In a world where over 120 million people have been forcibly displaced, access to education remains a critical challenge. Globally, crises impact around 244 million children of school- and pre-school age. Of these children, 199 million are either out of school or attending school but not learning. School attendance rates are particularly low amongst refugees.
To address this crisis, Yuri Milner’s Tech For Refugees is supporting the development of aprendIA, a new AI-powered educational chatbot platform. aprendIA is a pioneering initiative from the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and its Airbel Impact Lab. The platform is revolutionising learning experiences for crisis-affected communities worldwide.
Transforming Education with AI-Powered Learning
aprendIA harnesses the power of artificial intelligence to deliver personalised educational content through interactive chatbot interfaces. The platform offers learning resources in multiple formats, such as text, audio, video, and PDF. aprendIA also tests children’s learning through game-based assessments.
Users can access this content anywhere, any time, and on any device, via familiar platforms like WhatsApp and SMS. As a result, aprendIA eliminates the need for costly infrastructure. This means the system has enormous potential to roll out swiftly, efficiently, and at scale in response to various types of humanitarian crises.
For example, aprendIA has already served as the foundation for successful pilot programmes in Colombia, Nigeria, and Bangladesh. Early feedback from these programmes points to increased learner engagement, reduced teaching workloads, and improved educational outcomes for students.
Additionally, AI technologies like natural language processing (NLP) allow aprendIA to provide tailored educational support, adaptive learning pathways, and real-time instructional guidance. NLP uses machine learning to enable computers to understand and interact with human language.
Bringing Education to Crisis Zones
Tech For Refugees first partnered with the IRC in early 2023 to support the organisation’s Signpost programme. Signpost is an award-winning community-driven information platform. So far, it has reached 79 million people with accurate, timely information, helping them make informed decisions on critical issues.
Now, Tech For Refugees will help the IRC expand aprendIA to reach more students, parents, and teachers living in conflict and crisis settings. Greater access to quality education can help increase knowledge and develop skills that foster growth and prosperity in these areas.
David Miliband, President and CEO of the IRC, says partners like Tech For Refugees facilitate the IRC’s cutting-edge research. The IRC’s innovation is essential for creating significant positive change in crisis-affected communities worldwide.
Milner, who founded Tech For Refugees in 2022, says he is excited about the rapid deployment of aprendIA. He looks forward to seeing how the platform uses AI to help more refugees access education.
Tech For Refugees’ Partner Organisations
Tech For Refugees works with some of the world’s leading tech organisations, including:
- Uber.
- Airbnb.org.
- Flexport.org.
- Spotify.
The non-profit also collaborates with humanitarian organisations that use technology to enhance refugee relief efforts. These organisations include UNICEF USA and Welcome.US.
Since 2022, Tech For Refugees has supported the development of Welcome Connect, an innovative sponsorship platform from Welcome.US. Over the past two years, Welcome Connect has helped more than 500,000 newcomers find sponsorship and refuge in the U.S.
About Yuri Milner
Yuri Milner is a renowned entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist. The Giving Pledge signatory has dedicated more than half of his wealth to philanthropic efforts advancing science and supporting scientists.
Milner co-founded the Breakthrough Prize in 2012. The prestigious award celebrates the world’s top researchers in the life sciences, maths, and fundamental physics. In 2015, he founded the Breakthrough Junior Challenge, an annual science competition. The challenge inspires the next generation of innovators by fostering a deeper understanding of science.
In 2021, Milner released his short book Eureka Manifesto: The Mission for Our Civilisation. The manifesto urges humanity to recognise the significance of its place in the story of the Universe and explores Milner’s vision for a shared, global mission.
