At Global Teacher, our mission has always been to bring quality education to children who need it most—especially those in hard-to-reach, off-grid areas. As we continue to grow and evolve, we’ve learned valuable lessons about how best to deliver this education in a way that’s sustainable, scalable, and impactful. That’s why we made the decision to move away from our original Pod & Lumi concept and pivot to a new solution: Classroom in a Box™.
Why We Started with Pod & Lumi
When we first launched Pod & Lumi, we were excited about the potential to bring technology-driven education to remote areas. The idea was simple: create a portable, solar-powered projector with everything a classroom needed, all available offline. The goal is to give children access to education even in areas without internet or electricity.
Pod & Lumi was an innovative step in the right direction. It generated interest from schools and communities that desperately needed access to education. We received positive feedback, and some encouraging sponsorship in the form of donations. It was clear that there was a need for something like this. But as with any innovative project, we found there was a better way and made changes to take advantage of these opportunities.
The Challenges with Pod & Lumi
While Pod & Lumi held great promise, the reality of rolling it out at scale revealed some complications we hadn’t fully anticipated. Certification to international standards was going to consume a lot of energy and cost. Scaling our small ‘alpha’ 3D production centre would also be costly and the design and production process was a little distracting from our main purpose; getting the kit to the places it is needed. So we made a swift change that has proven to be very effective.
The Shift to Classroom-in-a-Box™
After reflecting on the challenges and looking for a more sustainable and scalable solution, we pivoted to something simpler and more adaptable: Classroom-in-a-Box™.
Classroom-in-a-Box™ is everything we loved about Pod & Lumi – portable, solar-powered, and complete with all the resources necessary for a classroom but without the complexity. In making this pivot, a weight was lifted.
The new components are sourced from trusted suppliers with certified equipment meaning we can ship quickly and with reduced risk. Supply chains are well established which enables cost-effective bundling for our needs. And as needs evolve, we can quickly adapt to leverage technology and supplier enhancements as they come online. We have de-risked, improved flexibility, and removed cost and logistical barriers that may have hindered our objective.
Impact on Our Communities and Donors
We’re excited about the new direction and the potential it has to transform education for marginalised children. The simplicity and portability of Classroom-in-a-Box™ mean we can reach even more schools and communities with the tools they need to provide quality education.
This change doesn’t just benefit us – it also benefits our donors. By streamlining production and deployment, we ensure that every penny of your donation goes further, delivering maximum impact to the children and communities who need it the most.
Looking to the Future
As we continue to grow, we’re more focused than ever on our mission: to bring education to 1 million learners by deploying 2,000 units to remote areas across the globe. Classroom-in-a-Box™ is a key part of that vision, and we’re excited to see the progress we’re making in heading to this target.
While we’re focusing on regions like Ukraine, Africa, and South America in the medium term, the future is wide open. As the global landscape evolves, we’ll have the opportunity to expand our reach to new regions.
At Global Teacher, we believe that education is key and we’re committed to making it accessible to every child, no matter where they are. With Classroom-in-a-Box™, we’re one step closer to making that vision a reality. We’re excited to continue this journey with you—our supporters, partners, and the communities we serve – together, we can inspire tomorrow’s dreamers, visionaries and problem solvers across the globe.
