Umbi Labs

17/08/2026

Have you read the latest publication by UN University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability? If not, you’re missing one of the most beautifully put-together publications we’ve come across.

And yes, we’re featured in it!

Youth in Charge: RCE Leaders Shaping Sustainable Societies celebrates youth-led Education for Sustainable Development initiatives from across the RCE network, and we’re incredibly proud to see our story included.

Our story didn’t begin with Umbi Labs. It started with WeLove Assistive Technology, an initiative that brought us closer to people in our communities who are often overlooked — people living with disabilities.

That work grew. The more we listened, the more we wanted to do, and the more we fell in love with the work. What started as an initiative eventually demanded more structure, deeper research, and a stronger engineering commitment. That’s where Umbi Labs sprouted.

And today, SoinsAvec is a child of that work, born from the same desire to build technology that responds to real needs, not imagined ones.

Through SoinsAvec, we’re working to make communication support more accessible for children with speech and language disabilities, particularly those who face barriers to traditional speech and language therapy because of the shortage of specialists and the cost of care.

We’re especially proud to have represented RCE Greater Nairobi in this publication, alongside so many other young people bringing their ideas, work, and communities into the work of building more sustainable societies.

A huge thank you to UN University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability, Global RCE Network and , and to our RCE community led by Dr. Wemali, Dr. Bancy Ireri, and Abednego (Okwakau Wabolola) for the support and encouragement.

And to our local collaborators, Kilimanjaro Blind Trust Africa (Kilimanjaro Blind Trust Africa) and Senses Hub (Senses Hub), thank you for walking this journey with us.

We’re happy to have our little piece of the story in the book 🎉❤️

Want to read it too? Grab your copy here:
https://unu.edu/publication/youth-charge-rce-leaders-shaping-sustainable-societies

And here’s a little more about our story:
https://umbilabs.com/welove-initiative

13/08/2026

Ni fire si fire? 🔥

WE GOT FEATURED!! 🎉

We’re excited to share that WeLove Initiative, the engine behind Umbi Labs, has been featured in Youth in Charge: RCE Leaders Shaping Sustainable Societies — a publication celebrating youth-led Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) initiatives across the RCE network.

We’re grateful to UNU-IAS, RCE Service Centre, and RCE Greater Nairobi for recognizing and spotlighting youth-led initiatives working towards more inclusive and sustainable communities.

Our chapter is a small reflection of a much bigger movement: young people creating solutions, leading change, and building the future they want to see.

Want to read the publication too? Grab your copy here: https://unu.edu/publication/youth-charge-rce-leaders-shaping-sustainable-societies

This book highlights initiatives across the Global RCE Network that advance meaningful youth engagement and leadership.

12/08/2026

Okay, this one deserves a little celebration.

WeLove Initiative has been featured in Youth in Charge: RCE Leaders Shaping Sustainable Societies, a publication celebrating youth-led Education for Sustainable Development initiatives from across the RCE network.

Through WeLove, we’ve been working to make communication support more accessible for children with speech and language disabilities through SoinsAvec, our speech-support companion.

It’s pretty special to see our work included alongside other young people and initiatives working to build more sustainable and inclusive communities.

A big thank you to UN University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability, Global RCE Network, and RCE Greater Nairobi for amplifying youth-led work and putting initiatives like ours in the spotlight.

And yes, we’re absolutely keeping a copy.

Want one too? Grab your copy of the publication here: https://unu.edu/publication/youth-charge-rce-leaders-shaping-sustainable-societies

Here’s to young people who aren’t just talking about the future, but doing something about it.

12/08/2026

Happy International Youth Day!

There’s something special about being young — having the time to learn, the freedom to try, and enough optimism to believe that a small idea can become something much bigger.

So here’s to the young people learning, creating, asking difficult questions, starting things before they have all the answers, and showing up anyway.

Keep learning. Keep trying. Keep building.

The future has plenty of time. Today is ours.

