Yvonne Mbanefo

Change Agent, Consultant, Educator/Teacher, Entrepreneur, Marketer, Parent, Technologist

After searching for modern Igbo language learning materials for her kids, digital strategist Yvonne Mbanefo created the first illustrated Igbo dictionary for children. Now she's working on Yoruba, Hausa, Gikuyu and more. Yvonne Mbanefo is a digital strategist with a background in digital media, information design / eLearning and education. She is the co-founder and director of T-One Technologies, an IT solutions firm. Her research interests include behaviour change communication,education based entertainment, applied linguistics, digital storytelling, culture studies, modern African Language learning. Yvonne works to make African languages accessible through digital, mobile and TV platforms -- connecting the dots between languages, culture and identity. Her work and research led to the publishing of the first illustrated Igbo Dictionary for children, which became a bestseller. Her Learn Igbo Now series of learning materials include dual language storybooks, activity books and videos. Now she is working with other African language communities to develop similar learning tools. Yvonne's Big Hairy Audacious Goal is .. to reawaken the desire in the next generation of Africans to learn about their languages and culture .. by creating extensive modern learning materials for improving reading, speaking, writing and listening in all the African languages. She is a co-convener of the Annual International Igbo conference, hosted by SOAS, University of London ( http://igboconference.com ). She also heads the team developing a web based archive and encyclopedia of Igbo studies ( http://www.igbostudiesarchive.org ). She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, United Kingdom and has won awards for her contributions to Igbo language.

Digital storytelling, Self Learning , Edutainment , Preserving African Languages and culture.

Never stop Learning. Ever. (Arnold Schwarzenegger)

Applied Linguistics, Content Creation, Digital Marketing, Elearning, Information Design, Translation

My TED story started when i came across a TED talk on youtube. It led me to the TED website and I've been watching and learning from TED talks since then. A friend approached me to attend a TEDx event in 2011, by late 2012 I had graduated from not just a TED attendee , but a volunteer and then an organizing team member of the wildly successful TEDxEuston based in London ( www.tedxeuston.com ) . In Feb 2017, I was a speaker at TEDLagos idea search. I was then chosen from the TEDLagos Idea search to speak at TED Global 2017 at Arusha, Tanzania. My TED Global talk was about preserving African Languages and culture using stories. I am also a TED translator...... and my TED Story is ongoing !

Dancing and Crafts