Tamkara Adun and her community are reshaping the ways African history and languages are taught

Find out how the the creator Tamkara Adun built an engaged learning community and educational products to help teach the decolonized African the history of Africa and its languages.

The moment that Tamkara along with her husband as well as her two children relocated from Nigeria into the Netherlands and everything was different. The family was immersed in a foreign culture, Tamkara quit her job in HR as well as her kids began attending a new primary school.

Tamkara observed that, in their new curriculum, her children learned about history through an European perspective that didn't cover all of the African stories, cultures, and achievements.

She recalls "They were able to learn a bit about African history However, this was written in a colonized story that did not discuss the greatness of their ancestors. I did not want them to be so absorbed in the stories of other people that they lost their personal. I desired them to be well-rounded yet also comprehend their African history in a way that was true and affirming to them."

In a bid to bridge this need, Tamkara decided she would learn them by herself. Tamkara began to read important African authors, conversing with relatives, and digging into the internet's archives. "As I began teaching my students, I realized that there was so much I had not been taught," she remembers. "In doing the work of educating the students, I was educating myself."

Tamkara was aware that if she and her family needed the information she had, other people might too.

"It was a journey for me. When I began, I realized that there was no way back. The more you understand, the more you realize there is a lot you do not know. I'm always learning and taking in this new information, but I also wanted to pass it on. Knowledge is a gift. You shouldn't keep it to yourself."

This belief inspired Tamkara to build an online company known as Odunife , which means "Year of Love" in Yoruba as well as to build a community centered on reciprocity. Many were keen to relive history through an African perspective, and the more she spoke to her community, the more she learned from her.

The questions they asked and their contributions, combined with her research led to the creation of educational classes as well as ebooks an illustrated children's book , a language school  and 1:1 coaching programs which expand our understanding of African historical events.

A collaborative and supportive community for learning

Community is the heart and soul of Tamkara's venture, and it all started with an easy Twitter account . Tamkara wanted to record her learning experiences, even if it was only glanced at by a small group of users. "It was like an echo," she recalls. "I put content out there, and nobody was listening."

However, gradually Tamkara became acquainted with other people fascinated by African culture through a decolonized, africa-centric view. The more details Tamkara shared she shared, the more followers engaged with her, reblogged, and even shared their posts with their followers. People who follow Tamkara also started sharing their own knowledge and experiences, creating a reciprocal learning environment.

"It's an exchange of information in which I share, but I'm in the process of studying."

"I publish something , and people in the comments will expand on the topic," she explains. "It's an online community of knowledge that helps us gain a better understanding of history and things that happened during the past."

Tamkara gained momentum by connecting with the creators of her niche, guest posting and leading with passion.

First, Tamkara contacted thought leaders she was awed by via remarks or directly messages. Tamkara informed them that their content were a hit with her, and she reshared their content to amplify their voices. She would frequently visit her page and follow her in a spirit of reciprocity.

Finally, audience members could tell she was committed to her work. "People can sense when you love the work you're doing. This builds trust and loyalty. It was about posting quality content that people naturally wanted to share. This put my name in front of more people," she explains.

In two years, her account grew from 50 followers to over 24,000 followers.

Tamkara's community has served as the foundation of her efforts throughout the process. Together Tamkara and her fans have built a positive feedback loop where all members can learn and share their knowledge with each others. With all the knowledge available, Tamkara knew it was time to take a leap and launch her first product.

Create a community by bringing together solutions

"I always listen to people. Many times especially on Instagram users will tell you what they're looking for. If the item you and I are both searching for doesn't exist I'm forced to make an opportunity."

She also wrote a children's novel titled Osasu and The Great Wall of the Benin Empire . The book was about African ingenuity she wanted her kids to learn about, and she knew other communities would love a book celebrating African culture.

"It's great to appreciate different histories from different parts of the globe But African children must know their history too. This builds self-esteem and confidence in yourself," she elaborates. "I consider that each story, every history, merits a place on the screen."

The next step was the language school.

"Many people have said that they want to learn African languages, especially those of us living in diaspora, whose ancestral ancestors were evicted in the African Maafa and had their language taken away."

She started leading small group sessions in order to share her native language within a friendly learning space. "Anyone could join on Zoom and participate. It was fun. It was a lot of laughter. I noticed that there was a space and an curiosity."

So Tamkara connected with language instructors from around Africa in order to create an online school for language .

When audience members approached her asking questions that required complex responses, Tamkara created a 1:1 coaching offer.

"A lot of people message me asking questions. I'd like to find time to answer all of them. However, certain questions require more time thinking, energy as well as research. Coaching packages allow us to have a full conversation."

Working with her local community, Tamkara continually identifies needs and fills them with products which spread knowledge, honesty and love.

: A versatile platform for multi-passionate entrepreneurs

With multiple passions and a never-ending flow of thoughts, Tamkara needed a place to store her ideas. That led her to .

"I wanted an opportunity that offered me versatility," Tamkara reflects. "I awake each day with many thoughts in my head. I wanted a platform that would allow me to have all my ideas on one platform."

"Having the team for any technical issue takes away the stress and strain of having to figure everything out myself. I feel like has not just been there for me , but also collaborated with me in the development of my business," she shares.

"I'm passionate about communicating and I love the variety of touch points with my family and friends. If I'm online, you can communicate with me instantly. If I'm not online, I'll get an email notification so I'm able to reach them. It's also possible to send broadcast emails to my full viewers or to a group of people interested in one of my services. This has been an amazing game changer."

In essence, creatives require equipment that allows them to do the best work. Like Tamkara puts it, " eliminates the technical stress and gives me space to focus on my creative activities, which is the thing I love to do the best. It's a place where I can get help and encourage me. This is priceless."

Tamkara's adviceis to get help and follow your dreams

As she built Odunife, Tamkara learned how essential it is to have a support system and to take big leaps. Tamkara advises others to do the same.

Make the most of your strengths and don't go on your own.

It's common for entrepreneurs to be able to do ten jobs however Tamkara insists on the fact that no one can accomplish it all on their own. "You can't do everything," Tamkara emphasizes. "Figure out what you do most effectively and focus your efforts into it. If you are in areas where you are not as proficient, get people to help with your work."

Don't put off things until they become perfectly

Are you looking for something to communicate your thoughts with others? Tamkara is adamant about taking that leap and getting to know the process.

"Don't just wait for things to be perfect since they'll never be perfect." Tamkara says.

"The path to learning is through doing. If you've got an idea, take it to it. There's no way to know what might emerge from it. It's likely that your original plan will alter over time, and you'll make numerous iterations. However, if you put off trying to be perfect, you'll probably not even begin."

Discover what you wish to accomplish and discover methods to get it done beginning by establishing yourself.

"We can learn how to cut the tree by cutting." -"African Proverb"

All that Tamkara is aware of as an artist, she acquired from her job. It's not easy starting from scratch But nothing is going to take place until you've completed that first step .

"A number of people did not see my vision, but I had that deep belief that this was something I must do. More often than not, our intuition knows things we do not necessarily know physically. If your brain is saying to you that you should do something, your spirit has been directing you in the direction of something, explore that idea and go on that journey."

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