For the kids: Mahlahle app teaches and preserves African languages

After being inspired by his two-year-old daughter, Mukondleteri Dumela created an app for kids to learn African languages.

“We just launched four days ago, and we’re already trending in the top 12 education apps on the Apple App Store,” Dumela told The Citizen.

Mahlahle is a vibrant app designed for children aged two to eight. This initiative is part of Angula, another company founded by Dumela.

Angula is an award-winning app with over 20,000 registered users, tailored to help adults learn and appreciate African languages. The company started as a form of language activism. Dumela initially founded the Xitsonga.org project to bring the Xitsonga language into the digital age.

 As the Xitsonga.org project gained popularity, the concept of Angula emerged, spurred by suggestions to expand Xitsonga.org’s scope to encompass more languages.

“It features the same languages as Mahlahle, but with more complex topics suitable for adult learners,” said Dumela

“Mahlahle is an addition to help young children explore and appreciate African languages and cultures.” Sentimentally, Mahlahle is the name of Dumela’s daughter which is a Xitsonga word for planet Venus.

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For the kids

The Mahlahle app was launched on the 1st of July 2024, but together with his team, Dumela has been working on it for the past six months.

“The reception has been thrilling and overwhelmingly positive. People are hungry for language apps, especially for kids, and we’re receiving great feedback from the public,” said Dumela.

The small team includes Software Developer Hlawuleka Maswangayi and Operations Manager Akani Dumela.

“The preservation and accessibility of African languages are crucial. These languages carry culture, history, and identity. By promoting African languages through apps like Mahlahle and Angula, we help keep these languages alive and relevant. This fosters pride and belonging among learners of all ages,” said the founder.

The initiative is quite refreshing as South Africans tend to zoom in on their heritage and cultures during September’s Heritage Month or that bit of pride kick-in on Africa month in May.

“It’s essential to move beyond token recognition during specific months and integrate African languages into our daily lives. Our vision is to make it easy for anyone to learn any African language,” Dumela stated.

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