Depok-A team from the Universitas Indonesia (UI) has created an interactive visual novel platform that combines digital entertainment and Indonesian culture to address parents’ concerns about the lack of safe and educational digital media products for children.
Amidst the rapid flow of digitalization, young children in Indonesia are becoming increasingly familiar with screens. By 2024, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) recorded that 32 percent of urban young children would have internet access, while the majority of content consumed by Indonesian children is still dominated by imported products, such as Cocomelon and YouTube Kids.
“We want children’s screen time to no longer be passive, but active, interactive, and educational,” said one of the team members from UI, Senopati Adi Prakoso, who is the Project Director of NusaEdufy.
NusaEdufy was developed by a cross-disciplinary team from the University of Indonesia. In addition to Senopati Adi Prakoso, the team includes Muhammad Syakur, Grace Victoria Brahmana, Livia Lailatul Arsy, Denindra Dwiputra Margono, and Muhammad Hadziq Razin from the Creative Business study program in the UI Vocational Education Program. Meanwhile, two other university students contributed to NusaEdufy: Rawiansyah Andhika Suarnanusa and Faris Zaidan Nafis.
They come from diverse backgrounds, including business and computer science. This collaboration has resulted in a unique innovation: a visual novel game based on Indonesian culture.
“Children aged 0-6 are in a golden period, a time when their physical and psychological development is rapid. This is the best time to introduce cultural values, as they are still highly receptive to stimuli,” said Muhammad Syakur.
NusaEdufy features two child characters named Asha and Arsa, who engage children as viewers in interactive stories full of moral choices. For example, the platform features a scene where Mrs. Icih is experiencing hardship. Children are given the choice to help or not. It’s a simple scenario imbued with the value of mutual cooperation.
While other platforms focus more on capturing children’s attention and keeping them watching, NusaEdufy emphasizes cultural learning and character development. Each story is only 3-6 minutes long, in line with the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation that children under five spend no more than one hour of screen time per day.
In addition, NusaEdufy also uses pastel colors with low saturation to be comfortable for children’s eyes, and emphasizes text in visual novels to align with the habit of reading story books.
For children, NusaEdufy offers an immersive cultural experience, from traditional clothing and music to the value of mutual cooperation. For parents, the app serves as a helpful discussion tool about life values, while also providing a sense of security thanks to the curated content.
“With NusaEdufy, parents can ensure their children’s screen time isn’t wasted. There are cognitive, emotional, and cultural benefits,” Senopati added.
(Photo: Screenshot of NusaEdufy’s educational novel)
NusaEdufy also contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as ensuring children acquire knowledge and skills based on local culture (Quality Education) and opening up collaboration spaces with various parties, from parents, educational institutions, to government agencies (Partnerships for the Goals).
NusaEdufy offers a subscription model of Rp 30,000 per month with long-term benefits for children’s development. Market analysis shows significant potential, with approximately 4.5 million of Indonesia’s 12 million early childhood children in urban areas already having access to smartphones.
Despite challenges such as managing a cross-campus team and limited communication, their enthusiasm remains strong. In its roadmap, NusaEdufy will add cultural content from various regions by partnering with Early Childhood Education and Kindergarten institutions and exploring partnerships with several government agencies.
Behind all these innovations, the NusaEdufy team agrees on one important message: gadgets are not tools to calm children, but rather learning tools that need to be supervised.
NusaEdify’s innovative product is also supported by the Head of the UI Vocational Creative Business Study Program, Hadining Kusumastuti, S.Sos., M.Ak. Hadining commended the team for securing Rp50 million in funding from the Vocational Incubation and Acceleration Funding Program.
“NusaEdufy’s success in securing Rp 50 million in incubation funding demonstrates that their creative ideas are recognized and trusted to be translated into real solutions. They have successfully combined education, technology, and culture into a relevant and impactful innovation. We are very proud because this work aligns with UI’s mission to support the emergence of young innovators who bring positive change to society,” said Hadining.
The NusaEdufy program application can be accessed via the link https://www.nusaedufy.com/.
