Last month, we had the pleasure of hosting Tom Dannatt, Founder and CEO of Street Child, one of the world’s fastest growing children’s charities. Niccolo Spataro, CEO of NTT DATA UK&I and Tom Winstanley, our CTO & Head of New Ventures, sat down with Tom to discuss the latest collaboration between our two organisations: building a secondary school in one of Sierra Leone’s most remote communities. During the discussion, we outlined our shared vision for this project, agreeing that we want our school to be an exciting and vibrant foundation for social development in one of Sierra Leone’s most marginalised communities.
During our Fireside chat, Niccolo Spataro, CEO of NTT DATA UK&I, shared his motivations for this project, saying: “I became passionate about this project because, for me, education is freedom. Education is the ability to give children the opportunity to choose their future; to choose what they want to do. By partnering with Street Child, we hope to help a community change the future of their children.”
Street Child has been at the forefront of education initiatives in Sierra Leone for over a decade, supporting the construction of more than 650 primary schools in rural areas across the country. This is the country where the CEO and Founder, Tom Dannatt, first decided to take action.
Although the charity now operates in over 20 countries globally, the children of Sierra Leone still lie close to his heart. During a trip to the country’s rural areas in the early 2000s, Tom began asking himself why there were so many children on the streets. The answer was simple: there were no secondary schools nearby.
To put this in context, the estimated primary school completion rate in Sierra Leone was 82% in 2019, according to UNICEF. However, in stark contrast, the completion rate for secondary school was estimated to be just 46%.
This disparity is hardly surprising, as children living in rural areas are often faced with only two options: travel extreme distances (up to three hours each way on foot) to the nearest secondary school, or drop out. Street Child and NTT DATA are determined to change this by developing the secondary school in a location where children from multiple rural communities can easily access.
Laying the groundwork
Once we have found that optimal location, there is still a lot to be done. To have the biggest impact possible, the plan is to accommodate children from at least four local communities who otherwise would not have access to secondary education in their area. Construction is due to begin in the autumn after the rainy season has passed.
As a grassroots project, ensuring community buy-in throughout the project is essential. Street Child and NTT DATA look forward to working closely with local groups during the school’s construction and aim to continue building relationships with the families of students once the school is up and running.
Ongoing community engagement will help to ensure the project addresses the specific needs and concerns of the families, allowing it to have the biggest impact on the lives of the students. By fostering a sense of collaboration, we hope to make the school a social and cultural hub for education and social development.
To make our vision come alive, we have set ourselves some firm targets to achieve by the end of the year:
- Confirm the school’s location
- Receive required approvals
- Confirm contractors
- Begin the procurement process
- Begin the construction of the school
If everything goes to plan, we will be opening our doors to our first students in May 2025.
A holistic approach to community development
However, this project is so much more than the construction of a school. During our chat with Tom, we discussed the importance of taking a holistic approach to community development. Drawing on his vast experience in social development, Tom highlighted the importance of providing clean and accessible WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) facilities on the school campus, including gender-separated latrines.
Tom also emphasised the strong correlation between the provision of adequate WASH facilities and school attendance, especially for female students. By providing clean water and sanitary facilities, we hope to overcome the gendered barriers that are holding so many young women back in Sierra Leonne. On top of this, maintaining clean WASH facilities will significantly reduce the risk of illness, boosting attendance rates, and giving children the confidence to choose the future they want and deserve.
Boosting attendance by creating a safe and welcoming educational environment is just the first step towards those brighter futures. By equipping these kids with the skills and confidence to help uplift their communities, we know we can foster lasting change.
Making it sustainable
The brick and mortar of the school is just one element of this programme. During our chat with Tom Dannatt, we also discussed how digital transformation has drastically expanded the scope of educational opportunities in rural communities. