Application Status: IN PROGRESS · Cohort 4
Theme: Learners with Disabilities
Deadline: April 10, 2026 · 11:59PM EAT
Stage: Assessment → Evaluation → Interview
Fellowship Applicant · Mastercard Foundation × iHUB Kenya · Cohort 4 Apply by April 10, 2026

NeuroBridge Africa

"85% of disabled children in Kenya are excluded from digital education. Not because they can't learn. Because no one built it for them."

15%
EdTech with accessibility
80%+
PWD unemployment
8%
Teachers with SNE training
2%
TVET disability access

We are applying for the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship Kenya Cohort 4, hosted by iHUB Kenya — a $100,000 equity-free grant and 18-month incubation programme for early-stage inclusive EdTech startups in Kenya.

NeuroBridge Africa is our solution. We need your support to build it.

Women-led CBO Kenya-registered Founded April 2025 Nairobi-based
🧠🤟📚

No child left behind

because of disability or neurodivergence

About the Fellowship We're Applying For

The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship is Kenya's most prestigious inclusive EdTech grant programme, run by iHUB Kenya.

$100K

Equity-free funding

18mo

Incubation + scale support

🎓

Expert mentorship

🌍

Investor network access

This year's theme: Solutions for Learners Living with Disabilities. That is exactly what NeuroBridge Africa is built for.

The Scale of Exclusion

Kenya's digital education system is failing children with disabilities.

15%
EdTech Platforms
include basic accessibility features
80%+
Unemployment
for persons with disabilities in Kenya
8%
Teachers trained
in special needs education
2%
TVET programs
offer disability inclusion

"Across Africa, most digital education platforms are not designed for learners with disabilities. Deaf learners cannot access lessons without sign language. Neurodivergent learners struggle with rigid formats. Teachers lack training. Parents lack tools. Millions of children are left behind — not because they cannot learn, but because the system was not built for them."

Ability Inclusion Alliance

Women-led. Expert-founded. Community-rooted.

Ability Inclusion Alliance is the organisation behind NeuroBridge Africa. We are a Kenya-registered, women-led charity founded in April 2025 in Nairobi. We are applying to the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship to fund and scale NeuroBridge Africa — our flagship inclusive EdTech platform for children with disabilities.

Founded: April 2025

Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Registration: Kenya-registered charity

Leadership: Women-led CBO

"Built by people who live this mission — including a single father of a neurodivergent child and a chairlady with lived disability experience."

Introducing NeuroBridge Africa

No child left behind because of disability or neurodivergence.

Neurodivergent Learning

  • Focus-friendly modules
  • Gamification
  • Personalized paths
  • Sensory-friendly interface

1 in 7 children globally is neurodivergent. Zero Kenyan EdTech platforms serve them specifically.

KSL Integration

  • KSL video lessons
  • AI sign-language avatars
  • Speech-to-sign
  • Subject glossary

Deaf learners face absolute exclusion without sign language. KSL is core, not optional.

CBC-Aligned Curriculum

  • Mathematics
  • Science & Literacy
  • Life Skills
  • Digital Skills

Multi-format: audio, text, sign language, visual, interactive.

Caregiver Support Hub

  • Training videos
  • Neurodiversity awareness
  • Behavioral strategies
  • Peer WhatsApp communities

Teacher Training

  • Inclusive pedagogy
  • Assistive technology
  • Differentiated instruction
  • Certificate pathway

Disability Data & Analytics

  • Learning progress tracking
  • Inclusion gap mapping
  • Gender-disaggregated data
  • EMIS-compatible reporting

UNIQUE INNOVATION:

NeuroBridge Africa is the ONLY platform in Kenya integrating neurodivergent tools + KSL + caregiver training + teacher capacity building into ONE ecosystem.

Our pilot plan is a core requirement of the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship application. It demonstrates that NeuroBridge Africa is not just an idea — it is a real, deployable solution with confirmed partners and a clear implementation plan.

Nairobi Inclusive Learning Pilot 2026

30 learners. 8 weeks. Proof of impact.

