Africa Projects

Burkina Faso

Ethiopia

Ghana

August 2020 - December 2022

Access to quality early-childhood development (ECD) services is a challenge in the rural community of Meguet. The government has made efforts for years, but the need is greater than the available support. Children Believe is working closely with the municipality and the community to improve access to and quality of integrated ECD services in the area for children up to the age of eight. We’re also working with adults to build stronger, safer and more efficient ECD and primary education systems and services that are given equal importance and investment.

At the end of the project, we hope to reach more than 4,500 children, nearly 1,700 parents, more than 60 teachers and more than 240 internally displaced children while also setting up and strengthening seven community-based child-protection groups.

Funding partners: ChildFund Korea

February 2019 - January 2022

In Burkina Faso, state stats show women are having more than six children each, and more than 60 percent of the population is in their early 20s. So, Children Believe partnered with Educo, Terre des Hommes and Association Burkinabè pour le Bien Être Familial in the Center North, North and Sahel Regions to help address the growth of vulnerable populations. The goals are to promote family planning by training adolescent girls and boys about their sexual and reproductive health and strengthening birth-registration systems, among other issues.

The project will support more than 55 municipalities, 430 schools, 1.2-million children and youth (65 percent girls) and nearly five-million people.

Funding partner: European Union

January 2020 - December 2021

Seventy-five percent of Burkina Faso’s population is under 35, according to state statistics, leaving many young people susceptible to challenges, such as access to education, violence, unemployment and more. Change is possible through this project, which has already proven successful in other Children Believe offices around the world.

It will help empower 1,000 young leaders, 40 percent of whom are marginalized girls. Fifty local state officials will also be trained in awareness-raising campaigns and advocacy initiatives. This will foster youth participation at local and national levels in three regions (Centre, East and Centre East), so children and youth can learn their rights and help spur positive change.

Funding partner: European Union

July 2019 to December 2020

One in three infants don’t have a birth certificate in rural Burkina Faso, according to government reports. This will make it difficult for them to access adequate healthcare and eventually school. So, Children Believe helped make birth registration universal in the Central-North, East and Central East regions of Burkina Faso by sharing why it’s important to get a birth certificate when a child is born. We also made services more accessible, connecting moms who give birth at home with local networks to report statistical birth data. We also supported civil registrars, so they’re better equipped to issue certificates.

This project supported 90 percent of newborns in the target areas, more than 2,250 villages, more than 5,190 community health workers, more than 430 health workers and more than 20 community child-protection network officers, among others.

Funding partner: UNICEF

September 1, 2022 - August 31, 2023

implemented by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Children Believe, ran from September 1, 2022, to August 31, 2023, in North Wello Zone, Amhara Region, Northern Ethiopia, with financial support from The Lego Foundation. The project targeted 17 primary schools in Gidan District and Kobo Town, directly benefiting 10,877 individuals, including schoolchildren, educators, and caregivers.

The project aimed to address the urgent needs of children affected by conflict, focusing on education, child protection, and WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene). Specific objectives included increasing access to quality education, enhancing WASH facilities, and providing psychosocial support to children and caregivers. Key activities included renovating 138 classrooms, distributing high-energy biscuits to 9,194 children, rehabilitating water schemes, training 669 caregivers on positive parenting and psychosocial support, and supporting 20 children with special needs.

The PM-ERM project successfully improved the safety and hygiene conditions of schools, boosted school attendance and learning outcomes, and contributed to better mental and physical health for children and caregivers. Through the application of Learning through Play (LtP) methods, the project fostered an engaging and supportive learning environment, helping to reverse the negative impacts of conflict on children’s education and well-being.

Suggested Project Period: Three Years (July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2027)
Intervention Levels: Pre-primary School and Primary School Levels (up to Grade 8)
Implementing Partner: Woord en Daad
Other Key Partners: Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance

This assessment, conducted by Nafrobi Strategy and Project Management Consult PLC, was sponsored by Children Believe Fund and Woord en Daad to map educational service providers, influencers, and priorities across Addis Ababa and five regional states in Ethiopia: Afar, Amhara, Benishangul-Gumuz, Oromia, and SNNPR. The study aimed to identify key challenges, opportunities, and effective approaches to improving the quality of education in the country, with a focus on pre-primary and primary education levels. Utilizing the Teaching, Learning, and Supporting (TLS) model, the assessment analyzed data from interviews, focus groups, and secondary sources, uncovering critical gaps such as poor infrastructure, inadequate teacher training, and high dropout rates.

The findings provide a comprehensive set of recommendations aimed at improving the education system in Ethiopia, including increased investment in school infrastructure, teacher training programs, and community involvement, while addressing systemic issues like child labor and the need for more effective school policies.

This is a 12 month intervention funded by the Australian High Commission under the Direct Aid Program. The PTC-SLIW aims to create a sustainable livelihood for women through beekeeping and honey harvesting. Under this project, 180 women from 6 VSLA groups will directly benefit from the various interventions. An indirect reach of 2,413 community members (1,179 female, 1234 male) is targeted. The project is been implemented in the Yendi Municipality in the Northern region of Ghana. The project is managed by Children Believe with AG Care as the National Implementing Partner.

