MaatschapWij: ‘With his app Taaly, Shadi Alhakimi wants to close the language gap’

Dutch platform MaatschapWij published a profile with video about Taaly and founder Shadi Alhakimi: why a language gap isolates newcomers, and how an app with volunteers helps to close it.

What a language gap does to people

In the article Shadi describes what he saw around him: newcomers who do not speak the language well feel isolated, find it harder to get work and build fewer friendships. His answer was an app that makes practising with volunteers as easy as possible.

The first numbers and the plans

At the time of publication Taaly had 510 users: 96 language partners and 414 newcomers. With the support of the IGNITE Award, Shadi wanted to add in-person meetups, volunteering and job features, with the ambition of becoming Europe's largest language provider.

Much of that is reality today: activities in the newcomer's own municipality through Taaly Meedoen, an AI language coach and a work module in development.

“The best way to learn a language is by working with volunteers. That is how I got the idea to build a mobile app, called Taaly.”
Shadi Alhakimi in MaatschapWij (translated from Dutch)

Taaly today

Taaly has since grown into the digital integration assistant for newcomers: language, participation and work in one app, with more than 30,000 learners, 4,200 taalcoaches and partnerships with 18 municipalities.

Read the full article

‘With his app Taaly, Shadi Alhakimi wants to close the language gap’. MaatschapWij, by Roanne van Baren (12 September 2023).

See how Taaly Meedoen connects newcomers with activities in their municipality. Discover Taaly Meedoen