Learner Demographics

Neurodivergent
10
Deaf/HOH
8
Learning Disabilities
7
Physical Disabilities
5
Total
30

4-Phase Timeline

1
Weeks 1-2
Baseline assessment & onboarding
2
Weeks 3-4
Core CBC learning + KSL lessons
3
Weeks 5-6
Iteration, teacher training, caregiver groups
4
Weeks 7-8
Evaluation, data collection, pilot report

Confirmed Pilot Partners

Measuring What Matters

30

Learners supported Year 1

60

Caregivers trained

15

Teachers certified

500+

Learners by Year 3

85%

Literacy engagement improvement

92%

Platform accessibility score

78%

Caregiver confidence increase

82%

Teacher inclusive skills improvement

From Pilot to Pan-African

2026

Year 1

30 learners — Nairobi pilot

2027-28

Years 2-3

500+ learners — 20 schools, 3 counties

2029-30

Years 4-5

5,000+ learners — all 47 counties, East Africa

In Their Own Words

"My son has ADHD and every school told us he was just difficult. NeuroBridge helped him learn at his own pace for the first time. He finished three lessons last week and was so proud."

— Fatuma W.
Caregiver, Eastleigh, Nairobi

"The KSL video lessons gave my daughter access to education she has never had before. She can keep up with her class for the first time. This is everything we have been asking for."

— David M.
Parent, Umoja, Nairobi

"The inclusive teaching training changed how I approach my whole class — not just students with disabilities. Every child is benefiting. This is what teacher development should look like."

— Mrs. Akinyi
CBC Teacher, Pilot School

Founded by Experts. Driven by Mission.

👩
Annab Mohamed
Founder & Chairlady
Humanitarian professional, lived disability experience, international programme leadership.
👨
Dr. John Onala
Treasurer & Advisor
Educational Psychologist, inclusive education specialist, decades of child assessment.
👩
Maryanne Chepkorir Rop
Executive Secretary
Counseling Psychologist, mental health mentor, safeguarding lead.
👨
Mohamud Hassan
Tech Lead
Full-stack developer, entrepreneur, the driving force behind the mission.

Led by a chairlady with lived disability experience. Built by a single father of a neurodivergent child.

Why the Mastercard Foundation Should Choose NeuroBridge Africa

1

Only platform combining neurodivergent + KSL + caregiver + teacher tools in one ecosystem

2

Women-led, founded by psychologists with lived experience

3

Kenya-registered with confirmed pilot partners from day one

4

Tech built by a single father of a neurodivergent child

The Window Is Now

Only 15% of Kenyan EdTech platforms are accessible. The Mastercard Foundation is investing in the solutions that change this. NeuroBridge Africa is ready. Our team is built. Our partners are confirmed. Our pilot plan is complete.

We are not waiting to be discovered. We are building — and we are asking for the partnership to build faster, reach further, and prove that inclusive EdTech works in Kenya.

We Are Applying For $100,000 to Build This

The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship Kenya Cohort 4 offers $100,000 equity-free funding + 18-month incubation. We are one of the applicants.

If selected, here is our proposed budget:

$100K
35% Platform development & content creation
25% Devices & connectivity for learners
20% Teacher & caregiver training
12% Monitoring, evaluation & learning
8% Operations & programme management

Deadline: April 10, 2026 · 11:59PM EAT

Frequently Asked Questions

"What is the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship?"
The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship is a $100,000 equity-free funding programme run by iHUB Kenya in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation. It supports early-stage EdTech startups in Kenya working on inclusive education. We are applying for Cohort 4. The deadline is April 10, 2026.
"You only have 30 learners — how will you scale?"
Our pilot is evidence-building. With fellowship funding, we'll reach 500+ learners in Year 2 through 20 partner schools and government integration. Our tech is built for low-bandwidth, mass deployment.
"What makes you different from other EdTech?"
We're the only platform integrating neurodivergent design + KSL + caregiver support + teacher training. Most platforms serve general learners; we serve those left behind.
"How do you measure success?"
Learning outcomes (pre/post tests), engagement metrics, caregiver confidence surveys, and teacher competency assessments. All disaggregated by disability type.
"What's your sustainability plan?"
Government partnerships (inclusion in CBC), B2B with special schools, and low-cost caregiver subscriptions. 70% self-sustaining by Year 3.
"How can I support your application?"
Letters of support from schools, NGOs, and community organisations strengthen our fellowship application. Contact us at info@abilityinclusionalliance.org for a template.

Support Our Mission — Help Us Win This Fellowship

We are applying to the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship Kenya Cohort 4. If you are a funder, partner, school, or organisation who believes in what we are building — we would love to hear from you. Every connection, endorsement, and partnership strengthens our application and our mission.

Can You Support Our Application?

Letters of support from schools, NGOs, government bodies, and community organisations strengthen our fellowship application. If you work in disability inclusion, education, or community development in Kenya — we would be honoured to have your endorsement.

Request a Support Letter Template
🌐

abilityinclusionalliance.org

📧

info@abilityinclusionalliance.org

📞

+254 774 248 350