Reena Hossain

Pioneer of multilingual children's storytelling in Bangladesh

Reena Hossain - Empowering Bangladeshi Children Through Storytelling

Reena Hossain is a Bangladeshi entrepreneur and founder of Bibabo, a digital platform providing multilingual children's stories in local languages. Born in 1987 in Dhaka, her work addresses the lack of quality educational content in Bangla and regional dialects. By 2022, Bibabo had delivered over 50 million stories to children in 14 languages across South Asia.

Origins of Bibabo

In 2015, Hossain identified a critical educational gap during her work with UNICEF. Only 3% of children's books in Bangladesh were in Bangla, and marginalized communities lacked access to culturally relevant content. This led to Bibabo's creation as:

• First Bangladeshi children's story app
• Free access model for low-income families
• Local author collaborations

Impact Metrics

By 2023, the platform:

• Hosts 12,000+ stories in 14 languages
• Serves 2 million+ monthly active users
• Partners with BRAC and Save the Children
• Reduces learning gaps by 40% in pilot schools

Innovation Highlights

Bibabo's unique features include:

• Interactive stories with audio narration
• Offline access for rural areas
• Teacher training programs
• Local artist collaborations

Social Impact

Impact studies show:

• 80% improvement in reading comprehension
• 60% increase in school attendance in target areas
• Empowerment of 500+ local writers

Global Recognition

Hossain's achievements include:

• Google for Startups Award (2018)
• UNESCO Digital Learning Prize (2020)
• World Summit Award (2021)

Future Vision

Bibabo's expansion plans include:

• Expansion into Hindi and Urdu markets
• AI-driven adaptive learning systems
• Partnership with UNESCO's Literacy Decade initiative

Reena Hossain's work ensures children across South Asia can access educational content in their mother tongues, addressing critical gaps in literacy and cultural preservation.