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The endline evaluation, conducted in May 2023, assessed the progress of the pilot program and provided insights for future iterations. The evaluation focused on four key outcomes: enhanced social-emotional learning (SEL) and self-protection knowledge and skills for children; improved classroom management and positive discipline techniques among educators; strengthened positive parenting practices and violence prevention skills among caregivers; and better school-community relationships to mitigate risk factors associated with violence.

For four decades, ChildFund The Gambia has been driven by a single, unwavering purpose: for every child to grow up healthy, educated, skilled, and safe. Our commitment remains strong — to deliver programs that create meaningful, lasting change and nurture the full potential of every child. This Financial Year 2024 Annual Report highlights the progress we’ve made together - the milestones, the impact stories, and the partnerships that continue to transform the lives of children, families, and communities across The Gambia. Backed by data, evidence, and the voices of children and families, this report showcases the impact of our programs and the power of partnerships with government, civil society, local partners, communities, sponsors, children and youth in driving sustainable progress for children.

ChildFund The Gambia, with funding from ChildFund Korea implemented the Dream Reader Project entitled: Educating and Protecting Children for a Brighter Future in The Gambia from October 2019 to December 2020. The project which aimed to improve reading and writing skills of children in grades 4, 5 and 6 of the five selected schools and five satellite villages from the five districts in Foni, targeted 1,176 children who trek long distance to and from school, lack study facilities like library and lighting systems and the requisite teaching and learning material. The project sought to improve the educational attainment of children in ChildFund programs. Study lamps and bicycles were provided to children from all the five communities as a pilot. The expectation is that lessons learnt from these pilot communities will be used to improve on project deliverables in other communities. Other project beneficiaries were reached indirectly through improved access to lighting systems, learning materials, and enrolment into study clubs. Sensitization sessions prior to the rolling out of the project targeted Mothers’ clubs, teachers, Community Child Protection Committees, School Management Committees and other stakeholders.

ChildFund International is on an exciting journey. With our newest organizational strategy, Growing Connections 2030, we look toward a future where we will not only create impact with more children and families than ever before, but we will do so through expanded partnerships and deeper relationships. As the world changes, the people and institutions focused on child well-being must rise to its new challenges and help more children connect with what they need to thrive. It is more urgent than ever that we rise to those challenges together — so that children can rise to theirs. We hope our vision for the future of our work inspires you to join us on this path. Because, to reach our ambitious goals, we need each other.

When young people are not active participants in the decision-making processes that affect their lives, they—and their communities—often suffer worse outcomes. Too often, decisions that will affect young people’s lives are made solely by parents, local and religious leaders, teachers, governments and others without the input of youth themselves. Young people who are in marginalized communities, living with disabilities, or facing unfair gender disparities face even tougher development barriers to having their voices heard. By focusing on youth agency and positive youth development, ChildFund supports the principle that young people are empowered to reach their full potential through skill-building, fostering healthy relationships, strengthening families and communities, and transforming systems.

Young people make up a huge proportion of the world’s population. Roughly 1.8 billion people are between the ages of 10 and 241, and the challenges they face today are stark: In 2020, more than 1 in five young people worldwide aged 15-24 was not employed, in job training or in school, and this has only worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic. ChildFund’s livelihood programming focuses broadly on youth work and entrepreneurial skills, employability and work readiness. Many of our programs also overlap with youth participation programming and adolescent sexual and reproductive health so we are able to holistically support youth through this life stage, properly preparing them not only for work, but for being able to stay employed, continue their education and remain safe and healthy.

At ChildFund, we characterize our impact in Africa, Asia, and the Americas using four key dimensions: (1) the positive change we see in our core outcomes as measured by performance data — our global monitoring of key indicators and our programming evidence; (2) by the feedback we receive from children, families, sponsors, partners, and stakeholders on how our work with them has made a positive difference in their lives — and in their communities; (3) how we apply learning about what works well and does not work well in our programs and strategies to improve outcomes; and (4) how we contribute to global, collective outcomes for children and their families — the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

ChildFund believes that by acting in partnership, we can achieve long-term sustainability of social impact and programs to have a multiplier effect on society—reaching marginalized and vulnerable children directly, but also involving parents and other civil-society actors and organizations who are responsible for child development and upholding child rights. As such, we currently implement our activities through and with over 200 local partners in 23 countries of Asia, Americas and Africa.