03/09/2026
A New Chapter Begins: As 14,960 Children set to benefit from Early Childhood Learning:
Early Childhood Learning is critical to children's foundational learning, especially for ages 3-5. It is against this backdrop that the Salone Pikin 4 Play En Learn Outcomes Programme Funds project was officially launched in Kailahun District, with a well-attended District Inception Meeting bringing together government officials, community leaders, implementing partners, and other key stakeholders.
Implemented by Plan International Sierra Leone, the four-year EOF Project is focused on strengthening early childhood learning outcomes in targeted communities across the district. The project is made possible through the generous support of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the Lego Foundation, the Embassy of Denmark, and Bridges Outcomes Partnership.
The District Inception Meeting served as the project's official launch, providing a strategic platform to introduce the initiative, align expectations among stakeholders, and set the tone for the collaborative spirit that will define implementation over the next four years. At its heart was a shared recognition that lasting development outcomes are rarely achieved in isolation.
Engaging partners enabled open dialogue on roles and responsibilities regarding project implementation and laid a solid foundation for coordinated action. With early childhood development recognized globally as a foundational determinant of lifelong learning, the project's focus reflects a deliberate investment in Sierra Leone’s youngest learners, one that stakeholders agreed would require sustained, joint effort over the coming years.
In accepting the project, Paramount Chief Musa Ngombukula Kallon 11 emphasized that “Children are at the heart of everything we do. As a result, we are delighted to receive the EOF Project and commit to providing the necessary support to ensure that its aims and objectives are fully realized and achieved.”
With the inception phase now underway, attention turns to translating the shared vision into concrete action. Over the next four years, Plan International Sierra Leone will work closely with the Government of Sierra Leone, communities, and District stakeholders by strengthening coordination and partnerships as implementation progresses, with continued support from FCDO, the Leone Foundation, the Embassy of Denmark, and Bridges Outcomes Partnership.
With the Salone Pikin 4Play En Learn Outcomes Programme Funds Plan, International will reach 14,960 kids between the ages 3-5 across 44 hard-to-reach communities in four districts, namely Kailahun, Kono, Tonkolili, and Falaba.