SDG 4
Quality Education
We support children to access, stay, and complete school by addressing the financial barriers driving dropout.
About the Program
Education + Livelihoods for Lasting Change
A child sponsorship programme designed around COSMA's Enterprise-to-Education model. Sponsorship keeps children in school while household income support creates the conditions for long-term sustainability.
The programme supports school fees, learning materials, mentorship, and wellbeing, while also helping families build income through enterprise activities and savings groups.
For years, we supported vulnerable children through a traditional child sponsorship model, covering school fees and essential needs.
While this improved access, it did not fully address a critical challenge: when external support ends, many families are unable to continue financing their children's education.
Today, our Education Program goes beyond sponsorship to help families build the means to sustain education on their own.
Why the Program Matters
Keeping Children in School Means Staying in Life
Education is not simply about getting children into school. It is about enabling them to stay and complete their education, especially in vulnerable rural households.
90%+
More than 90% of children enroll in primary school.
60%
Only about 6 in 10 children complete the primary cycle.
30%
Secondary enrollment remains below 30%.
50%
Fewer than 5 in 10 complete lower secondary education.
Household Poverty
The Root Cause of Dropout
For many children, the challenge is not starting school. It is staying in school. Without addressing household poverty, dropout cycles are likely to continue.
47.6%
of rural households fall within the bottom 40% of the national consumption distribution.
41.8%
of female-headed households fall within the poorest 40% nationally.
80%
of households cite lack of income as the primary reason children drop out of school.
The E2E Model
Enterprise-to-Education: How It Works
By linking household income to school fees, we create a sustainable cycle where families can support their children's education long-term without depending on ongoing external support.
Rather than focusing only on the child, we work with the entire household so families can sustainably support their children's education over time.
How the Model Works
Four Interconnected Components
1
Education Protection
Children receive immediate support to stay in school through school fee support, learning materials, mentorship, and regular monitoring.
2
Community Social Enterprise Development
Caregivers, especially women, form social enterprises with hands-on skills training in book production, entrepreneurship, and business management.
3
Savings & Financial Inclusion
Households join savings and loan groups to build savings, access small loans, and strengthen financial planning and resilience.
4
Household Transition to Self-Reliance
As incomes improve, families gradually contribute more toward school costs. Over time, external support reduces as households move toward independent education financing.
What Makes It Different
Designed for lasting change
- Addresses the root cause of school dropout, not just the symptoms.
- Builds self-reliant families, not just supported children.
- Links livelihoods directly to education outcomes.
- Reduces long-term dependency on external support.
What It Achieves
Clear outcomes for families
- Sustained school retention and completion.
- Increased and stable household incomes.
- Strong savings culture among families.
- Transition from dependency to education self-reliance.
SDG Alignment
Our Education Program and the Sustainable Development Goals
By keeping children in school and strengthening household incomes, COSMA's sponsorship programme directly advances four of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals - from quality education and poverty reduction to gender equality and decent work.
SDG 1
No Poverty
By strengthening household incomes, families are better able to reduce vulnerability and finance their children's education.
SDG 5
Gender Equality
We promote girls' education and empower women caregivers through income-generating opportunities and financial inclusion.
SDG 8
Decent Work & Economic Growth
Through enterprise development and practical skills training, households build sustainable livelihoods that support education outcomes.
Get Involved
Move From Sponsorship to Self-Reliance
We are building a future where families can educate their children without relying on long-term external support. Together, we can move from sponsorship to self-reliance.