Qatar-based programme finalist in WISE Prize for Education

A Qatar based organisation has been shortlisted for the prestigious WISE Prize for Education, a global recognition for innovative education programmes or individuals.

Bonocle, an organisation headquartered in Qatar is among the six finalists for the WISE Prize 2024-25 selected by World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) a global education initiative by Qatar Foundation.

Bonocle’s core innovation is its gamified approach to braille education. Bonocle transforms braille education with a gamified platform, making learning accessible, engaging, and fun for blind students.

The platform stands out by making braille learning fun through inclusive games that can be enjoyed by everyone, not just the visually impaired. It has a global outreach and is now available in the US, Canada, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.

Bonocle highly focuses on inclusion. The platform is designed not only for blind users but also engages their sighted parents, friends, and colleagues. This approach enhances educational experiences and social integration, ensuring that blind individuals can learn and interact inclusively within their communities.

Bonocle’s journey began when its founder Abdelrazek Aly met with an accident and broke his hand. Aly joined a special needs centre at his university during his recovery. It was there that he first interacted with the blind community, witnessing their challenges firsthand. This experience inspired Aly and his team to challenge existing solutions and ensure that people with disabilities are fully included in society, with access to the same quality education and opportunities as everyone else.

Key features of Bonocle are that it provides a portable device ensuring braille is always at the user’s fingertips. It has inclusive games incorporating tactile feedback, sounds, motion, and haptics. It is highly affordable, making quality education accessible to all. Furthermore it is an open and dynamic platform with a growing library of content and offers diverse use cases beyond basic literacy, including gaming and social interaction.

Since its inception Bonocle has achieved several partnerships and collaborations with NGOs and major distributors. It has been recognised for the K design Award and Aly was listed in Forbes 30 Under 30. It has enhanced braille literacy through innovative educational tools. It also hosted the first inclusive gaming tournament during the FIFA World Cup 2022.

According to the team of Bonocle, it aims to become a global leader in accessible education within five years and keep the platform open and dynamic, allowing continuous contributions and innovations from the blind community and partners. It also aims to expand the library of content and diverse use cases and integrate seamlessly into diverse educational environments. Ultimately, the programme hopes to empower the blind community to develop their own solutions and contribute to the platform.

This year the WISE Prize will work with the chosen finalists over the span of one year to develop solutions that addresses education challenges in the field of: Improving the teaching of Arabic language; accelerating foundational literacies and addressing challenges in AI.

Bonocle addresses the WISE Prize challenges: Artificial Intelligence in Education; teaching of Arabic Language and foundational literacies. The solution directly addresses these challenges by leveraging technology to enhance braille literacy, focusing on foundational skills through gamification and innovative educational tools.

This year’s WISE Prize for Education competition received a total of 427 applications and the winner will be awarded the $1mn at the WISE12 Summit in 2025, where the winner will be announced live.