Three NGOs partner to launch the NABU free reading app for children in Romania

NABU, a free reading app for children that provides access to books in Romanian, English and Ukrainian, was officially launched in Romania this week. The launch marks the partnership between NABU, UiPath Foundation, and the OvidiuRO Association, three NGOs that made it their mission to give children “the opportunity to grow in the best conditions possible.”

“Through the app, the three partner organizations aim to help eradicate the global literacy crisis so that every child can reach their full potential,” reads the press release.

NABU works even with low internet speed, which makes it a useful option for areas with low internet connection, and does not require a powerful smartphone. In addition, digital books can be downloaded to the virtual library and accessed without an internet connection.

The books available in the app, from texts to illustrations, are specially designed for children between the ages of 2 and 10. After downloading the application, they have access to over 100 bilingual books in Romanian - English, organized by reading fluency levels. The number of books is estimated to increase to around 160 by the end of the year.

The app also provides a collection of 40 books in the Ukrainian language, specially designed to support refugee children from Ukraine.

“Reading is essential for children’s cognitive development. The NABU application is for all children between the ages of 2 and 10, and it is accessible to more than 1.77 million children in this age group across the country. According to UNICEF estimates, half of them face poverty. To be as accessible as possible to families in vulnerable communities, the app is free and designed to work without high-speed internet and a high-performance smartphone. Through the partnership with NABU and OvidiuRO, we aim to add another brick to our mission to offer all children equal opportunities for quality education,” said Raluca Negulescu-Balaci, Executive Director of the UiPath Foundation.

In turn, Tanyella Evans, Executive Director and Co-Founder of NABU, said: “The partnership with the UiPath Foundation and the OvidiuRO Association makes us happy and honoured. Their programs and actions align perfectly with our mission to provide equal access to literacy by 2030. The little ones deserve a good start in life, and through NABU, we want to contribute to their optimal educational development.”

Before the official launch, the application was promoted by OvidiuRO within its network of teachers. More than 270 teachers from the OvidiuRO network were part of the “NABU Reading Ambassadors” program and voluntarily promoted the application in their communities during the summer.

NABU can be downloaded for free from the App Store or Google Play. Romania is the fifth country where the application is launched.