Bridging the learning gap with video and mobile technology

Across sub-Saharan Africa, education systems are struggling to meet the needs of children. In northern Nigeria, for example, only half of primary school-aged children attend school, and just one in five people can read a full sentence. Deep-rooted social norms, early marriage and limited educational resources leave many children, especially girls, without the opportunity to thrive. The COVID-19 pandemic has only worsened these conditions, making it harder for school systems to recover and more urgent to explore complementary learning models.

A recent World Bank study in northern Nigeria tested two interventions to address these challenges: aspirational video screenings using the award-winning “My Better World” series and the distribution of smartphones preloaded with educational apps. The results were striking. Screenings alone reduced the number of out-of-school children by 42%, while the addition of mobile EdTech nearly halved the number of children who couldn’t recognize a single letter. Both boys and girls benefited, and there were positive spillover effects for older siblings. Perhaps most importantly, parents’ attitudes shifted: aspirations for their children’s education increased, and harmful norms around early marriage began to change.

This kind of evidence highlights the potential of storytelling and technology as powerful tools for change, particularly in communities with limited access to traditional educational resources.

This potential was clearly demonstrated during illuminAid’s Video Education Workshop in Kara, Togo. Partnering with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and local organizations such as 3ASC, ADESCO, DRE Kara and DRE Savanes, illuminAid facilitated a four-day training that equipped participants with the tools and skills to create compelling, locally relevant educational videos. The workshop culminated in the production of two videos. The first video looked to train teachers on classroom management, and the other promoted handwashing in schools.

This workshop was part of CRS's broader STARS project, which aims to implement a strong Social and Behavior Change (SBC) strategy linking education with health, nutrition and hygiene. CRS Togo is building on this momentum by continuing to develop and screen a series of educational videos across intervention schools in northern Togo. These videos focus on topics such as balanced nutrition, malaria prevention and other essential health and well-being practices.

What connects the efforts in Nigeria and Togo is the transformative potential of video and mobile technology when thoughtfully applied. Just as “My Better World” inspired Nigerian parents to reimagine their children’s futures, the videos created in Kara have the potential to shift behaviors and expectations around education and health.

At illuminAid, we’re committed to empowering communities with the tools they need to tell their own stories and shape their own futures. Whether it’s through a short film on handwashing or an aspirational series tackling early marriage, the message is the same: education is not only a classroom experience; it’s a community effort.