20/07/2026

Every child deserves to be understood. 💙

For some children, getting their message across can take a little more time, a little more patience, and a lot more encouragement.

That's why we're building SoinsAvec.

We don't believe children should have to adapt to technology. We believe technology should learn how they communicate.

Every conversation, every practice session, and every small win helps SoinsAvec better support each child's unique communication journey. Along the way, parents, caregivers, and speech-language therapists get another tool to encourage progress, celebrate milestones, and help children build confidence.

The AI is important, but it's not the story.

The story is the child who feels understood.
The parent who hears a new word.
The therapist celebrating another breakthrough.

If we can help create more of those moments, we're building the right thing.

Learn more about SoinsAvec and what we stand for at www.umbilabs.com.

23/06/2026

We had a fantastic conversation with kbcchannel1, talking about our work, why it matters, the impact we're striving to create, and where we are headed next.

A big thank you to KBC for this opportunity to share our story with a wider audience.

If you didn't catch the broadcast, you can watch the full conversation on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Y5QZ40NvT0k

03/06/2026

Umbi Labs was pleased to participate in the AT Innovators Workshop hosted by at Senses Hub.

The workshop brought together AT ventures and practitioners for practical discussions on what it takes to build and scale Assistive Technology solutions in African markets.

A key theme throughout the session was the importance of developing products that are grounded in local contexts. For AT solutions to be effective, they must reflect the environments, needs, and realities of the people who use them.

As Rama put it:

"Fall in love with the problem, not the solution."

The discussion also highlighted the role of community partnerships in the distribution and adoption of AT products. Building the technology is one part of the challenge. Ensuring that it reaches and works for the intended users requires strong collaboration across the ecosystem.

Thank you to Dave, Rama, and Harry for sharing your expertise and perspectives, and to the entire inABLE team for convening such an important conversation.

We appreciate the opportunity to learn alongside fellow AT innovators and contribute to the ongoing efforts to make Assistive Technology more accessible and relevant for local communities.

12/05/2026

We had the pleasure of participating in the CDLI ASR Kenya Hackathon: Venture & Impact Roundtable at Senses Hub. It was a powerful session focused on what it truly takes to keep building inclusive speech technology ventures beyond demo day.

The event brought together hackathon alumni, ecosystem partners, and stakeholders in the assistive technology space — all committed to advancing accessibility and innovation.

One of the key highlights of the day was the venture session by Justin Jesudas, who shared insightful perspectives on building and growing in the assistive technology sector, including the realities of developing and sustaining ventures in this space. Building here requires resilience, long-term vision, and a deep commitment to impact — conversations like these continue shaping our journey.

This initiative, co-funded by Google.org, is part of the , led by UCL’s Global Disability Innovation Hub and its Centre for Digital Language Inclusion (CDLI), in collaboration with Senses Hub and Strathmore University’s iLabAfrica. Technical support from Modal, through GPU sponsorship, continues to power the development of the ASR models

08/05/2026

Last week at the Connected Africa Summit 2026, we had the honor of being part of something really special — the official launch of Kenya AI for Disability Project, an initiative grounded in the belief that AI can help make inclusion more real and accessible for everyone.

Inclusion should no longer be just a buzzword or something we only talk about in boardrooms. It should be at the center of how we build, create, and connect with people. At the end of the day, it’s about making sure no one gets left behind.

We’re excited about what lies ahead and remain deeply committed to our mission: technology should adapt to people — not the other way around.

05/05/2026

We had the privilege of attending a media briefing at the Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE), and it was a deeply inspiring moment.

Together with partners including , , , and , KISE is making meaningful strides in inclusive technology. We saw a wide range of assistive tools supporting diverse needs, from visual and hearing impairments to speech and language challenges, neurodivergence, mobility limitations, and more.

One key highlight was an exclusive tour of the new assistive technology lab which is fully equipped with modern tools to enable local design and production of affordable solutions. This is a big step forward for accessibility, built for the community, by the community. We look forward to its official opening soon.