Join a language revolution!

A$67,136
of $50,000 targetyrs ago
Successful on 15th Dec 2013 at 12:00AM.
The Afaan dream started from the frustration of a weekend schoolteacher who made hand-drawn classroom worksheets to teach children their heritage language. Although the language, Afaan Oromo, has more than 40 million speakers, it was banned for over 100 years until 1991. Since the ban has been lifted, Toltu Tufa struggled to find high quality, accurate and engaging tools for young Oromo children.

Living in a western world, many of us have we’ve never known what it’s like to have our identity or our language forbidden. Where do you think you would be today if you were not allowed to read or write your own language?

What would your children learn of your history? How would you keep your language alive?

These questions are a stark reality for many Oromo families. When you ask Oromo parents about the first thing they want to teach their children, most of them will tell you “to speak Afaan Oromo”. They know the importance of teaching and passing on a mother tongue language to children.


This project is a world first initiative - nothing of this scale has never been done before for the Oromo language.

Get involved and join the language revolution!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqeUnwwJsms

How The Funds Will Be Used

I want to release high quality children's educational tools, which are accessible and affordable. I need to make it affordable for people to buy my books, however each book costs about $15 to print individually. If I were to purchase the books at wholesale prices, then each unit will cost $4 each (3000 Qty).

This means that for each book, I need to raise $12 000. Since there are 4 books in my text book series, it will cost $48 000 to print the entire range. The remaining money will be used for set up costs associated with preparing the books for final print.


The Challenges

1.The books are not relevant:
This was a genuine concern for me, and thats why I purchased an airline ticket and travelled to 9 Oromo communities around the world, to make sure the images, content, and dialects were relevant at an international level.

2. They are too expensive:
This was my biggest hurdle to begin with and its the main reason why I have turned to crowd funding. I have seen it work on other projects and keen to create opportunities that allow families to purchase my books at affordable prices.

3. Shipping is too expensive:
I considered using online tools such as apps, and websites, however not all Oromo people around the world have access to internet and technology. This is particularly true for people who live in villages of Africa. What I have done is developed relationships with organisations and individuals in each of the countries to stock Afaan products, which people can purchase locally.


For $10 , you can receive a HUGE thank you from our team, a follow on twitter and a shout out from our Facebook page!!!

29 chosen

Est. delivery is Jan 14

Not interested in books for you? Then choose to donate a set of two!!! Again, you choose which series we send out to students across all of Oromia

43 chosen

Est. delivery is Dec 14

For $100, you can enjoy our everlasting thanks! You or a friend of your choice will be credited on our website's main page as a glitterific contributor. Studies have shown that this level of contribution makes a great gift for grumpy bosses.

64 chosen / 36 available

Est. delivery is Jan 14

Feeling shy about publishing your name in a book? Let the founder autograph your choice of book: signed, sealed and delivered to you…along with a plaque that states how you sparked an educational revolution. Hang it in the living room or your local office space!

15 chosen / 35 available

Est. delivery is Jan 14

We say that big pledges deserve big rewards. Receive all the rewards above and have your name published as a silver level donor! This means that you will feature exclusively on our website as a major contributor with your own mini bio! What a way to leave your (online) footprint!

6 chosen / 24 available

Est. delivery is Jan 14

WHOA!! You are generous. And so too is our reward. For $1000, your name will be published in every book in the first print run as a GOLD level donor. Received an autographed book series of your choice and a personalised YouTube video thanking you/your nominated person. Let me send you a 1:1 shout out!!!

9 chosen / 1 available

Est. delivery is Oct 14

$25 gets you a printed series of your choice DELIVERED TO YOUR DOORSTEP. Oh my gosh. That's generous. Think someone else might benefit more from the set? Donate your copy to a school in Oromia below!

20 chosen / 0 available

Est. delivery is Dec 14