WhatsGerman is the first-ever language course for refugees on WhatsApp.

The key thing: It`s not a separate app that you first have to install and use on its own. It’s based on a digital platform that’s already used a lot by refugees to stay in touch with their families: WhatsApp.

Upon registration with the smartphone at www.whatsgerman.de, you’ll receive a lesson each day consisting of text, explanatory emojis and videos for pronunciation.

Three courses that build upon each other are available to choose from:

Course 1 – The Alphabet enables you to get to know the Latin alphabet.

Course 2 – Daily Life makes daily living easier with useful vocabulary and short phrases about everyday themes like shopping.

Course 3 – Basic Grammar offers an introduction to German grammar for advanced users.

These courses were developed for WhatsApp together with language teachers. They are available in English, Arabic and soon other languages.

WhatsGerman started on December, 14th 2015 and is continuously updated.

WhatsGerman is not a separate app you have to install. It’s based on WhatsApp. Upon registration on www.whatsgerman.de, participants receive a lesson each day via WhatsApp consisting of text, emojis and videos.

The messages are sent with an external broadcasting service. The company offers a backend with which the project is controlled and statistics are evaluated.

It’s promoted with the help of print flyers and posters in refugee homes, social media and reporting/PR.

From NGOs like Caritas to magazines (Page, Vice), and leading national newspapers like BILD and radio stations as well. The medial success of WhatsGerman is based only on earned media.

Since early March Facebook is official partner of WhatsGerman providing a non-profit ad-campaign. WhatsGerman is also part of “Wir zusammen”, the refugee initiative of the German economy. It was featured in magazines and via TV ads.

The first Facebook post about WhatsGerman was shared 1.400 times in two days and more than 80,000 people registered in the first six weeks. That’s 17% of Arab-speaking refugees – and every day there are a thousand more. Currently there are 131.000 refugee participants.

From NGOs like Caritas, to magazines (Page, Vice), and leading newspapers like BILD and radio stations e.g. Radio Bremen: The medial success of WhatsGerman is based on earned media.

Thanks to the media coverage and the success of the initiative, Facebook and the economy`s refugee initiative “Wir zusammen” took notice of WhatsGerman and became partners. Facebook provided a non-profit ad-campaign, and “Wir zusammen” an increased media reach with ads in online- and print-magazines and via TV.

But the biggest confirmation is the huge positive feedback from dozens of refugees using the course – often already written in German.

Target group: More than a million refugees coming to German-speaking countries in 2015.

Relevance: WhatsGerman uses a channel the target group has access to: WhatsApp. The use of emojis, to explain a language that even consists of alien letters, is typical for the communication via messenger. The application of video underlines an appropriate use of all WhatsApp features. The course contents (length, readability, choice of topics) were developed especially for WhatsApp.

Our strategy is based on 3 pillars: 1. Almost every refugee has a smartphone and uses WhatsApp; 2. as the waiting time for an official language course is 3 months, the duration of our offer is 3 months. Bridging this time WhatsGerman offers an opportunity to learn German in a self-regulated way. 3. The lessons are currently available in English and Arabic, in order to reach more than half of the refugees coming to Germany.

More than a million refugees arrived in Germany in 2015. In their baggage: Nothing but hope – and their smartphone. They use it to plan their escape and to stay in contact with family and friends. Arriving in Germany, they face another problem: They have to wait an average of three months for a German course – but language is the most important thing for successful integration.

We wanted to change the refugees’ situation und help them to start their new life. So we used the mobile App WhatsApp in a new way: to teach German to German language beginners.