Utamaduni Bora: Preserving Cultural Knowledge through Open Educational Practices – TBC September 2025
Faculty/Staff: Leticia Kanywuiro (student-led), supervisors: Alana Hoare & Roxane Letterlough
Platform: WordPress
Site link (if applicable): https://utamadunibora.trubox.ca/
Services provided: support with platform training, domain set up, structure, design, and accessibility
Description: Utamaduni Bora is a digital storytelling project, led by award-winning MEd student, Leticia Kanywuiro, dedicated to preserving and sharing the rich oral traditions of the Kikuyu people of Kenya. Designed for early childhood educators (Pre-K to Grade 3+), it features bilingual videos narrated in Kikuyu by Rose Wangui Thuo—an Early Childhood Educator with over 30 years of leadership experience and roots in the Kikuyu tribe—and in English by Leticia Kanywuiro. The project is further enriched by beautiful original illustrations from Kenyan artist Caleb Okeke, who has brought these visuals to life in narrated video format. This collection transforms traditional tales into engaging, accessible resources for young learners, complete with teacher guides and interactive activities that foster language development, cultural engagement, and intergenerational knowledge sharing. Developed with support from TRU Open Press, Utamaduni Bora is openly licensed for non-commercial use, making it a valuable resource for educators worldwide. By blending cultural authenticity with digital accessibility, the project supports Kenyan immigrant youth and the wider African diaspora in connecting with their heritage while enriching all classroom curricula with diverse perspectives.
We’re proud to share that this project received the 2025 OEGlobal Award for Excellence in the “People of Open: Open Individuals Award” Category!
A note about the videos: Rooted in Indigenous oral traditions, the stories illustrated and narrated in these videos have been passed down through generations and embody cultural knowledge that may not align with Western copyright frameworks. In respecting these traditions, the videos do not include transcripts, as they are intended to be experienced through listening and viewing. These materials should be approached with respect and reciprocity.
Impact Summary
The average commercial price of this type of rich learning resource, such as a picture book and related lesson plans and activities in Canada (e.g., curriculum themed online videos) typically ranges from $300 to $650+ for schools or $2.50-$12/ student.
- Advantages of Using Openly Licensed Resources like Utamaduni Bora: Utamaduni Bora offers cost-free, accessible materials for educators and learners, with activities available both online and in printable formats to support diverse needs. Teachers can customize and expand the content, adding new stories to suit their classrooms and cultural contexts. The resource fosters cultural connection, identity, and respect among students. Its bilingual videos, illustrations, and interactive activities engage multiple learning styles, while the open license encourages collaboration and sharing among educators to continuously improve and adapt the resource.
Impact Story
Written by Divya Chandak
Background
Leticia joined Thompson Rivers University in January 2024 as an international student from Kenya, enrolling in the Master of Education program. From the beginning of her studies, she was encouraged to reflect on her academic interests and the changes she hoped to see within education. Initially drawn to curriculum development, Leticia soon realized how broad the field was and began narrowing her focus to areas where she had seen gaps firsthand.
Through these reflections, she became particularly interested in Indigenous education. In Kenya, Indigenous education has only recently been introduced as a formal subject, having previously been embedded within social studies or history courses. As a result, there are limited learning resources available to support teachers, especially at the primary level.
Inspiration
Leticia’s inspiration for Utamaduni Bora came from both her academic research and her lived experience. She noticed that while Indigenous education was gaining recognition, educators often lacked structured, culturally relevant materials to teach it effectively. This gap motivated her to create a resource that could support teachers while helping students connect more deeply with their cultural identities.
Utamaduni Bora focuses on Kikuyu culture, Leticia’s own cultural background, but was intentionally designed with the potential to grow. Kenya is home to 47 different cultural communities, and Leticia hopes the platform will eventually expand through collaboration with other educators who wish to contribute culturally grounded content.
Support and Collaboration
Leticia was introduced to open education through her coursework, but the project took shape after she connected with her supervisor, Dr. Alana Hoare. As Leticia prepared to choose between a thesis, capstone, or project option, she decided that a project would best support her interest in curriculum development. Dr. Hoare then connected her with the TRU Open Press team.
Working with the Open Press team- including Dani Collins, Brian Lamb, and Jessica, was a key part of the project’s success. With no prior background in information technology or digital publishing, Leticia initially found the idea of creating an online resource intimidating. Through ongoing guidance, training, and encouragement, she learned how to use WordPress, structure content for an open audience, and understand the importance of open licensing.
The team also helped her think through accessibility, age-appropriate activities, and the visual presentation of the resource, including the use of interactive tools such as H5P. This support allowed Leticia to turn her ideas into a practical and engaging open educational resource.
Impact and Future Goals
Utamaduni Bora was developed as an open educational resource for primary-level Indigenous education. Beyond providing curriculum content, the project highlights the importance of representation, community, and collaboration in learning. Leticia hopes the resource will continue to grow by bringing together educators from different cultural backgrounds to contribute content that reflects their own communities.
Through this project, Leticia gained confidence in digital publishing and a deeper understanding of how open education can support culturally responsive teaching. She sees open education as a flexible and powerful tool, particularly for Indigenous education, where accessibility and community involvement are essential.
Reflection
Looking back, Leticia identifies time constraints and her initial lack of technical knowledge as the main challenges she faced during the project. However, strong mentorship, open communication, and collaboration helped her overcome these barriers. For Leticia, Utamaduni Bora is not just an academic project, but a shared effort made possible through community support and open educational practices.
