raina_al_abdulla

A Jordanian social entrepreneur pioneering education equity through digital innovation

Rania Al-Abdulla (born 1975) is a visionary educator and founder of KnowUnity, a nonprofit bridging educational gaps in the Middle East through technology. Growing up in Jordan during the 1980s refugee crisis, she witnessed disparities in access to quality education. In 2004, she launched KnowUnity to provide free digital learning platforms, starting with Arabic language resources. The organization now offers over 10,000 online courses in multiple languages, serving 2 million students annually across 15 countries. Her work has been highlighted in BBC and UNICEF reports. Al-Abdulla also developed the first Arabic STEM curriculum for girls, increasing female enrollment in tech fields by 30% in Jordan. She co-founded the Arab Women in Technology Network, which has trained 50,000 women since 2010. Her TEDx talk "Education as Liberation" has over 2 million views. Al-Abdulla's impact extends to policy work, advising UNESCO on digital education strategies for conflict zones.