Fostering a generation of STEM enthusiasts
Lungile Maile, a former manufacturing supervisor from Johannesburg, is the visionary behind Nubian Smarts. Determined to make math accessible and engaging for children, she transformed her passion into an award-winning educational game, fostering a new generation of STEM enthusiasts in South Africa and beyond.
From manufacturing to educational innovation
Lungile Maile's journey is unusual: she went from a manufacturing supervisor in Johannesburg to an award-winning educational game developer. The idea for her company, Nubian Smarts, came to her while working in a factory that produced bottled water. There, she observed a troubling trend: as machinery became more complex, the educational requirements for operators increased, leaving many of her colleagues behind in terms of skills. This sparked Lungile's realization of the pervasive belief that certain subjects, particularly math, were too challenging to learn.
"I often heard colleagues say, 'Math is not for everyone,' or 'I wouldn't have passed high school if I had taken math,'" Lungile recalls. "It didn't make sense to me that people cut themselves off from career paths because of this mindset."
Driven by a genuine desire to alter this narrative, particularly for her young son Sakhiwo, who was three then, Lungile embarked on a mission to democratize math, making it more accessible and engaging. Her idea was simple: if you enjoy a subject, you don't mind doing the work. "If you fall in love with something, you keep applying yourself even if it's hard because you love it so much," she explains. This was the mantra that fueled her journey.
South Africa's education crisis
At the same time, South Africa was grappling with low global rankings in math and science despite government efforts to improve education. Lungile wanted to be part of the solution, not just a critic. "I didn't want to be one of those people who complain about the problem. I wanted to be part of the solution," Lungile asserts.
While many educational apps and games already existed at the time, nothing had been developed in South Africa, and she felt that was a market gap that needed to be filled. She wanted to build a product tailored to South African families and their unique needs.
The birth of Nubian Smarts
In 2016, Lungile founded Nubian Smarts, an educational game designed to foster a love for math among children. This game, inspired by the Nubian people of Sudan, who had a rich history of knowledge and scientific achievement, is unique in its design and functionality. It is an offline game, small enough to fit on parents' devices, provides progress reports for parents, and is free to use. Lungile invested her retirement savings, taught herself coding through YouTube (though eventually seeking expert help), and consulted with teachers to align the game with the South African curriculum. By January 2017, Nubian Smarts was launched on the Google Play Store.
However, monetizing the app proved challenging. Efforts to sell it to the Department of Education and schools were met with resistance. Running ads in the game (which is how many games make money) was not possible because it was offline. These constraints led Lungile to pilot the game in a preschool, as preschools are privately owned in South Africa. The success of this pilot turned the preschool owner into her first paying customer, marking a significant milestone three years after launch.
Adapting Nubian Smarts
The COVID-19 pandemic brought new challenges, reducing Nubian Smarts' customer base from 30 to 2. However, Lungile was undeterred. She used this time to redesign the game based on feedback and diversified her offerings to include coding, robotics, cooking, and art classes. Today, Nubian Smarts is present in 35 schools, supported by a dedicated team including brand ambassadors, chefs, a full-time teacher consultant, and a curriculum advisor.
Lungile's biggest fear is a world where children believe they can only be consumers, not creators. By opening their eyes to STEM, she hopes to show them that challenges can be opportunities for innovation. "I want to create problem-solvers in places where historically they are not given the chance to become problem-solvers," she says.
The journey has been long, with many ups and downs. Still, in the end, Nubian Smarts' story shows what can come from resilience, persistence, and adaptation: "It's been a lot of learning our customers, pivoting, changing, and re-branding as to what it is that we are doing," Lungile explains.
Creating a lasting impact
One of Lungile's proudest achievements is Nubian Smarts' tangible impact on children's education. Parents frequently share stories of their children's improved math skills and newfound confidence. "The smiles from little kids and the stories from parents about how their children excel in math because of Nubian Smarts are the most rewarding parts of this journey," Lungile beams.
Despite the challenges, including skepticism towards new technologies and financial constraints, Lungile has built a brand that resonates deeply with South African parents. By focusing on community engagement and trust-building, she has slowly but surely increased the adoption of Nubian Smarts.
Expanding horizons
Today, Nubian Smarts is supported by a dedicated team of professionals. Lungile works with two brand ambassadors, three chefs for culinary science, a full-time teacher consultant, a curriculum advisor, and a COO with technical skills. The core team of seven is expanding, with plans to onboard four more brand ambassadors across different provinces.
Each team member plays a crucial role in bringing Nubian Smarts to life. Brand ambassadors visit schools, spending about two hours each, allowing children to engage with the game and providing progress reports to parents. This hands-on approach has been instrumental in gaining both schools' and families' trust and support.
Looking forward, Lungile envisions significant growth for Nubian Smarts. She plans to expand the game's reach to Swaziland and Lesotho and is exploring the potential to adapt it for Indigenous communities in Canada. Each new market presents unique challenges, but Lungile's vision remains steadfast: to inspire a generation of problem-solvers.
A vision for the future
Lungile's vision extends beyond just creating a successful business; it's about changing mindsets and opening doors for children who might otherwise be left behind. By addressing the educational gaps in STEM and fostering a love for learning, she hopes to cultivate a generation of thinkers, creators, and problem-solvers.
Her journey is a testament to resilience, innovation, and a deep commitment to making a difference. As Nubian Smarts continues to grow and evolve, Lungile remains focused on her ultimate goal: empowering the next generation to embrace STEM and transform their futures. The future is filled with possibilities, and Lungile Maile is ready to lead the way.
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