EducAid – Who they are and what they do
EducAid is one of Sierra Leone’s leading education organisations, working to improve access to quality education and create opportunities for young people to fulfil their potential. Founded in 1995, EducAid operates a network of free schools and teacher training programmes, while also supporting education system strengthening initiatives across the country. Through its work, the organisation reaches thousands of students and educators every year, with a strong focus on academic excellence, gender equality, leadership and social impact.
EducAid is widely recognised for its commitment to transforming education through locally led solutions. The organisation’s approach places young people at the centre of change, equipping them not only with academic knowledge but also with the values, skills and confidence needed to become future leaders within their communities.
Alongside its work in education, EducAid has increasingly integrated environmental sustainability and climate awareness into its programmes. Through initiatives such as the Green Clubs established across its schools, students are encouraged to understand environmental challenges, develop practical sustainability skills and take action within their schools and communities.
By combining education, leadership development and community engagement, EducAid is helping to prepare a new generation of young Sierra Leoneans to address the social and environmental challenges facing their country.
What NEF does with EducAid
NextEnergy Foundation first partnered with EducAid in 2025 through a project that installed solar energy systems at EducAid’s three school campuses in Lumley, Maronka and Rolal. The installations improved learning environments for students and staff while providing reliable access to clean energy across the three schools. Read 2025 project page to learn more about this initiative.
In 2026, NEF expanded its partnership with EducAid through two additional initiatives. The Solar Power for Maronka project provided reliable renewable energy to EducAid’s training centre and office at the Maronka Learning Hub, strengthening teacher training and educational support services. At the same time, the Powering Education in Port Loko project brought solar power to the District Education Office, helping improve educational management and support for more than 250,000 students across the district. Learn more about the early 2026 project.
Building on the success of those solar installations, NEF is now supporting EducAid’s Green Minds education programme, an initiative designed to help students understand the connections between climate change, renewable energy and sustainable development. By linking environmental education to the renewable energy systems already operating on campus, the programme transforms solar infrastructure into a practical learning resource for students.
The programme will engage students through a series of interactive workshops and activities that encourage critical thinking, problem solving and environmental leadership. Participants will explore the causes and impacts of climate change, learn about renewable energy technologies and develop practical ideas for creating positive environmental change within their own communities.
Many young people in Sierra Leone are already experiencing the effects of climate change through changing weather patterns, environmental degradation and increasing pressure on natural resources. Yet opportunities to learn about these challenges and develop practical responses remain limited. Green Minds aims to bridge this gap by giving students the knowledge and confidence to become active participants in building a more sustainable future.
The programme also reinforces the long-term impact of NEF’s previous investment in solar energy. Students will be able to see first-hand how clean energy can support education, reduce environmental impact and contribute to community development. In doing so, renewable energy becomes more than an infrastructure solution: it becomes a tool for learning, inspiration and leadership.
Through this partnership, NEF and EducAid are helping to nurture a generation of informed and engaged young people who understand both the challenges of climate change and the opportunities that renewable energy offers. By combining education, sustainability and practical action, Green Minds seeks to create lasting benefits for students, schools and communities across Sierra Leone.
EducAid – Who they are and what they do
EducAid is a UK-registered charity (1163161) and Sierra Leone-registered NGO that has been transforming education in Sierra Leone for more than 30 years. EducAid runs system-strengthening interventions, school improvement and research projects, and an educational network of free, high-quality schools, all aimed at serving the diverse needs of local communities and enhancing education quality, social inclusion, gender equality, and community resilience.
EducAid’s vision is to create a democratic, dignified, and globally-engaged Sierra Leone, where poverty is eradicated through education. Currently reaching more than 900 schools across the country, EducAid is the go-to partner for Sierra Leonean education projects. Their work raises the standards of education for children and young people across Sierra Leone, working alongside communities to ensure successful outcomes that endure beyond the project’s lifespan. EducAid is currently working in partnership with the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE), supporting district education teams to lead sustainable school improvements district-wide.
EducAid is committed to advancing environmental sustainability, climate education and reducing the use of non-renewable energy. Their goal is to equip all schools and training centres with solar panels and green practices.
What NEF does with EducAid
Following the transformational success of EducAid’s 2025 solar installations, the NextEnergy Foundation is now helping to extend this impact through two new projects.
The Solar Power for Maronka project will upgrade EducAid’s training centre and office at the Maronka learning hub, providing reliable electricity to support EducAid students and teachers, and to improve teacher training capacity for more than 2,000 educators in partner schools, benefitting thousands across the country.
Meanwhile, the Powering Education in Port Loko project will bring sustainable solar power to the Sierra Leonean Ministry of Education’s District Education Office in Port Loko, strengthening the district education team’s capacity to improve teaching quality, school safety, and learning outcomes for more than 250,000 students across the district.
Together, these initiatives will reduce reliance on diesel generators, cut costs, lower carbon emissions, expand access to ICT and digital learning, and increase teacher training capacity, contributing to system strengthening and advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals for quality education (SDG 4), gender equality (SDG 5), affordable clean energy (SDG 7), and climate action (SDG 13).
Installations are scheduled for March 2026.
EducAid – Who they are and what they do
EducAid is a UK-registered charity (1163161) and Sierra Leone-registered NGO that has been transforming education in Sierra Leone for more than 30 years. EducAid runs system-strengthening interventions, school improvement and research projects, and an educational network of free, high-quality schools, all aimed at serving the diverse needs of local communities and enhancing education quality, social inclusion, gender equality, and community resilience.
EducAid’s vision is to create a democratic, dignified, and globally-engaged Sierra Leone, where poverty is eradicated through education. Currently reaching more than 900 schools across the country, EducAid is the go-to partner for Sierra Leonean education projects. Their work raises the standards of education for children and young people across Sierra Leone, working alongside communities to ensure successful outcomes that endure beyond the project’s lifespan. EducAid is currently working in partnership with the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE), supporting district education teams to lead sustainable school improvements district-wide.
EducAid is committed to advancing environmental sustainability, climate education and reducing the use of non-renewable energy. Their goal is to equip all schools and training centres with solar panels and green practices.
What NEF does with EducAid
In 2025, the NextEnergy Foundation is supporting EducAid’s “Sustainable Energy for Schools in Sierra Leone” project. The aim of this project is to provide a reliable and sustainable power supply across all of EducAid’s teaching and learning sites in Sierra Leone. This initiative will enhance energy efficiency and minimise power supply disruptions, thereby improving the learning experience for over 60,000 students.
This goal will be achieved through a combination of strategies:
Within the broader EducAid project, in 2025 NextEnergy Foundation is supporting the installation of photovoltaic (PV) solar systems in three schools:
The main expected positive impacts of this project include:
The solar and generator installations across the three EducAid Sierra Leone sites—Lumley, Rolal, and Maronka—were successfully completed by the end of July 2025. Despite some weather-related challenges, including storm damage at the Rolal site, all systems were installed within the planned timeframe and are now fully operational.
The project has already begun to transform daily life at the schools and surrounding communities:
Who Has Benefited:
Expected Long Term Positive Impacts: