Amen Rahh Led A South LA High School To A 100% Graduation Rate, Now He’s Using Fintech To Fight Absenteeism And Build Black Wealth
Amen Rahh, widely known as “Principal Rahh,” is a nationally recognized educator and best-selling author from Compton, CA, who first gained attention after leading a South Los Angeles high school to a 100% graduation rate.
However, his mission took an unexpected turn.
One of his students, Keon — an unhoused teen in foster care — had been accepted to Tuskegee University but couldn’t afford the final $480 he needed to attend.
“He thought, ‘If I can get this $400, I can get out,’” Rahh told AFROTECH™. “Tragically, he lost his life before he could.”
Rahh learned the news while working on his doctorate at UCLA and says the loss changed everything.
“At [age] 34, I left my job and started a tech company to transform education,” Rahh said.
The company — Knowlej — is using fintech innovation to reimagine what’s possible for underserved students nationwide.
The Classroom To Real Life
Since its 2023 launch, the fintech app Knowlej has reached more than 30,000 students, according to Rahh. He says the platform works with school districts across Los Angeles, New York, Colorado, Washington, D.C., and beyond, collaborating with educators to rethink traditional measures of student success.
“Our mission is ‘learn to earn.’ Kids from communities like mine need hope,” he said to AFROTECH™. “Now we’re using AI to integrate financial systems and automate scholarships, making tuition rewards accessible and personalized.”
Knowlej addresses chronic absenteeism, defined as missing over 10% of the school year, as the U.S. Department of Education’s website notes.
“For Black students, that’s 40% of the population,” Rahh told us. “That’s over a month of missed school, impacting career readiness and workforce development.”
What sets Knowlej apart is how it turns learning into real-world rewards, according to the platform’s website.
“Most youth-focused fintech platforms, like Greenlight or Step, focus on financial literacy. That’s important, but it’s not enough,” he said. “Think back to when you were 13, in eighth grade, dreaming of becoming a writer. What if a platform rewarded you with stock or scholarships for writing articles? The more you wrote, the more you could build a portfolio to fund your future.”
Rahh added, “Financial literacy alone isn’t enough if you’re broke. We want to provide that seed money and show students there’s a path forward.”
From Feeling Seen To Showing Up
“From students, the biggest thing we hear is, ‘I feel seen.’ That’s powerful,” Rahh said. “Schools often give incentives kids don’t care about — how many pizza parties can you throw before they’re over it?”
According to Rahh, Knowlej connects students with over 3,000 brands, including Nike, Target, and Apple, in its rewards marketplace, letting them earn stock options and choose their own incentives.
“Now school feels relevant to them,” he said, adding that with these brands on board, students see the real-world value of showing up, and excelling and educators see benefits too.
“Traditional systems like Eagle Bucks require constant manual tracking. Ours is automated,” Rahh explained to us.
Knowlej’s adaptive AI customizes rewards based on individual progress, making it easier for schools to deliver timely, targeted support.
In high-disengagement schools, Knowlej is already making an impact.
At Garnet-Patterson S.T.A.Y. Opportunity Academy in Washington, D.C., where nearly 96% of students are chronically absent, according to Rahh, Principal DeWayne Little says the partnership has already led to noticeable improvements in attendance and engagement. Little credits Knowlej’s creative approach for giving students a new reason to show up.
Building Generational Wealth Beyond The Classroom
Knowlej isn’t just closing the achievement gap; it’s also aiming to bridge the wealth gap.
“Right now, the U.S. has a $1.7 trillion student loan debt crisis,” Rahh told AFROTECH™. “But when you break down the numbers, Title I kids – foster youth, low-income, Black, and English language learners – hold the most debt. So even when they do close the achievement gap, they still get hit with the wealth gap.”
Looking Ahead: A New Tool For The Future
To expand its reach, Knowlej also runs Knowlej TV, a YouTube channel sharing stories from students and educators that highlight the platform’s impact.
In addition, Rahh said Knowlej aims to launch a debit card later in 2025, offering financial and tuition rewards.
“We’ve partnered with over 500 universities and want to connect with more HBCUs,” he told us. “Families can earn up to $4,000 a year for tuition just by using the card while students succeed in school.”
As for the future, with schools stretched thin, Rahh believes educators must lead innovation.
He concluded, “We need solutions built by those who understand the system — tools that restore hope.”
