Impact & Evidence
Stronger foundations.
Stronger systems.
Lasting change.
Impact is not just what reaches people today.
It is what continues to work tomorrow, without us in the room.
Between 2021 and 2025, we focused on strengthening foundational learning while building the systems, relationships and leadership needed for change to reach scale across East Africa. This period was about laying foundations — so progress could last, grow and travel further than any single programme.
Our impact at a glance
Each number reflects a shift in practice, policy or possibility — and together, they tell the story of systems beginning to work more equitably.
schools engaged through evidence, research, pilots and government-led reforms
learners directly supported through literacy, numeracy, life skills and values initiatives
children and youth reached through policy reform and system-level influence
national and regional policies influenced, embedding foundational skills into curriculum, assessment and teacher training
teachers reached across 190 schools, strengthening classroom practice and learner engagement
of learners reached were those furthest behind — including girls, adolescent mothers, learners with disabilities, children in arid regions and marginalised communities
national, regional and global networks incubated, strengthening collective action for equitable education
of our annual budget regranted to 29 partner organisations, supporting local leadership and sustained change
Impact in Action
Values-Based Education Goes National
From pilot schools to system-wide reform.
In many education systems, values are written into curriculum documents, but rarely experienced in everyday school life.
Through a Whole School Approach, Values-Based Education moved from intention to practice. Across 79 schools in 19 counties, we worked with 316 teachers and 79 school leaders to embed values such as respect, responsibility and empathy into daily learning, relationships and school culture.
The change was visible and felt.
Today, 95% of co-curricular activities in participating schools actively integrate shared values — shaping not just what children learn, but how they treat one another and engage with their communities.
What began in a small number of schools has now informed Kenya's national roll-out from 2026, ensuring that what worked in one context can become possible for every learner.
Case Study 2
Youth-led learning, one child, one village at a time
In Kenya, over 200,000 young people are currently enrolled in teacher training colleges and universities.
The My Village initiative recognises this untapped resource; mobilising youth volunteers to return to their home communities and support children struggling with literacy. In Kakamega and Machakos counties, Machakos and Eregi Teacher Training Colleges are leading the way.
In 2025:
- 115 youth volunteers (83 female, 32 male) facilitated literacy camps across 71 villages
- Using Nyansappo AI, they assessed 2,256 learners
- 1,463 children joined targeted holiday literacy camps
- 1,351 parents and community leaders participated in community sessions to co-create home learning support strategies
Before deployment, volunteer trainees receive training, tools and resources to assess literacy levels and facilitate learning camps. Working alongside village elders, chiefs, school leaders and families, they deliver intensive support during the November–December holidays focusing on learners furthest behind in reading.
The change is measurable and immediate. Previous implementation rounds show that 30% of struggling readers can read a simple paragraph within 10–15 days, while the number of non-readers reduces by more than half within the same period.
For learners, this means more than improved literacy. It means renewed confidence, stronger participation in school and a belief that learning is possible.
This youth-led model is now informing how community-driven interventions can complement public education systems, demonstrating how local leadership can accelerate foundational learning at scale.
From the classroom and beyond
"Our entire school has been transformed. Learners are taking responsibility, staff work more harmoniously, and values are lived every day."
"The programme gave our teachers a shared language for values. Now it is part of how we teach, lead and relate to one another."
"Children who once struggled to engage are now leading morning assemblies and mentoring younger learners. The shift has been remarkable."
"What I value most is that this wasn't imposed — it was built with us. Our community owns this change."
Why this matters
These outcomes are foundations, not finish lines.
They show what becomes possible when systems align and trust is built.
