The DeTECHtive Article: The Universal Right to Education: Exploring the Inner-Workings of the Humanitarian Tech Start-Up Making Education Globally Accessible

Case #7:Start-Up: The Rumie InitiativeEntrepreneur: Tariq Fancy, FounderIndustry: EducationWhat Investigative Work Revealed:While many industries require start-ups to maintain independence and to compete against others in their field, start-up nonprofit organizations operate differently. This year, the DeTECHtive would like to start with an important lesson. In an industry in which the stakes are high and the goals are humanitarian rather than monetary, partnerships prove vital. Enter The Rumie Initiative (Rumie). This Toronto-based tech start-up and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization’s mission ensures that education is available to all by providing the world’s underprivileged youth with access to free digital educational content.Rumie’s operations are one-of-a-kind. First, Rumie provides educational resources on affordable $50 educational tablets that function offline and can be recharged with solar power. Each Rumie Tablet is loaded with textbooks, videos, and educational games tailored to meet the child’s age and required curriculum. This fully interactive digital library is available for the cost of less than one textbook. Such relevant learning materials in other circumstances cost over $5,000 to produce. Rumie provides quality resources through cost-effective production. Due to the generous support of large private donors who believe in its mission and cover all operating expenses, 100% of public donations collected by Rumie go directly towards the purchase of additional tablets for educating children. This ensures a transparency to the start-up’s operations as well as effectiveness in actually having the funds to bring education to children and war-affected youth throughout the world. Now, one might ask, how does Rumie differ from other nonprofits and relief organizations? The answer, my readers, lies in the unique blend of its partnerships and innovative technology. This start-up is spearheaded by its founder, Tariq Fancy. He is an accomplished individual with both incredible drive and skills leading his organization to its success. When asked for his proudest accomplishment, Fancy responded, “I would say it would be the overwhelming response of engagement of communities of volunteers helping and donating their time by crowdsourcing the collection of content that [Rumie] can use for projects around the world…it’s a way to engage people interested in using technology, time, and skills to have an impact far, far away...it shows that people desire to be part of a bigger movement, which with Rumie is making access to education available for underprivileged children everywhere."Through the non-profit’s Rumie LearnCloud, the world’s largest crowdsourced open repository of free learning content, volunteers ensure that Rumie engages the public in a way that transcends that of the typical nonprofit. While one may contribute through monetary donations, Rumie takes pride in its ability to allow volunteers to play a direct role by donating their time and skills. People are able to witness firsthand the benefits of their involvement in providing education to disadvantaged children around the world. Yes, individuals are in a sense able to act as detectives for Rumie by searching for viable learning resources. The materials gathered undergo a screening to ensure that they are high-quality. This year, Rumie partnered with No Lost Generation Initiative and launched its #LearnSyria campaign to raise $50,000 USD that would in turn fund 1,000 tablets so that those devices preloaded with high-quality learning resources can then be sent to Syrian children who do not have access to education. No Lost Generation (NLG) is a group launched in October 2013 to support displaced Syrian youth by creating educational resources, promoting awareness, and fundraising. In particular, the organization’s student chapter at The George Washington University (NLG-GW), which was assigned by the United States Department of State, has coordinated LearnSyria Hackathons and workshops. Through these programs, university students collaborate by surfing the web for applicable educational material to develop curriculums ranging from video lessons and e-textbooks to scientific calculators and vocabulary apps. NLG-GW is the first university group of its kind, and represents a thriving example that university students and the American government can work in tandem to engage in humanitarian efforts. According to Ethan Arsht, NLG-GW’s Partnership Director, the NLG’s vision is to expand university chapters nationally and internationally. This will enable "interested students to gather and organize around increasingly large and influential projects.” It serves to bring the social interest of making global education a reality. Rumie is a tech start-up transcending the quintessential definition of social entrepreneurship. It is starting a movement in which technology allows governments, NGOs, public and private sectors, universities, and millennial to work together in solving the dilemma of a generation growing up without access to education. Intolerance, violence, and poverty often stem from ignorance. A lack of high-quality education is at the root of ignorance. Access to education is a necessity, not a privilege. Rumie is works to ensure that access is available. As TechDay’s DeTECHtive, I conclude that my investigation of Rumie has produced evidentiary proof of the palpable impact this valuable start-up has produced. There is no doubt that it improves the lives of youth around the world through providing educational opportunities.