“In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn.” – Phil Collins
We learned so much over the last four years. MoveUp began with the hypothesis that with just a bit of applicable, engaging education, lives can be changed. We realized how true that hypothesis was as we ran tests with our first users at Esperanza International: basic business education was helping micro-entrepreneurs escape poverty traps and create sustainable businesses to support themselves and their families.
Our solutions evolved into a holistic learning platform, powered by EdApp, which allowed our users to take short, micro-lessons (15 minutes or less) from anywhere. Our content responded to local needs, and we built lessons on everything from basic business education to parenting to preventative healthcare and community engagement. Through Esperanza, we taught small entrepreneurs who received loans to grow their businesses. We partnered with Plan International to reach teenagers and help them become community advocates. We worked with Seed International in Haiti to provide group business training to extremely remote entrepreneurs. Through it all, we remained focused on the user: asking them what they needed, what they wanted to learn, and how we could help.
We saw thousands of individuals take lessons and grow professionally, personally, and spiritually as they invested in themselves and as a result, became empowered to change their communities.
We’ve been inspired by our users’ resilience to keep learning, during COVID lockdowns and terrible tropical storms. We’ve seen first-hand how difficult it is for individuals to make education a priority while also adequately providing for their families, caring for their communities, and providing quality products and services through their businesses.
In teaching, we have learned so much, and each of us have grown professionally and personally as a result. We’re grateful for this opportunity to serve the unserved and honored that we were allowed to play a small role in their lives.
After an extraordinary amount of effort and testing a variety of different business models, we’ve come to the conclusion that a scalable business model isn’t possible. With this in mind, we are ceasing MoveUp’s operations. There is still much need for digital education for underserved adults, and Dan and I are passionate about pursuing opportunities to address the problem through different avenues in the future.
Thank you to all who were a part of this journey. We’re so grateful to our incredible team for their hard work, dedication, and passion to serve the vulnerable. We’re grateful for those at EdApp, who have been so supportive and receptive to building features to reach those who normally cannot access digital education. We’re grateful to our partners: Esperanza International, Plan International, and Seed International, who continue to do essential work to serve and empower the most vulnerable. Finally, thank you to all of you, who have prayed for us, encouraged us, and guided us along the way.
Blessings,
Marlena & Dan