Umilisi AI was born from a fundamental truth: Kenya's Competency-Based Curriculum is delivered almost entirely in English yet for millions of students, English is not a first language. Language should be a bridge to knowledge, not a barrier to it.
We build AI tools that meet learners where they are. Our flagship product, CBC Msaidizi, lets students query the full CBC syllabus in Swahili for the first time. Our methodology is anchored in global research: UNESCO reports that in Africa, children learning in a familiar language achieve a 30% higher comprehension. Umilisi operationalizes this data for the Kenyan context.
And as one peer-reviewed study notes, "English is the prioritised language in education due to exams being set in English, the status of the language in local and global contexts, and the possibility of getting a prestigious job. Swahili is used to explain, elaborate, and enhance learners' comprehension of subject content. Swahili is considered more engaging for learners, as they understand the language better and can focus on the new concepts and terms of the subject matter."
At its core, Umilisi (Swahili for "mastery" or "competence") signifies more than just knowledge. It represents competence. It is the mastery that occurs when a student no longer has to struggle with translation and can instead focus on the essence of the subject. We build AI tools that ensure every Kenyan learner can achieve this level of Umilisi in their own tongue.
Generative AI
EdTech
Swahili NLP
CBC Curriculum
African Languages
RAG
Speech Recognition
Digital Library
3rd Place NIRU AI Hackathon 2026
Generative & Agentic AI Category
Winner JKUAT Interuniversity Hackathon 2025
Culture Preservation & Archiving Category · Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology
Top-15 National Finalist NIRU AI Hackathon
Top 15 out of 2,500+ submissions nationwide
