FACTUREE gives the gift of education this Christmas

Übergabe des Spendenschecks

© FACTUREE | Fausto Torelli

The festive season is upon us – time to put pen to paper and write our Christmas wish lists. Unfortunately, 6.2 million adults in Germany won’t be able to join in the fun because they struggle with writing and sometimes even reading, too, with their difficulties putting them at an inevitable social disadvantage. FACTUREE wants to help reduce this disadvantage, which is why the company is supporting the development of the IRMGARD app with a donation of over EUR 5,000.

Functional illiteracy doesn’t mean a lack of intelligence. It’s a product of individual underlying factors whose origins lie in the family, school, or ethnicity, for example. Nevertheless, sufferers are often not respected, endure hurtful experiences, and develop feelings of inadequacy. The nonprofit organization KOPF, HAND + FUSS (KHuF) offers a safe learning space for people with low literacy skills.

As part of their commitment to this issue, KHuF has developed the IRMGARD app, which helps functionally illiterate adolescents and adults learn to read and write. In the app, Irmgard Schwiderski – a real person after whom the app is named – explains the assignments and rules to the learners. With no prior knowledge required, users can develop and practice their reading and writing skills in around 280 exercises at different levels, all at their own pace and in a way that suits their needs.

Screenshot der IRMGARD App

FACTUREE’s donation helps finalize the development of the IRMGARD app

As a nonprofit organization, KOPF, HAND + FUSS gGmbH depends on grants and donations. FACTUREE is supporting the development of the IRMGARD app as part of a Christmas campaign with a donation of EUR 5,000. The entire donation will go toward programming the app, allowing a large number of assignments and additional levels to be added.

How it works: The IRMGARD app begins by introducing letters and sounds. Letters become syllables and then words, which users practice spelling correctly. Levels 6 to 9 focus on more complex grammar topics, while in the last level, users are encouraged to write their own texts. Learners can complete the app by sending a letter to Irmgard, who will reply if requested. Thanks to FACTUREE’s support, the app will now be given extra features and its development finalized.

FACTUREE already enjoys close ties with KHuF, using the latter’s co-working space TUECHTIG for some of their meetings, for example. TUECHTIG is a work community where knowledge and expertise are shared. It’s a place for people who value diversity and an inclusive working environment, and who want to work on projects on their own or with others.