The Company
Binaye is a toy company, based in Durban, South Africa, focused on providing kids with a holistic learning experience. Our ultimate goal is to get children to connect with and understand the Qur’aan. Our first toy range will be called Binaye Blocks, where we couple a story from the Qur’aan with a construction toy.
Binaye Blocks
Why couple a construction toy with a story from the Qur’aan?
At Binaye, we believe that spatial and visual skills will assist children in understanding and connecting with the Qur’aan. Toys that have a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) element to them are ideal for developing spatial and visual skills, which enables logical thinking and reasoning. So, if we want to develop these skills in our kids, the best place to start is with toys!
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Each box will consist of a story book and a toy, including everything you need to use the toy.
The Story Book
All Binaye Blocks Story Books will have the following features:
- A story from the Qur’aan that is short, age appropriate and easily understandable
- Art that is beautifully hand drawn. Care will be taken to ensure that faces of Prophets, etc. will not be depicted
- A theme or moral that will be immediately apparent when reading the story. However, this will be highlighted merely as a guide for parents and teachers. The beauty of the Qur’aan is that there are many themes or morals that can be deduced from any particular story
- Reference to all verses used in the development of the story, as well as some key Arabic words from the Qur’aan, along with their closest English translations
The Toy
All toys in the Binaye Blocks range will have the following features:
- A focus on developing spatial and visual skills, whilst still relating to the story
- An element of construction, to provide an interactive learning experience
- 'Modularity' (like Lego, Meccano, etc.), in that it will consist mostly of blocks and bars that can be put together in various ways. Since it is modular, it will be compatible with all future toys in the Binaye Blocks range
- Compliance with industry standards, ensuring that all toys are free from harmful chemicals like BPA
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The first toy in the Binaye Blocks range will be called "The Story of Creation".
The First Toy in the Binaye Blocks Range: The Story of Creation
The Story of Creation features the story of Adam (peace be upon him). This is the raw text, comprising just the story (excluding the Build-along section, story moral and references)
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The construction toy will feature a ‘Magical Printing Machine’, which is based on the concept of a 3D Printer (what is 3D printing, you ask? Check out this link). Children will have the experience of manually 'printing' various objects with ‘clay’, while subconsciously learning about the Cartesian coordinate system and manufacturing methods. The clay will be included, along with recipes for play dough and other fun, homemade materials that you can use in your Magical Printing Machine.
This Toy is aimed at children from 4 to 9 years of age. We recommend an upper age limit of 12 years.
So, what does a 3D printer-inspired toy and the story of Adam have in common? Support our campaign and you will soon find out!
Why should you support our campaign?
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Be part of the revolution! You will be part of something special, something exceptional! A new, fun way of getting the next generation engaged in stories from the Qur’aan. Why not join in as well?
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Acknowledgement! All backers, irrespective of the size of your contribution, will be acknowledged by name in the "Backer Community" Section of our website. Permanently.
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Get involved! You will have the opportunity to be involved in the development process – If you contribute, you are welcome to make product improvement suggestions. You will also be given the opportunity to vote in selecting a cover page for our first story book!!!
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Save! You will benefit from a cheaper price than our projected retail price of approximately 45USD* for the toy.
*This price will vary depending on the country in which it is sold.
Help us bring this project to reality. Let’s get Binaye Blocks on the shelves of major toy retailers!
Available Perks
We have a limited number of Early Bird Specials, so claim yours while they are still available!
Note: T-Shirts are an Indiegogo EXCLUSIVE!
What’s next for Binaye Blocks?
When this campaign is successful, inshaAllah, be sure to expect more toys to be released in the Binaye Blocks range. We have barely scratched the surface with the Qur’aan – the possibilities are endless!
We have already begun working on the next toy in the Binaye Blocks range.
Stretch goals
- If we reach $40,000 US or more, ALL backers get the free Story of Creation app! Sent to you via email (if it isn’t yet available on the Play Store/iStore by the time we have shipped)
- If we reach $45,000 US or more, all toys will come pre-packed with Handling Tools (for your amazing 3D printed creations) included in the set!
The Team
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What does "Binaye" mean?
A: It is a derivation of the 3-letter Arabic verb "to build".
Q: Why are you raising funds in USD?
A: Unfortunately, at this stage, Indiegogo only allows you to raise funds in USD, GBP, CAD, AUD or EUR. USD was the most cost effective option for us.
Q: If I order a toy, what will I get in the box?
A: You will receive a construction toy and a story book to go with it.
Q: What is the age group for the first toy?
A: This toy is ideally suited to children from 4 to 9 years of age. We recommend an upper age limit of 12 years.
Q: What is the cost for shipping?
A: Shipping anywhere in South Africa is free. International orders will have an additional shipping fee, which will automatically be added to your cart at checkout. For international orders, we have opted for Airmail as it is the most effective method. You are welcome to request Surface Mail, but please be advised that Surface Mail will take 8 to 12 weeks AFTER we have shipped (sometimes longer from our experience).
Q: How long will it be before I receive my order?
A: We plan to start shipping all toy orders towards the end of March, 2017, InshaAllah. This delay is largely due to the manufacture of tooling. The tooling manufacturer is awaiting go-ahead. The sooner I give them the go ahead - the sooner we start shipping. Toys will be shipped on a first-come-first-served basis. Approximate shipping time for local (South African) orders is 5-7 business days and 14-20 business days for international orders.
Q: Do you have any Islamic Qualifications?
A: I, along with my team members have all been through an Islamic Education System of some form. We have seen first-hand where the system can be improved as we have noticed a major gap in Qur'aanic education. By the grace of Almighty Allah, Ahmed and I have completed the memorization of the Qur’aan, but I am merely a student in Arabic. We are constantly learning and we hope to, one day, recruit creatives who are as enthusiastic as ourselves. As a company, we will always strive to maintain a corporate culture of continuous learning, especially in Qur’aanic Studies.
Q: What will the funds be used for?
A: This chart gives you an overview of how the funds will be spent.
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Note: We have excluded costs related to development, marketing, administration as well as a trip to commission tooling at the manufacturer in China (this is necessary, in order to provide you with a quality product).
Q: What toy was used in the video?
A: At the moment, we have a working prototype, which has been 3D printed (yes, we see the irony) and performs core functions. We have put this prototype through extensive product testing. It differs from the finished product in terms of material (the prototype is resin based while the actual toy will be manufactured from a high quality, durable plastic). The colour of the finished product will also differ from the model shown in the video.
Q: Where will the toy and book be manufactured, and by whom?
A: We will try our utmost to use local manufacturers, where preference has been given to Muslims. Although expensive, I believe that local manufacture is the better option, which will allow me to closely monitor quality. The tooling for the plastic components, however, will be manufactured in China, which I will personally commission before it departs from the factory. We have partnered with an exceptional, local, plastic products manufacturer, with over 31 years of manufacturing experience. I will personally oversee the manufacture and ensure that the toys are shipped as soon as reasonably possible, with the highest quality standards.
Q: What happens if you do not reach your funding goal?
A: We have opted for Fixed Funding, which is an all-or-nothing funding model. This means that if we do not reach the goal amount before our time runs out, you will receive a full refund from Indiegogo and this campaign will not go ahead. So please help spread the word!
