Dream Box Animation Studio Zimbabwe has introduced Zimbabwe’s first ECD Mathematics Game for toddlers in English, Shona and Ndebele. The Application deemed ‘Tino and Tana Count One to Ten’ is currently available for free on the Google Play Store. Ian Mapira (IM) had a brief chat interview with the Developer, Rodney Masanga (RM) the Creative Director for the software and the following is what he said.
IM: Can you tell us more about the application?
RM: It’s a Pre-enumeration app for toddlers focused on developing their classification, matching shapes and ordering/seriation skills. Seriation is putting things in chronological order.
IM: What motivated you to design the Pre-Numeracy app for toddlers?
RM: I lived with a friend whose child struggled with homework quite a bit and she would always come home from work tired with little patience to be fully engaged with the school work. This affected her child’s confidence when it came to learning so I figured it would make both their lives easier if there was something fun that would help the son learn and positively affirm his learning experience.
IM: How effective/important is your service (the Pre-numeracy App) to your Target Market (Toddlers)?
RM: From a developmental perspective through positive affirmation, engaging activities and aesthetics, the app will help Toddlers develop their confidence in the classroom with regards pre-numeracy skills. As with everything we produce from our studio, it’s been designed to educate engage and entertain.
IM: Do you see your App as a business?
RM: Yes, the app falls under our studio, Digital Education Emancipation Program (DEEP) whose primary goal is to give children access to digital learning applications at an affordable rate.
IM: And how you intend to monetize this Project?
RM: We believe in creating value first meaning this particular App will be for made free and money will be made through Product Placement by patners(advertisers).
IM: What are the challenges you have faced in designing the Pre-Numeracy App?
RM: In the beginning, our main challenge was getting the right people and processes together but we managed to assemble a great team with the right attitude and values which led us to creating good processes necessary for development.
IM: Where do you see your business in the future?
RM: I see Dream Box offering animated series and e-learning applications of world class standards in as many African households as we can. We try our best to avoid mediocrity.
IM: What advice do you have for other Entrepreneurs and App Developers like yourself?
RM: Don’t try do it by yourself. Build a great team with values and vision and you will always weather any challenges. Always creat awosomeness within an efficient system. Say NO to mediocrity.
Embrace and drive change. Things wil never be ideal but just start and be the change you want to see no matter how small you may feel.
