Claudia Peña

Ecuadorian AI developer creating accessible education tools for indigenous communities

Claudia Peña is an Ecuadorian computer scientist whose AI platform Kawsay AI is bridging the digital divide in the Amazon basin. Growing up in the Andes, she witnessed how language barriers and poor infrastructure limited educational opportunities for indigenous communities. Her solution? An AI-powered learning system that translates technical concepts into Quechua, Shuar, and other native languages using culturally relevant examples.

Launched in 2020, Kawsay's first application was a solar-powered tablet with offline functionality, designed for remote communities without internet access. The system's adaptive learning algorithms personalize content based on user progress and cultural context. For example, math problems might involve calculating harvest yields using traditional agricultural methods, while science modules use local flora and fauna for examples.

Peña's team includes linguists and indigenous educators to ensure cultural authenticity. The platform now supports 12 Amazonian languages and has reached over 15,000 students across Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. A 2022 study by the UNICEF Innovation Fund showed Kawsay users achieved 60% higher math proficiency and 40% better literacy rates compared to control groups.

In 2023, Peña expanded into health education with the Yachay Health module, which teaches disease prevention using augmented reality. Users can scan a plant to learn about its medicinal properties and see 3D visualizations of how treatments work. This has become especially vital during the pandemic, where it helped explain vaccination protocols in local languages.

Peña's vision extends beyond education - she's developing AI tools to preserve endangered languages through speech recognition systems. Her work was honored with the World Summit Award (2024) and inspired similar projects in Papua New Guinea and the Philippines. By centering indigenous knowledge systems in technology design, Peña is proving that AI can be a tool for cultural preservation rather than displacement.