Tanyella Evans

Tanyella Evans is the Executive Director and Co-Creator of NABU, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving child literacy through the creation and distribution of culturally relevant books. NABU primarily serves children in developing countries by providing access to mother tongue literature via a mobile app, which is optimized for low bandwidth environments. This initiative aims to bridge the literacy gap by making reading materials accessible to children and families who may not have traditional resources available.

Background and Career

Before founding NABU in 2013, Tanyella Evans was the Executive Director of Artists for Peace and Justice, where she played a pivotal role in establishing a school for 3,000 students in Haiti, one of the poorest regions in the world. Her experiences there highlighted the potential of mobile technology to facilitate education, leading her to co-create NABU alongside Taniya Alexander and Isabel Sheinman.12

NABU's Mission and Impact

NABU focuses on creating a digital library that features collections of children's books tailored to various reading levels, particularly for early readers aged 0 to 10. The organization employs local artists and writers to ensure that the content is culturally relevant and resonates with the communities it serves. Since its inception, NABU has seen significant growth, expanding from 40,000 users to over 600,000 families accessing its resources.13

Recognition and Achievements

Tanyella's work with NABU has garnered recognition, including a $10,000 prize from the Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge. This funding supports local creatives involved in book creation and helps maintain the app's infrastructure.12 Under her leadership, NABU aims to reach one million children by the end of the year.1

Through her efforts at NABU, Tanyella Evans continues to champion literacy and education access for children in underserved communities, leveraging technology as a powerful tool for change.