Educational Initiatives

India

About Educational Initiatives

Mona Partner Since 2021

Educational Initiatives (Ei) a pedological technology company, now in its 25th year, is pioneering AI-driven personalized adaptive learning software to revolutionize how teachers teach and how students learn. Mindspark, their premier tool, helps students across different economic and demographic backgrounds learn with understanding at their own pace, by integrating AI innovations such as oral reading fluency assessments, misconception detection, and real-time personalized feedback for both students and teachers. 

 

Through Ei Shiksha, the company’s social impact arm, Ei collaborates with governments, nonprofits, and corporate sponsors to bring Mindspark to low-income schools across four countries, India, South Africa, Zambia, and Cambodia, reaching more than 3,024,000 students.

The Challenge

In 2019, the World Bank estimated that 50-80% of children finishing primary school in low- and middle-income countries suffered from "learning poverty" and could not read or understand a simple text. 


In India, student learning levels have remained low for the past 10 years, with more than half lacking foundational literacy and numeracy skills. Only 50% of Class 5 students in rural India could read a Class 2-level text, and only 28% could solve a division problem. 

The Solution:  Mindspark by Educational Initiatives

Educational Initiatives (Ei) developed Mindspark, an AI-driven personalized adaptive learning software that meets children where they are in their learning journey. Mindspark benchmarks the initial learning level of every student and dynamically customizes lessons to match their pace and progress. The platform blends tailored questions, activities, stories, and games so students not only catch up but excel. 


Independent evaluations have found that students using Mindspark achieve 2.5x learning gains, with improvements in both Math and Language. Available in 10+ languages and customized to align with local curricula, it is accessible on any device and proven to work even in low-resource environments. 

Mindspark is now being implemented at scale across 13 Indian states, directly reaching more than 3,000,000 students in FY 2024–25. Beyond India, Ei has launched pilots in South Africa (18,000+ students), Zambia (6,000 students across 15 schools), and Cambodia demonstrating its ability to adapt to diverse, under-resourced settings. Together, the South Africa and Zambia programs are projected to reach 40,000 learners in Africa by 2026. 


Ei continues to expand Mindspark’s capabilities by integrating AI innovations that help ensure that the platform does more than deliver content, it provides evidence-based insights that strengthen classroom teaching and reduce learning poverty at scale. 


In this video, Pranav Kothari, CEO of Mona partner Educational Initiatives (India), describes the company's vision and technology-based solutions to revolutionize how children learn, offering Lalita's story as an example. The video is introduced by Paul Flowerman, Social entrepreneur and Chairman of PLT Health Solutions.

How we help

We have always believed that alone, we are a drop. Together a surging sea. We aim to collaborate with likeminded organizations, institutions, corporations and foundations to collectively level the playing field, scale our reach and impact, and improve quality of teaching and learning for more students. 

 

To this end, in 2021 we welcomed a collaborative partnership with the philanthropist, Paul Flowerman, the Chairman of PLT Health Solutions and Educational Initiatives to provide access to Mindspark to disadvantaged students in both India and South Africa with recent pilots in Zambia and Cambodia. See our 2024 achievements India-based achievements below. 


  • A boy wearing headphones is typing on a computer keyboard

    Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • A group of children are using laptops in a computer lab

    Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • A group of young men are sitting in a row wearing headphones.

    Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • A group of children are using laptops in a classroom with a teacher standing behind them.

    Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • A group of children are using laptops in a classroom while wearing headphones.

    Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • A group of children are sitting at desks in a classroom.

    Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • A young girl is sitting at a desk in a classroom writing in a notebook.

    Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

2024 Achievements


  • 32,344 students were provided access to Mindspark
  • 800 teachers trained to implement Mindspark in 450 schools
  • 1,000 parents were trained or engaged in support of their children’s education.
A logo for scaling social impact with an arrow pointing up

Founded in 2001, Educational Initiatives collaborates with governments, schools, philanthropists, multilateral organizations and communities. Through this network, Ei is able to bring local expertise and community involvement to effectively implement its programs, reaching students across different strata of society in India, South Africa, Zambia, and Cambodia and holistically impacting educational systems.


Ei Shiksha, the company's dedicated wing for social impact initiatives, was introduced in 2004 to take the company's expertise in assessments, educational research, and technology-based personalized adaptive learning to children in low-income government schools.  In one example, Ei partnered with the government of Rajasthan to collectively support government school teachers to leverage Mindspark to improve students' learning outcomes. This program is currently reaching 10,000+ students in 70 government schools across the state, with the potential to reach more schools across the country.

Past projects have been supported by the World Bank, Mac Arthur Foundation, Google, Wipro, Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, Department of International Development (DfID), Global Innovation Fund, and several international and Indian state government agencies. Current corporate philanthropy funders include the National Stock Exchange Foundation, Hindustan Zinc Limited, Procter & Gamble, PLT Healthcare Solutions, and Mahindra Foundation.


A part of Ei's work is also supported by individual philanthropists, who are deeply invested in EI’s social mission and continue to support the growth of the work through guidance, personal and professional networks, and donations.


Mona Foundation's partnership with Ei, in collaboration with one such philanthropist and PLT Healthcare, is working towards the shared goal of empowering 10 million children by 2030 to improve their lives through digital learning that works.

A group of children are sitting at desks in a classroom.

2025 Plans, $100,000


  • Implement Mindspark in the state of Himachal Pradesh to improve the learning outcomes of ~55,000 grade 1-8 students in vernacular language (Hindi) and Math
  • Reach 50% of the schools in selected districts of Himachal Pradesh and impact 80% of students in the selected schools






Stories of Impact

Lakshika


Lakshika is in Grade 3 but her learning levels were much lower. She often failed to understand classroom instruction, and was falling behind.


When a Mindspark lab was set up in her school, Lakshika used it regularly and gained greater conceptual understanding of her lessons. In time, she went beyond her third-grade level and her teachers noticed improvements in her classroom performance. Now Lakshika is among the top students in her class.

A boy is sitting at a desk writing in a notebook

Sujal


Sujal, a 14-year-old student from Kullu district, has risen above significant educational challenges with determination and the support of innovative learning tools. Raised in a single-parent household, Sujal’s mother worked tirelessly to support his education despite ongoing financial struggles.​


A bright and hardworking student, Sujal consistently excelled academically but faced difficulties with foundational concepts in mathematics and sentence construction in English. In Grade 6, his school introduced him to Mindspark, an adaptive learning platform that became a turning point in his educational journey.​ Mindspark identified Sujal’s specific challenges, such as struggles with multiplication, division, and grammar, and provided personalized interventions to address them. Regular practice on the platform helped Sujal overcome these hurdles, leading to significant improvements in his academic performance and boosting his confidence.​


His math teacher noted a remarkable transformation in Sujal’s understanding and active participation in class. Inspired by his progress, Sujal’s peers now see him as a role model for perseverance and dedication, while his teachers frequently highlight his story as a testament to hard work and resilience.​


For Sujal’s mother, the support of Mindspark has eased the burden of ensuring quality education for her son. Sujal now dreams of becoming an Indian Civil Service Officer, determined to bring justice and dignity to marginalized communities.​


Sujal’s journey illustrates how targeted support and a commitment to learning can empower students to overcome barriers and aspire to create a meaningful impact in the world.​


Other Mona Partners you may be interested in

A boy and a girl are sitting on a bench in front of a fire extinguisher

Badi School, PANAMA
A woman in a green sari is using a singer sewing machine

Barli Institute, INDIA
A group of children are sitting at a table with papers and pencils
A group of young girls are standing in a doorway waving their hands.

Study Hall Educational Foundation, INDIA