Our Impact
Empowering Lives, Transforming Futures: Our Impact in Action
ChallengeAid, led by the team on the ground, ChallengeAid Africa, transforms lives in Kenya and Tanzania’s slums with 53 Schools of Hope and 10 Virtual Learning Centres. Our holistic approach combines transformative education, mentorship and community initiatives, empowering over 5000 students daily. We provide low-cost, sustainable education, menstrual health support, sports, performing arts and life-skills lessons, helping to break the cycle of inter-generational poverty.
As of 2024…
53
Schools of Hope have been set up
100,000
pupils have been educated
67%
higher grades in SoHs compared to pupils in nearest government schools
Schools of hope
What are Schools of Hope?
A cross between a homework club, a youth club and a library, operating in the evenings, at weekends and during school holidays. Children in the slums often work during the day to help support their families and our schools provide an alternative education for aspirational kids who may have no other access to education. We also provide a complimentary education for those in regular schooling, all for less than £10 (2,000 KES) per child, per year.
Help make a difference
The average cost of educating a ChallengeAid pupil in our Schools of Hope is less than 3p per day, or £10 for a whole year.
How we help
Sanitary Pad Programme
Under the guidance of ChallengeAid Africa staff member Fatuma, our complimentary sanitary pad programme has been operating successfully since 2012. Recognising the challenges outlined by Kenya’s Ministry of Education, where girls lose an average of four school days each month due to insufficient access to sanitary products, we have implemented a proactive solution for the girls attending our Schools of Hope. Through our programme, these girls receive free sanitary towels each month, effectively addressing this unnecessary hindrance to their education.
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Boys Take Responsibility Club
Launched in July 2021 across 50 of our SoH, the Boys Club program empowers young, male learners, fostering their potential with strong male role models. The club encourages open discussions about challenges, aiming to boost educational attendance and deter boys from gangs and violence. Education becomes a gateway to knowledge, skills, and alternatives to criminal activities. With dedicated staff and volunteers providing guidance, boys are equipped to envision a future beyond slum challenges, breaking the cycle of poverty, and in turn actively contributing to and serving community development.
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Kajiado Women and Girls Empowerment Project
In 2019 we started the ‘Kajiado Women and Girls Empowerment project’, with the primary objective of providing basic literacy and numeracy skills for the women from communities in Kajiado where high rates of rape, sexual violence, gender-based violence and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) exist. Our strategy involves leveraging academic education and establishing a female empowerment club to enhance opportunities for Maasai girls.
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Girls Can Club
The ‘Girls Can Club’ addresses the unique challenges faced by our young female learners. The club provides a safe space for discussing issues such as gender-based violence, sexual education and period poverty. We foster a sense of community and empowerment, aiming to help girls overcome societal constraints. Topics like menstrual hygiene, lack of healthcare, and economic opportunities are also discussed, enabling girls to navigate obstacles, break cycles of inequality, and aspire to a future free from the constraints that they face.
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Extracurricular Activities
Beyond our Schools of Hope, ChallengeAid organises diverse extracurricular activities—music, drama, art, chess, debating, talent competitions, and inclusive sports sessions like rugby, football, netball, cricket, and volleyball for both boys and girls. We firmly believe that these activities are vital for children growing up in informal slum settlements, serving as a route to positive development.
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Sanitation Project
In 2019 we created out sanitation project with the aim of upgrading our toilet and handwashing facilities for our SoHs. With support and funding from WCVA (Wales Council for Voluntary Action), we have upgraded the facilities in 15 of our Schools of Hope which now not only provide sanitation, but safety.
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Online Learning
A silver lining of the Covid era was the implementation of virtual learning. Half of our students, who engage in daily online lessons covering science, math, and English, have successfully qualified for university. Remarkably, many of these accomplished individuals are choosing to return to our Schools of Hope, now serving as volunteer supervisors.
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Education in a Suitcase (EIAS)
Through an initiative called “earn as you learn” students are able to earn ‘smiley coins’ through time spent learning via the platform. These coins can then be exchanged for things such as food and stationary in local shops and grocery stores in their community. This initiative meant that through learning, students were able to buy food and support their families during the COVID-19 lockdown and continue to do so now.
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Impact evaluation report