Street to School Initiative
Every child on the street is a child out of school. We are changing that — one child at a time.
Africa's Out-of-School Crisis
Sub-Saharan Africa is home to the world's highest concentration of out-of-school children — tens of millions of young people who should be in classrooms but instead find themselves on streets, in child labour, or in exploitative situations.
Poverty, household instability, conflict, gender discrimination, disability, and the absence of nearby schools all conspire to keep children from education. Without intervention, these children grow into adults trapped in cycles of poverty, unable to contribute fully to Africa's development.
AESDI's Street to School Initiative confronts this reality head-on with targeted identification, rescue, psychosocial support, and school integration programmes that give vulnerable children a genuine second chance.
The Scale of the Problem
From Identification to Integration
Street to School is not a single intervention — it is a continuum of care that meets each child where they are and walks with them all the way into the classroom.
Community Mapping & Identification
We work with community volunteers, local government area (LGA) education desks, and CSO partners to identify out-of-school children and street-connected youth in target communities. Home visits, market outreach, and community town-halls are key tools.
Family Engagement & Sensitisation
For children still connected to households, we engage parents and caregivers — providing counselling on the long-term value of education, addressing economic fears, and linking families to livelihood support where needed.
Psychosocial Support & Remediation
Children who have been on the streets often face trauma, gaps in learning, and social adjustment challenges. Our programme provides safe spaces, trained counsellors, and accelerated learning modules to prepare them for classroom reintegration.
School Enrolment & Placement
We work directly with schools to facilitate enrolment, secure waivers, supply learning materials, and ensure age-appropriate class placement. We negotiate with school authorities to prevent stigmatisation of returning learners.
Monitoring & Retention Support
Re-enrolment is only the beginning. We track each child's attendance, academic progress, and wellbeing through monthly check-ins, and respond rapidly when risks of drop-out re-emerge.
Target Beneficiaries
Street-Connected Children
Children living or working on the streets, often disconnected from family and formal education systems.
Girls at Risk of Dropout
Girls facing gender-specific barriers including early marriage, domestic labour, teen pregnancy, and insecurity.
Children in Child Labour
Children pulled out of school to work — in markets, farms, domestic settings, or on roads.
Children from Displaced Families
Children from internally displaced, refugee, or migrant households who have lost school continuity.
Children with Disabilities
Children whose physical, sensory, or learning differences are used as excuses to exclude them from schooling.
Children in Underserved Communities
Children in peri-urban settlements, rural areas, and conflict-affected zones with no nearby school access.
Help Us Rescue More Children
Your support funds field officers, learning materials, school fees, and psychosocial care.