Sara Berkai
Fuelling STEM learning among displaced children through play
Fuelling STEM learning among displaced children through play
Sara Berkai is the founder of Ambessa Play, a social enterprise that designs toy kits and workshops for children, fueling an interest in STEM subjects. “Think IKEA for education,” says Sara. “We want to bring the textbook to life so children can learn through play.”
The company arose from Sara’s interest in the digital divide and solving the problem of access to education.
Originally from Eritrea, in East Africa, she and her parents fled a war in the region and moved to London, where she ended up working in tech, and volunteering in an educational role on the side. Curious to understand how these sectors looked back home, she eventually returned to Eritrea and delivered STEM workshops, teaching 300 children to build laptops.
“The feedback was insane,” she says. “10 and 11-year-olds saying ‘I’m going to become an engineer now’, just from one experience with hands-on learning.”
Sara believes every child deserves these learning opportunities, so for every one of Ambessa Play’s products sold, the company donates a free kit or workshop to a displaced child out of school.