Slum2School Africa and The Freedom Fund Give 58 Makoko Children the Gift of Education

In the early light of Monday, September 29th,  Slum2School Africa, supported by The Freedom Fund, arrived with more than registration forms but with 58 schoolbags packed with the essentials for learning and the small comforts that signal belonging, sandals, notebooks, stockings and singlets, pens and pencils, erasers and sharpeners. For 58 child domestic workers (CDWs) whose days were once defined by chores, this was the first step toward classrooms, friendships, and a future that includes education.

Over the course of a week, a focused outreach that also reached communities in Badagry and Sagbokodji; our team worked with local leaders and three partner schools to register and place the children in classes. Each child received:

• 1 schoolbag

• 1 pair of sandals

• 5 notebooks

• 1 pair of stockings

• 1 singlet

• 3 pens, 58 pencils total

• 2 erasers each

• 2 sharpeners each

Beyond material support, our teams spent time with caregivers, school staff, and community champions to ease the children’s transition into school life: introductory orientation sessions, school tours, and one-on-one conversations to map each child’s learning needs.

We listened and those voices shaped the event.

“We are not rescuing children so much as returning them to the community where they belong,” said a Slum2School Africa field officer during the Makoko ceremony. “This is about restoring rights, not pitying lives.”

A Freedom Fund representative reminded everyone: “When you invest in a child’s education, you invest in the whole community. These schoolbags are small, but the promise inside them is enormous.”

A local leader rose and spoke with quiet pride: “Makoko has always cared for its own. Today, we are proving that care can be paired with opportunity and our children will not be left behind.”

A teacher from one of the partner schools explained the classroom plan: “We will begin with bridging lessons to bring every child to a point where they can learn with confidence. We will meet them where they are.”

And from a parent who stood near the registration table: “I watched my child work in other homes for years. Today, I watched her hold a notebook. I cried because I know she will learn to write her own name.”

A child, clutching a new pencil, whispered into a volunteer’s ear: “I want to be a teacher one day.” That small sentence held the entire reason for the long trip, the paperwork and the planning.

This wasn’t an outsider’s program dropped into Makoko, it was a partnership. Slum2School Africa Community ambassadors helped identify children who were out of school or working as domestic workers; parents and guardians attended orientation sessions; and local volunteers supported logistics from registration to school placement. In Sagbokodji and Badagry, the same collaborative approach was used: local schools opened their doors, volunteers translated forms, and elders gave blessing and practical advice on how to sustainably support returned learners.

For many of these children, enrollment solves immediate barriers like uniforms, supplies, and formal admission; but the deeper work begins now. Bridging classes, psychosocial support, and community monitoring are all part of the next phase to ensure the children don’t just enroll, but remain, learn and thrive. Education will mean fewer hours of child labour, improved self-esteem, and the rarest gift for a child who has known only work: time to be a child.

• 58 children enrolled in three partner schools.

• 58 full school kits distributed.

• Outreach covered Makoko (on the 29th) and continued across Badagry and Sagbokodji during the week.

• Multiple community and school stakeholders engaged in enrollment and transition planning.

Slum2School Africa will monitor school attendance, coordinate remedial learning sessions, and work with partner schools to ensure the children are supported academically and emotionally. Community ambassadors will track progress and report back so we can respond quickly to any challenges, from absenteeism to bullying to health needs.

This change was possible because partners, donors and community members showed up. To keep these children in school and scale this work to more communities, we need your help.

• Donate: Your gift buys learning materials, funds bridging classes, and supports community volunteers.

• Partner: If you’re a school, local business, or organisation, partner with Slum2School Africa to create safe pathways back to school.

• Volunteer: Help with tutoring, mentoring, or community outreach, even a few hours a week makes a difference.

• Share: Tell this story. Spread the word on social media, in your networks, and to people who care about children’s rights.

Join us in ensuring that the 58 children in Makoko who traded chores for classrooms continue on a path of learning and possibility. Click here to get involved

You can support Slum2School Africa today by volunteering, partnering, or donating to help more children go back to school equipped, confident, and ready to thrive. Click here to get involved