Freetown, 30th March 2026 – Street Child of Sierra Leone (SCoSL) has rolled out a nationwide grant distribution worth NLe 6,490,800 to support 3,606 caregivers across 10 districts, in what is being described as one of the largest direct financial interventions targeting vulnerable families.
The initiative, part of the Education for Every Child Today (EFECT) project, is designed to empower caregivers to start or expand small businesses, thereby generating income to sustain their children’s education. More than 80% of the beneficiaries are women, including widows and single mothers, underscoring the program’s focus on female-headed households.
According to figures released by SCoSL, the distribution covers: Western Area Urban and Rural 496 caregivers in Freetown, 874 in Waterloo. Kenema 96 caregivers, Kailahun 189 caregivers, Bombali 335 caregivers, Tonkolili 581 caregivers, Koinadugu 201 caregivers, Falaba 296 caregivers, Port Loko 238 caregivers and Kambia 296 caregivers. This brings the total to 3,602 families reached
Street Child Country Director, Kelfala Kargbo, explained that the grants are coupled with basic business and finance training, weekly monitoring, and mentoring visits to ensure sustainability. Beneficiaries are also enrolled in a savings-and-match scheme, where consistent savers will receive a “matching grant” that doubles their savings at project milestones.
“This is about more than financial relief,” Kargbo said. “We want families to invest in their future, build resilience, and keep children in school. Since 2008, we have grown from supporting 100 street children in Makeni to operating in 24 countries, and have distributed over 51,637 grants.”
Deputy Director in the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs, Daniel Albert Gbow, commended the initiative, noting that it complements government efforts to reduce child vulnerability. He urged beneficiaries to use the grants wisely:
“This money is not for fancy clothes or food items. It is for investment in businesses so that women can send their children to school and keep them off the streets,” Gbow said.
Recipients expressed gratitude, pledging to use the funds for small business ventures. For many, the grants represent both financial relief and renewed hope, offering a pathway to self-reliance and educational stability for their children.