The project has three key objectives, namely:

• To empower 180 women economically by June 2025
• To improve income levels of women through beekeeping by June 2025
• To increase honey consumption and environmental conservation by June 2025

Key activities to be carried out include:

• Training of 30 women leaders in beekeeping
• Procurement and supply of improved beekeeping equipment
• Planting of 1,800 fruit trees by women groups
• Business management training for 180 women
• Community sensitization on environmental management
• Community sensitization on the health benefits of honey and beekeeping
• Project inception meeting with key stakeholders
• Advocacy meetings on gender budgeting

April 2022 to December 2024

The project is funded by KOICA and ChildFund Korea with a budget of USD 1,629,752. Managed by Children Believe Ghana and AG Care, this project addresses significant gaps in early childhood education (ECE) in the North East Region of Ghana, specifically in 30 communities within the West Mamprusi and East Mamprusi Municipalities.

The project aims to enhance the quality of kindergarten education for 4-5-year-old children by improving infrastructure, teaching practices, and community involvement while promoting government accountability. Key interventions include building nine early childhood education centers to benefit 1,165 children, training 37 teachers in modern teaching methodologies, supporting 20 School Improvement Support Officers (SISOs) and 6 Ghana Education Service (GES) officials, providing teaching and learning resources, establishing indoor and outdoor play facilities, and drilling two boreholes to ensure access to potable water. The project is expected to directly benefit over 3,000 individuals and engage thousands of parents, educators, and government officials in promoting a quality ECE environment.

January 2022 - September 2022

Shea-butter production is the main source of income for 900,000+ women in rural Ghana, and now with this project local businesswomen are learning to improve their efficiency and profitability through training in processing, financial management and more. The 150 project participants will also benefit from group discussions on women’s and girl’s rights to help change perceptions and attitudes within the community about women in business.

Funding partner: Australian High Commission

January 2018 - February 2020

The Learning-Through-Play-Plus project is providing parents and caregivers in three districts with information on encouraging healthy growth and development of their children (aged zero to six). To start, they received a calendar charting a child’s growth, which is helping them learn the importance of engaging and playing with children to foster their cognitive development and mental health. More than 3,000 men, women and children are benefiting from the project, which made it possible to train 90 early childhood development teachers and integrate learnings about healthcare, hygiene, sanitation, gender equality and more into community group settings. What’s more, the project spurred the development of 42 community empowerment centres with materials provided by ChildFund Korea and Children Believe with artisan work, labour and land resources provided locally.

Funding partner: ChildFund Korea

April 2016 - March 2020

The $7.7-million Promoting Maternal, Newborn, Infant and Child Sustainable Health Efforts (PROMISE) initiative aims to reduce maternal and child mortality in Ghana, Malawi and Rwanda through an integrated approach focusing on health-service delivery and utilization as well as improved nutrition. It promotes respectful and supportive maternity care as well as mother and baby-friendly environments. It also fosters engagement by fathers and ensures supportive supervision for new mothers. The initiative is being implemented through a consortium led by Children Believe in partnership with ADRA Canada and Emmanuel International Canada.

Funding partner: Global Affairs Canada

French translation

Promouvoir les efforts de santé durables pour la mère, le nouveau-né, et l’enfant L’initiative durable de promotion de la santé maternelle, néonatale, infantile et enfant (PROMISE) de 7,7 millions de dollars vise à réduire la mortalité maternelle et infantile au Ghana, au Malawi et au Rwanda grâce à une approche intégrée axée sur la prestation et l’utilisation des services de santé ainsi que sur une meilleure nutrition. Elle favorise des soins de maternité respectueux et favorables, ainsi que des environnements amicaux et familiaux. Elle favorise également l’engagement des pères et assure une supervision de soutien pour les nouvelles mères. L’initiative est mise en œuvre par le biais d’un consortium dirigé par Children Believe en partenariat avec ADRA Canada et Emmanuel International Canada.

Funding partner: Global Affairs Canada

July 2018 - March 2019

In rural Ghana, bicycles are an affordable way to get around. Sadly, they’re a luxury in rural communities where children need them to travel to school, which is usually far away. This leads to illiteracy due to high dropout rates and lower school attendance. This project provided 275 schoolchildren in the Northern Region of Ghana with bicycles. The gifts are making it easier for students to get to school on time, and it’s reducing the dropout rate.

Funding partner: ChildFund Korea

January 2017 - May 2018

The Accelerating Communities’ Capacities for Essential Services and Self-reliance (ACCESS) project was delivered to speed access to clean water and education while also improving sanitation/hygiene, nutrition and livelihood development, especially for women and girls in two communities in the Northern Region of Ghana. More specifically, inadequate schools were improved with the addition of new classrooms; a solar-powered borehole was also built and 50 farmers were trained in dry-season gardening. The project directly benefited more than 1,500 people, including more than 1,000 children.

Funding partner: ChildFund Korea

September 2016 - September 2017

In Ghana, access to Free Compulsory Basic Education is a constitutional right. Yet, many Ghanaian children from rural communities don’t attend school due to the cost, failing infrastructure and other challenges — instead many work. That’s why the Transforming Destiny project (TRADE) rescued four children from child labour. Now, they’re enrolled in school and have school uniforms, textbooks, exercise books, pens/pencils, school bags and bicycles to ride to school. The students’ caregivers also have capital and equipment to start and expand their businesses so they can support the children’s education.

Funding partner: ChildFund Korea