Child Protection

ChildFund, through its Light for Education (LIFE) Solar Electrification Project, provided and handed over solar power facilities worth USD 45,000 to three schools: Movement of Faith Junior Secondary School in Koinadugu 2, DEC Primary School in Senekedugu community (Wara Wara Yagala chiefdom), and DEC Primary School in Malaforia community (Sengbeh chiefdom), all located in Koinadugu District.
The LIFE project is part of the broader Integrated Community Action for Protection and Education (CAPE) project, which ChildFund has been implementing in partnership with Daindemben Federation since 2021, with funding from ChildFund Korea.

The goal of the LIFE project is to ensure that teachers and pupils in selected schools in Koinadugu District have access to clean and renewable energy to enhance learning outcomes and improve protection.

A total of 939 students—both boys and girls—across the three communities now benefit from uninterrupted solar energy, with each school receiving a system capable of producing 5,000 watts (equivalent to a 5KVA generator).

Solar Power Installed in Schools

Each of the solar facilities includes an Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS), a self-acting electrical device that automatically switches between the primary and backup power sources in case of failure. This ensures continuous power without the need for manual switching between solar and grid power.

Students at DEC Primary School in Senekedugu are already making use of the new facility. Isatu Venn, ChildFund’s Programs Director, says: “The solar power installed in these schools will improve teaching and learning outcomes and pave the way for the introduction of technology and gadgets that support education in the selected schools.”
Mariama, a Class 5 student in Senekedugu, shared her experience: “This facility is already helping us in our school and community. We now have somewhere to study with 24-hour light. Before, when it rained, the classroom would get dark and we could hardly see the board. Now, we just turn on the light and continue our lessons.” During the rainy season, Mariama and her classmates no longer have to worry about interruptions in their studies due to poor lighting.
In Malaforia community, Tigi Mansaray, the local women’s leader, praised the initiative: “Our community had long been lighted by ChildFund and Daindemben through education interventions. It was like we were in the dark, but those interventions opened our eyes. Now our children are doing well academically. This solar light is an additional light in every sense.”

ChildFund’s work aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The LIFE project contributes to SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, which is essential for the development of agriculture, business, communications, education, healthcare, and transportation.