Child Sponsorship

The absence of access to pre-school education continues to undermine the cognitive, social, and economic potential of thousands of children. During the most critical years of brain development (ages 3 to 5) many children lack structured early stimulation and learning experiences that form the foundation for academic success and lifelong development.

Without pre-school, children often enter primary school ill-prepared. They struggle with basic vocabulary, comprehension, and expression due to limited exposure to structured language learning. Many are unfamiliar with classroom routines, making it difficult for them to adapt, follow instructions, or engage effectively in lessons. These early disadvantages frequently lead to academic underperformance, grade repetition, or even school dropout, especially in the formative years of education.

For many poor families, missing out on preschool keeps them stuck in poverty. Children who don’t get a good early education often grow up to face the same struggles. Girls are especially affected, they are more likely to marry young, have children early, or stay home to do housework instead of going to school.

Johnny, a sponsored child in ChildFund’s program, is a proud alumni of a ChildFund-supported Early Childhood Development (ECD) Center in Segbwema, Jawei Chiefdom, Kailahun district. He was registered into ChildFund’s program through N’domakeh Federation, one of ChildFund’s core partners working in Kailahun district. “ChildFund started sponsoring me when I was only 5 years old,” he recalls.

The now 19-year-old grew up seeing firsthand, his peers falling behind, some repeating grades, others simply stopping school altogether. He quickly began to understand that the opportunity he had, in addition to play, attending preschool was the foundation that gave him a head start in school, in life.

A Head Start That Makes a Lifetime of Difference

Along life’s road, Johnny has seen how much of a blessing attending preschool is. My brain has always been alert. “When I was in junior secondary school (JSS)/ (junior high), I sat the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) to enable me transition into senior secondary school. I took first position in my entire chiefdom after scoring an aggregate of 16 points,’’ he speaks with so much pride. My performance in every class has been a motivation for parents to send their children to preschool.”

Learning and Growing in a Fun, Safe Environment

There are some good things about preschool that make it a fun place to be for children. For Johnny, these are: “the ChildFund ECD has a playground for children, furniture is good, and the teaching is great because ChildFund always supports teacher training. These teachers come back to give to their communities,” he says. “ChildFund supported us with teaching and learning materials such as books, uniforms, shoes, bags.

Apart from learning, children who don’t go to preschool also miss out on important social and emotional skills. They often find it hard to play with other children, take turns, or follow rules. This makes it harder for them to fit in and behave well in class. Teachers in rural schools have a tough job managing students who have not learned how to behave and learn in a group.

“I have a childhood friend who had difficulty catching up with the rest of us. His behavior was quite different from mine and the same is true even now that we have all come off age,” he remembers.

“I feel like I am in a different world. Attending a ChildFund ECD is like building a house on a firm foundation.’’

Building on that same strong foundation, Johnny is in senior secondary school and is writing the West African Senior School Certificate Examination. This examination will transition Johnny to the University.

Johnny is currently serving as a child representative in the board of N’domakeh Federation. His role in the board is to ensure he speaks on behalf of other children in the community during meetings and events, share ideas, opinions, and concerns from children to adult leaders and decision-makers, ensure that the voices of children, including the most vulnerable, are included, among others.