- Playbook
How to build better readers through a television program
Anushka Ghosh, Gitanksh Sethi & Lara Katumbi
- March 28, 2025
- 2:31 am
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BEHAVIORAL THEME
OVERVIEW
The partnership between Ubongo and Busara exemplifies the power of collaboration between practitioners and researchers to achieve shared goals. Having worked together for several years, both organizations have successfully aligned their unique strengths, creating a synergy that allows them to address each other’s limitations while leveraging their respective expertise. This complementary approach has been fundamental in driving innovative research and impactful program structuring.
THEMATIC AREAS
Ubongo developed the first season of Nuzo and Namia, which aired in 2023. During its airing, Busara conducted a large-scale randomized controlled trial in a naturalistic setting to evaluate the show’s impact on literacy gains, socio-emotional learning (SEL), and changes in gender attitudes among children.
The research design was a collaborative effort; the objectives and measures of success were co-created, ensuring alignment between the program’s goals and the research approach. Ubongo analyzed the show’s content, categorizing it into specific skills that children were expected to learn from each episode. Busara then tailored research instruments to capture these skills accurately.