – which is the foundation for learning. It is always fulfilling when we see children who were struggling with English begin to speak English few months after using our Mavis Talking Books. In one of our programs, the teachers also mentioned that children who feared Mathematics are now more excited coming to class to learn Math using our Mavis Talking Books, because it makes it fun and engaging. They mentioned that most of the children do not even want to go on break. They prefer to stay in class to continue using the Talking Books to learn and the teachers have seen their improvement in Math. Such feedback encourages us and spurs us to do more.

OUR AWARDS

We have won numerous awards since then, including from United Nations’ International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Vivatech in France, African Union, and Business Day.

Our Mission

Provide quality basic education to millions of children and adult learners in Africa using the Mavis Talking Books™ technology and Mavis Education Model

Our Vision

Everyone Learning. Everywhere a Classroom™

MAVIS SO FAR

Over 8,000 in-school and out-of-school children have been reached through UK Aid (DFID) and US Embassy funded Literacy and Numeracy programs in Lagos State and the FCT territories of Nigeria using our Mavis Talking Books™ technology and Mavis Education Model™ (a learner centred, small group participatory learning model). From End Line Test results, out-of-school children using the Mavis Talking Books™ performed 37% better than those going to nearby public and private schools. A new literacy and numeracy program in the North Eastern part of Nigeria funded by the Borno State Government through the Borno State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and in collaboration with local partners has commenced to reach 10,000 children (in the first phase) using the Mavis Talking Books™ and Mavis Education Model™.

KEY PERSONNEL

Engr. Samuel Ucheaga

CEO/Co-Founder

Came up with the idea of the Mavis Talking Books™ in 2011 (first prototypes released in 2014). Over 28 years’ experience in the telecoms sector. Supervised the rollout of the first GSM Switch installed in Nigeria while at M-Tel (the national mobile carrier at the time) when he was the General Manager, Technical Operations. Rose to become Acting CEO, M-Tel. Left the public sector to start Mavis Computel Limited in 2007.

Mr. Chiemezie Ucheaga

Head, IT

Supervises content development. Spearheads software programming for the Talking Books. Oversees digitization and printing of the Talking Books. B. Eng. Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Federal University of Technology Owerri, Nigeria.

Chizaram Ucheaga

Head, Corporate Strategy & Operations/Co-Founder

Supervises the roll-out of the Mavis Academy chain of schools. Responsible for training clients on the deployments of the Talking Books and Mavis Education Model. Over 10 years’ experience in the educational technology space. Federal University of Technology Owerri Graduate of Electrical/Electronic Engineering. Lagos Business School trained (HIDAP). Member IEEE.

Mr. Chigoziri Ucheaga

Head, Production

Oversees the Talking Books production process (printing, binding, etc.). Supervises the setup of the Mavis Academy schools. B. Eng. Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Federal University of Technology Owerri, Nigeria.

Our Partners

UK Aid (DFID), US Embassy in Nigeria, Borno State Government, African Union, Mott MacDonald UK, Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria, Partners West Africa Nigeria (under an Open Society Initiative for West Africa funded program), Nigerian Army, Nigerian Airforce, Vistern Partners Nig. Ltd., MCEF-afreelit Nig. Ltd, Divine Tech Web Expact and others.