Dubai Cares, in partnership with the Luminos Fund, implemented the Second Chance Accelerated Education Program to provide access to quality education for children affected by crisis and poverty in Liberia, one of the countries with the highest rates of out-of-school children. Years of civil war and the Ebola crisis severely damaged Liberia’s education system, leaving around 62% of children out of school, and with less than 40% completing primary education.

The program helped out-of-school children, aged 9 to 14, catch up on three years of learning through the ten-month Second Chance program and transition into formal schooling. It also strengthened its curriculum and introduced rigorous child protection policies, including access to social worker services.

The program also focused on building national capacity by training government and local NGO partners to manage and deliver the model. Furthermore, parents were mobilized through monthly Parent Engagement Groups, fostering strong community involvement. This approach helped ensure local ownership and a sustainable impact for vulnerable children across Liberia.