Refugee Education
Sima by Kukua
A culturally relevant mobile game that teaches children academic and psychosocial skills
The Solution
Game-based learning presents a promising alternative for refugee children who lose access to a traditional classroom education. Kukua’s game-based learning app, Sima, is a highly engaging, open source mobile game that empowers refugee children aged 5-10 to master basic reading, writing, and numeracy. The game employs a user-centered design approach to inform all aspects of Sima’s research, design, and testing. Sima was built in collaboration with a team of Syrian experts and storytellers, Arabic curriculum and content developers, and cognitive psychologists and psychosocial well-being experts.
Incorporating elements of Syrian myth and folklore, the game includes nine culturally-relevant worlds and five levels throughout which the animated heroine, Sima, guides players on a structured learning path. Through the game’s dynamic story and reward systems, children internalize positive messages in areas such as resilience, emotion management, mental and physical self-care, and cross-cultural interaction.
Existing Partnerships
Kukua has partnered with the following organizations:
- Echo VC
- firstminute capital
- Founders Factory
- Kima Ventures
- Burda Media
- Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD)
Solver Team
Organization Type:
For-profit
Headquarters:
Rome, Italy
Stage:
Pilot
Working in:
Lebanon, Turkey
Employees:
17
Website:
https://www.kukua.me/
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Lucrezia Bisignani Founder & CEO, Kukua
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