At a time when the UK Government is cutting its aid budget, including much of its education funding, the impact of international support remains evident.

Thanks to the generosity of the British public and through the government's UK Aid Match programme, Street Child has made significant progress in a new education programme in Sierra Leone, delivering vital education opportunities to the most marginalised children and reaching over 6,700 people.

This was made possible through our 2023 Christmas appeal, highlighted in The Times & Sunday Times. The campaign reached over 70 million people and included coverage, twice a week, from award-winning journalists. This included standout articles about Street Child’s work in Sierra Leone since 2008 by renowned journalist, Anthony Loyd.

The campaign was supported by match funders including the UK Government and raised more than £1.4 million in just eight weeks, a record-breaking total for an international charity and more than the domestic charities featured. It was a clear demonstration of the UK public’s support for international aid and particularly for investing in children’s education worldwide.

Together with our local partners, we are now working with 2,000 caregivers and over 4,700 out-of-school children across four districts in Northern Sierra Leone to help them overcome the barriers that are keeping children from the classroom.

Most parents who our team met identified their finances as the main reason why their children weren’t in school. As part of a holistic approach to breaking down the barriers to education, these caregivers (90% of whom are mothers) were selected to receive a Family Business Support (FBS) grant. Before receiving the grants, they took part in basic business skills training, learning how to plan, manage, and sustain small businesses. These skills and the one-off grant of $100 enabled them to launch businesses, including those selling basic household condiments and local produce, as well as hairdressing. The income generated from these businesses will help caregivers become self-reliant and afford their children’s education in the long term.

To complement this support for caregivers, Street Child is working to enrol children into education in two main ways: financial support for education and social work. For families where poverty was the main barrier, in addition to supporting caregivers with a business grant and training, children were enrolled in education with support from social workers. Once enrolled, they received a full education support package including school bags, uniforms, stationery, and notebooks to help them start school with everything they need.

Some children faced different barriers, including caregivers not valuing education, children not wanting to attend school, and for those who have a disability, ongoing stigma and challenges with accessibility. These families received focused support from social workers through counselling and family mediation to help change attitudes and encourage school enrolment. While these families were not experiencing severe financial hardship, they were also provided with two uniforms each to encourage school enrolment and support retention. Our team stays in touch in case there are financial challenges and additional support is needed.

We are deeply grateful to the British public for their generosity and for recognising the importance of supporting global education. In Sierra Leone, and many other countries where Street Child operates, the ability to send a child to school can transform a household’s future. In fact, each additional year of education increases a person's income by 10%.

We look forward to keeping our supporters updated on how the programme progresses, showing how targeted education efforts create stronger, more vibrant communities. Investing in education is one of the smartest, most sustainable ways to drive progress—locally and globally. It fuels economic growth, reduces inequality, and lays the foundation for peace and stability across borders. In short, when we invest in education, we invest in a safer, fairer and more prosperous world for all.