Ghana and Uganda
Chance for Childhood (local partner) supported by Theirworld
Why is the project needed?
By age five, a child’s brain has undergone 90% of its development. Early childhood education (ECE) is absolutely vital – but sadly in many places, early years education is under-resourced, lacking quality teaching, and is not fully inclusive for children with disabilities and special educational needs.
About the Project
Building on the success of our Best Start Early project, which we ran with support from Theirworld between December 2022 and April 2024, Best Start Together takes place in two different contexts: in Accra, Ghana’s capital city, and the Kyaka II refugee settlement in Uganda. This provides an exciting opportunity for learning across the different contexts. Chance for Childhood has a strong working record in both these locations and a good understanding of the gaps that exist in the provision of inclusive education for young children.
In Accra, Best Start Together will reach 3,000 children via screening and assessment, and more than 1,000 parents and 2,000 community members through sensitisation activities. 1,500 children will be reached in the Kyaka II refugee settlement.
The project will train ECE caregivers, teachers and headteachers in inclusive access to early childhood education for young children, and in the use of the Disability Detect app which helps screen children for disabilities and special educational needs.
Best Start Together will enable us to ensure thousands of young children can benefit from an inclusive, quality education at an early age, and gives us the opportunity to compare how ECE interventions compare in contexts differing in terms of resources, populations and environment. While Accra is set in a more stable, urban context, Kyaka II is home to more than 125,000 refugees, the vast majority fleeing conflict in the eastern DRC.
We will also work to change community attitudes to early childhood education and education for children with disabilities, and support parents to care for their children with disabilities.
Goals and Objectives
Reach 3,000 children in Accra
Reach 1,500 children in theKyaka II refugee settlement
Support 1,000 parents of children with disabilities
Sensitise 2,000 community members on disability inclusion and supporting children with disabilities
Testimonials
“Chance for Childhood’s training has helped me greatly. It has enabled me to understand various learners’ abilities and learning styles. It equipped me to make adaptations in my teaching to meet the learning needs of my learners.
The training also broadened my knowledge on concepts, such as inclusive education, Universal Design for Learning, play-based learning, and the creation of hands-on materials to enhance my teaching and learning,” – Abigail Ekua Abbiw, KG2 teacher
“My teacher has brought lots of things (teaching and learning materials) that we use to learn now. At first, I couldn’t write some letters and the number 8. My teacher made me to practice in the sand tray she brought. Now I can write well,” KG2 Learner.
“This education on disability is very important. I have learned today about the causes of disabilities. I have now understood that disability is not caused by a spiritual attack as is widely believed in our communities” – Joyce, a parent, during a PTA meeting.
We are delighted to continue our productive and impactful collaboration Theirworld, who partnered with us previously on the Best Start Early project in Ghana and the LEAP Forward project in Kenya.