Since 2019, Microboard has proudly supported Reaching a Generation’s transformative initiative: School In a Box. This innovative, tablet-based learning system is providing fully accredited education to children in rural Africa who might otherwise be excluded from traditional schooling.
A Smarter, Simpler Solution
The brilliance of School in a Box lies in its simplicity and scalability. Solar-powered tablets come preloaded with comprehensive suite of interactive, self-paced lessons and educational apps. These tools empower students to work towards mastery, even when facilitators have limited subject knowledge. Best of all, the system operates entirely offline — no permanent internet connection is required — making a true “plug and play” solution for remote and underserved communities.
Expanding Impact with Global Collaboration
In 2024, Microboard partnered with Columbia University’s Tamer Institute for Social Enterprise to send Columbia students to South Africa to collaborate with the School in a Box Team.
This partnership led to the development of the new i-School version of School in a Box, which expands the system’s reach even further into poor and rural communities across South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, and –soon–Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, and even India.
A Vision for Empowerment
Jacques van Bommel, founder of Reaching a Generation, shared the heart behind the mission, “My wife Lizzy and I felt called to help marginalized children in Africa who had fallen outside traditional aid and educational programs.
School in a Box helps us provide world-class academic support for children from age 5 to 18 – with a full curriculum from English language skills to computer coding, as well as access to a vast digital library.”
He continued, “Every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and build a brighter future. With the right tools and resources, we can break barriers and unlock endless possibilities. School in a Box is an amazing resource-tool that is helping make this possible and is bringing smiles to students and bright futures to children in some of the poorest and most neglected areas in our world.”