Lively Minds improves the quality of life for children and their families in rural Ghana and Uganda through creative early childhood development programs that are run by the communities themselves. In partnership with the Ghana Education Services, Lively Minds staff train and support district teams to deliver low-cost educational Play Schemes in school kindergartens, ensuring knowledge transfer and ownership. These local government staff in turn train local kindergarten teachers and head teachers who then train and supervise mothers from the local community who promote learning in class and at home.
Why We Invested
We know that 250 million of children under five years of age in low and middle-income countries are at risk of not reaching their full developmental potential. In rural Ghana and Uganda, the quality of existing early childhood education is constrained due to low parental engagement in early learning. Understanding the importance of parents in a child's learning journey, Lively Minds trains teachers and mothers in a child-centered, play-based pedagogy called Play Schemes which encourages children to think creatively, question, and solve problems. This community approach, supports learning in school which is further reinforced at home.