Our Story

Originally founded as Literacy Bridge in 2006, Amplio Network was established with the vision to solve global poverty by addressing illiteracy challenges in low-income countries through inclusive digital technology. The organization pioneered the development of the Amplio Talking Book, a durable, cost-effective audio device designed for people with low literacy. Initially conceived as a tool to enhance literacy skills among school children, the Talking Book found unexpected applications as a portable tool for disseminating crucial health and agricultural education in remote areas. 

 

Local experts explained that there were too many villages, too far apart, and not enough time or resources to reach them. For instance, in certain regions of Ghana, the ratio of extension officers to farmers can reach as high as 1:1500. 

 

Poor infrastructure was also a challenge. When agents visited a village for outreach activities, many individuals were unable to attend due to their engagement in fieldwork. For those who managed to attend, the challenge persisted as illiteracy prevented them from taking notes or reading printed materials. Consequently, people had to rely on memory to retain information about recommended health behaviors or agricultural practices. ​Locally spoken languages created further barriers.

 

Moreover, women faced significant obstacles to participation, being occupied with childcare, household responsibilities, and farm work. Deep-seated traditional social and gender norms further heightened these barriers. 

 

In response to this local insight, the organization redirected its efforts towards bridging the knowledge gap for people with low literacy through inclusive digital technology and innovative partnerships.   

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In 2017, we changed our name to Amplio Network. "Amplio" is a Latin verb that means “to make wider, increase, extend, amplify.” Our name speaks volumes. Today, the Amplio Talking Book program has reached over two million people in 14 countries. Our technology is helping to improve program reach, message quality, and community engagement across many issues—leading to greater social impact.  

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