African Storybook vs TESSA OER

African Storybook develops and publishes picture storybooks in African languages to support children’s literacy, enjoyment and imagination. Its stories and tools are intended for children aged two to ten, including early childhood and the first three years of primary school. The free Reader app lets parents and children access books offline. With the free Maker app, people can create storybooks offline on a phone or tablet, then publish them to the website once connected. Website tools also support creating, translating and adapting picture books, and readers can download titles for offline reading or print them. Stories may be read, copied, adapted and translated without payment or permission, subject to attribution and any non-commercial restriction attached to a particular story. Creating, adapting or translating requires registration; users must be at least 18 or have parent or guardian permission. The site distinguishes ASb-approved stories from those made on the website or in the Maker app that have not been checked. It also offers video and written guidance on using and developing picture storybooks. The initiative is free, with Android, iOS and web access.

TESSA OER is a free education research and development project founded in 2005 that works with partners to support primary and secondary teachers across sub-Saharan Africa. Its open educational resources are linked to national curricula and offered in multiple language and country versions. The collection contains 90 subject-based modules: 75 structured primary units and 15 secondary units. Modules provide practical activities, case examples, classroom materials, and guidance on teaching strategies for engaging learners. Handbooks and toolkits support teachers and teacher educators, while the materials cover professional learning from initial teacher education through continuing development. A shared space lets teachers and teacher educators exchange adaptations. Published under an open Creative Commons licence, the resources are free to use, adapt, and share. Materials are available online and offline in digital and printed formats. Teachers may use them independently or integrate them into pre-service and in-service training programmes.