This is a major first for the continent's educational gaming landscape. The Ivorian company Studio 6 has just unveiled Akissa , the first audio story box entirely dedicated to African stories, tales, rhymes, and songs. Designed for children as young as 3, this portable device aims to bring African culture to the forefront of early childhood development, both at home and at school.

Filling a cultural and technological void

While story boxes have become very popular in the West and Asia, African heritage has so far been largely overlooked by this technology. It was this observation that led Honoré Essoh, the designer of Akissa, to conceive this project:

"The initiative stemmed from the desire to allow African children to grow up with heroes, stories, and songs from their own cultural heritage, while remaining open to other cultures."

An alternative to screens inspired by oral tradition

A true tool for disconnecting, Akissa is a screen-free device that relies entirely on audio to stimulate the imagination and listening skills of toddlers. To recreate the warmth of a bedtime story told by a parent, the soundscapes have been minimalist, even incorporating the gentle sound of turning pages.

True to the essence of African oral tradition, each story ends with a moral conveying strong values. Furthermore, the box celebrates the linguistic diversity of the continent by offering nursery rhymes performed in numerous local languages, such as:

1. The Baoulé, the Malinké, the Yacouba, the Lobi and the Sénoufo.
2. Wolof, Fulani, Lingala and Zarma.

An evolving and collaborative library

Far from being a static catalogue, Akissa is conceived as a constantly expanding library. Studio 6 plans to regularly enrich its catalogue through close collaborations with authors, publishers, and educational content creators based across the continent.

This ambitious project is in keeping with Studio 6's DNA, a company that has been enriching the children's media sector for over a decade. Studio 6 is already well-known for its successful animated series ( Nubu and Yara , Bouyou ) and its children's literature ( Treasures of Yopougon ). With Akissa, Studio 6 is laying the foundation for the very first major audio library for young people dedicated to African cultures.