Customer Story: Afrikindness
Improving learning within a non-profit children’s charity
Afrikindness, a non-profit children’s charity, needed a learning tool that empowered students to take control of their education. In this unique customer story, we spoke with Trustee and Tutor, Tolu Owolabi, as he shared his experience working with Access GCSEPod.
Access GCSEPod
Charity
"GCSEPod is a valuable resource for Afrikindness because it aligns with our mission to foster positive racial identity development in young people. Many children who transition or migrate to the UK often come from different educational systems, resulting in learning gaps that make it challenging for them to adapt and thrive academically. Parents frequently seek alternative support to help their children bridge these gaps and gain confidence in their studies.
This is where Afrikindness steps in. Through our supplementary education programs, we aim to close these academic gaps by providing accessible and effective learning support.
GCSEPod plays a key role in this effort by offering concise, bitesize subject content that simplifies complex topics, making them easier for students to understand and retain.
In addition to using GCSEPod, we also engage qualified tutors (subject to funding or volunteer availability) to provide personalised support, answer questions, and make learning more interactive and enjoyable. This combined approach ensures that students not only catch up academically but also build the skills and confidence they need to succeed in school."
Tolu Owolabi - Trustee, Afrikindness
Introduction
Most of our customer stories focus on schools and academies, but this one is a little different. Afrikindness isn’t a school - it’s a non-profit organisation dedicated to spreading kindness and resilience among children. Their focus is on empowering young people through education and community engagement, making sure they have the confidence and tools to thrive.
For Tolu Owolabi, a Tutor and Trustee at Afrikindness, education isn’t just about teaching - it’s about creating opportunities for young minds to succeed. When Afrikindness came across GCSEPod, they saw an opportunity to better support the students they work with by providing structured, accessible learning resources.
The challenge of independent learning
Before GCSEPod, Afrikindness struggled to get students to take control of their learning. Many lacked confidence and felt overwhelmed by the amount of content they needed to cover. They needed a resource that was straightforward, engaging, and easy to track, without adding extra work for tutors and volunteers.
Tolu saw its potential straight away. He recalls:
"It’s easy to use, and the way concepts are explained really helps students engage. They feel more comfortable taking charge of their own learning."
Why GCSEPod stood out
Once Afrikindness started using GCSEPod, students found it easier to break down difficult subjects into manageable parts. The short, focused videos helped simplify complex topics, while real-life examples made the content relatable and easier to understand. Tolu compared GCSEPod to other resources and found it particularly useful:
"I’ve watched loads of educational videos, but GCSEPod is really effective. The way topics are broken down and linked to real-world situations makes a huge difference."
Beyond the videos, GCSEPod helped students follow a structured learning path, allowing them to test their understanding and get instant feedback - which gave them confidence as they progressed.
Making teaching easier
For educators and volunteers like Tolu, GCSEPod didn’t just help students, it also made teaching and mentoring more manageable.
Before GCSEPod, lesson planning and marking assessments were time-consuming. With ready-made assignments, question banks, and automated marking, volunteers and educators could spend more time supporting students rather than managing admin tasks.
"From a teacher’s perspective, it’s really useful for grouping students, setting homework, and tracking progress. The self-marking feature for multiple-choice questions also saves loads of time."
One feature he found particularly helpful was the ability to upload custom questions, making it easy to tailor assignments to specific learning needs.
"I’ve been able to upload my own questions with no hassle. It’s a really helpful feature that makes things more flexible."
Seeing the difference
The impact was clear. Students who previously struggled with motivation now had a clear learning structure that helped them stay on track. They could learn at their own pace, focus on areas they needed to improve, and actually enjoy studying.
Afrikindness saw noticeable improvements - students became more confident, more engaged in their studies, and more proactive in their learning. Teachers and volunteers also benefited, as GCSEPod helped lighten their workload, allowing them to focus on mentoring and support. Tolu sums it up:
"Everything is in one place, so students can build their knowledge gradually and check their understanding along the way."
A brighter future with GCSEPod
Afrikindness continues to use GCSEPod as a valuable tool to support young learners. By combining their mission of kindness and empowerment with GCSEPod’s accessible learning resources, they are helping students develop confidence and succeed in their education.
For Tolu, the journey with GCSEPod has been a positive one -not just for the students, but for himself as an educator. As he puts it,
"It’s made a real difference in how we support our students. It’s flexible, easy to use, and helps them stay on track."
With Afrikindness and GCSEPod, more young learners now have the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed - no matter their background.