Gaëlle Matondo, founder of an app that facilitates the learning of African languages

Gaëlle Matondo is a Congolese entrepreneur, the founder of Yombz, a mobile app aiming to facilitate and democratize the learning of African languages ​​through digital technology.

 How to make oneself understood when traveling in African cities? How to promote African linguistic diversity? Yombz app, which Gaelle Matondo launched in 2022, aims to meet these needs, but also to demystify stereotypes about the difficulties of learning African languages

As a graduate in public relations, marketing and tourism from the International School of Tunon in France, she had the opportunity to work in an international and multicultural environment. She spent 8 years in London working in various sectors, including Finance, Asset Management, Energy and Education and held senior administrative and managerial positions. Back in France in 2020, she embarked on the Yombz adventure following a personal experience in 2017 while she was in London. During an evening with friends, a simple discussion in Lingala set the powder alight, making her more aware of the lack of platforms to learn african languages. Passionate about languages, she launched the app with the aim to fill the gap in services adapted to learning these languages.

The platform targets, in particular, Afro-descendants from the diaspora, people in mixed couples, globetrotters… Thanks to a monthly subscription, the platform provides access to modules, based on issues around everyday life. Whether it is Lingala, Wolof, Arabic, the platform combines simple and fun educational approaches to facilitate their learning. To date, Lingala remains the first language in the platform’s linguistic portfolio, but it will open up to 14 other African languages.

In 2022, Gaëlle Matondo received the “Women’s Entrepreneurship Award” at the Regional Women’s Entrepreneurship Competition in France. In 2024, she was nominated in the « Best Africa Solution category » at the 2nd edition of the Africa Solution Award in France.