NYAF is a youth-serving organization composed entirely of local leaders and teachers from Sierra Leone, with a deep knowledge of the local context and the challenges experienced within rural and urban schools. Established in 2001 to promote quality education and child protection services for women and children in very remote communities in Sierra Leone, NYAF has been working with government, school leaders, and communities to transform learning for the country’s most vulnerable children. We have conducted teacher training, classroom coaching, and School Management Committee training for more than 1,500 teachers in over 150 schools. NYAF is the only truly locally-led service provider in the Sierra Leone Education Innovation Challenge (SLEIC), the largest education outcomes-based funding opportunity in the world. Over the past 20 years, we have consistently delivered measurable improvements in foundational learning, social-emotional learning, and closing the gender gap in girls’ education.
Our Results:
- Learning gains measured by Education Outcomes Fund: NYAF has shown compelling progress in Year 2 of the SLEIC. Results indicate positive growth through both statistical significance in learning outcomes as well as measurable shifts in the culture of learning in the districts where NYAF works. In metrics gathered by EOF, NYAF schools outperformed control schools in every area measured, including Math, English, Attendance, and Girls’ Learning Gains.
- Distance Education Scholarships: This model of intentional training and support has also produced significant results among teachers. NYAF has enrolled and provided distance education scholarships for more than 200 volunteer teachers, allowing them to transition to becoming paid and qualified teachers within the school systems.
- Transition Results: As a result of these promising results in equipping teachers, we have empowered students to achieve their highest potential through education. Between 2019-2022, we helped ensure that 3,833 primary 6 students in 30 schools transitioned into junior secondary schools. We also transitioned +6,000 primary 6 students into JSS in the 2023-2024 school year.
Training of class 1-3 teachers in literacy and numeracy from 26 primary schools in Pujehun District supported by Sierra Leone Education Innovation Challenge (SLEIC) Project.
NYAF distributed literacy and numeracy students’ workbooks to class 1-3 students at NIM primary school, Pujehun district supported by Sierra Leone Education Innovation Challenge (SLEIC) Project.
School leaders training on lead FLN content supported by Global School Leaders (GSL) Project.
