Founder Story #5 - Maira from Chiragh
Making Urdu fun for primary schoolers
Hello Founders 👋
Welcome to the latest edition of Founder Stories.
Today’s star is Maira Siddiqui from Chiragh, a founder, educator, and Urdu advocate. Her journey is filled with embracing culture, collaborations, and pitch competitions.
As a 7-year-old, Maira faced difficulties learning English and wished for a better approach. This grievance stayed with her and later became the driving force behind her social venture, Chiragh.
Let’s hear the story in her own words.
Meet Maira.
How did you get here?
It started when I was 7 and struggling to learn English. Later, while studying in the US, I saw people from different cultures thriving in the English-speaking world while preserving their native languages and cultures.
This made me question the dominance of English in Pakistan and its impact on societal progress and our education system.
After returning to Pakistan and working in the corporate world, I witnessed firsthand the dysfunction caused by this language barrier.
That's when I envisioned a Duolingo-like platform that would make learning local Pakistani languages fun and engaging for children through animations and games.
Describe the first version of your product. And how is it doing today?
It was a video I made after learning animation from YouTube. Armed with a phone and a closet-turned-recording studio, I spent a month crafting just 6 minutes of animated content. Here it is 👇
In 18 months, we have produced 300+ videos and scaled the YT channel to 3.6K subscribers who actively watch our content.
Share the moment when you realized your idea had great potential.
When we made it to the finals of an international pitch fest by ICESCO in Morocco. Out of 18 startups from 7 countries, Chiragh emerged as the winner, securing the grand prize of $10,000.
It was a moment of relief and validation for me. “Someone finally sees my vision, I’m gonna be okay, I got this,” I said to myself.
Biggest milestones you’re proud of?
Having raised PKR 5.5 million through 5 different grant competitions.
What is your secret to winning grant competitions repeatedly?
We have filled over 100 applications to win 5 and didn’t win a big grant until our 11th month.
Over time, we have developed a system to approach grants where each team member focuses on a specific stage:
My co-founder handles applications and gets us to the proposal stage,
Our commercialization manager attends training sessions,
I take care of the pitches and presentations.
This way each of us get to sharpen a specific skill without getting overwhelmed.
What are your future goals? How do you define success?
We want to eradicate language barriers from the process of learning. Our goals revolve around making Urdu mainstream and creating fun resources for children to learn in their own language.
Success would be:
Becoming a Pakistani version of Dora the Explorer for kids
Attracting regular brand sponsorships for our YT channel
Widespread adoption of our resources in private & non-profit schools
Did the community play a role in your growth?
Of course! The awesome people of SSK at IoBM and Katalyst Labs played a monumental role in helping Chiragh find its footing.
Plus, I discovered the power of community when I reached out to our competitors like Pakistani YT channels for children and educational non-profits, surprisingly not only did they start mentoring us but also become our vendors, collaborators, and customers in some cases.
Tell us a memorable moment from your journey.
I have sleep apnea so I don’t wake up energized. On the final pitch day in Morocco, I almost overslept. Jehan Ara from Katalyst Labs was pounding on my door to wake me up.
A bit about the space
What have been the most influential resources?
Shark Tank India, i2i’s Startup Ecosystem reports
Podcasts by Naeem Sikandar and Muzammil Hassan
Documentaries like WeCrashed, Super Pumped, A Decade In Motion.
What's the weirdest piece of advice that has helped you along the way?
“Share your idea with people, no one is going to steal it”, as a Pakistani trust deficit is essentially my birth right so that advice was weird at that time but has been largely instrumental in getting Chiragh where it is today.
Is there a brand you wish you had built yourself?
Taleemabad, I wish I could have played a part in building it, but maybe in the future.
What will be the biggest change or disruption in your industry this year?
AI integration in education will be a significant disruption, allowing personalized learning experiences tailored to each child's cognitive abilities. Pilots are going in Chinese schools since 2019.
Wrapping it up…
Maira’s journey emphasizes the power of personal motivation, community support, and an ambition to localize education in Pakistan.
By addressing a pressing need in society and employing strategic approaches like bootstrapping & collaborating with competitors, team Chiragh have set themselves on a path toward making a meaningful impact in children’s lives.
No Pakistani kid will suffer due to a language barrier in curriculum on Chiragh’s watch. Check them out on Instagram or LinkedIn.
Maira’s tips for winning grants:
Don’t let a NO dishearten you
Divide or delegate, don’t aim to handle it all yourself
Keep updating how you communicate the value of your product
If you’ve lost, drop the ego and ask judges where you went wrong
Help and encourage others. Clap for them when they win. Often your future customers or collaborators are attending these competitions.
That’s it for today!
Thank you for taking the time to read this. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
If you enjoyed reading this issue, please consider sharing it with friends or clicking the little heart below to help others find it. 🙌
Until next time,
Hassaan
Keep going Maria! We are here to help if you ever need anything.
This is an inspiring story about Maira Siddiqui and her journey to make Urdu fun for primary schoolers through her social venture, Chiragh. It’s amazing to see how she turned her struggles with learning English into a driving force for change and how she has achieved so much in just 18 months. Keep up the great work!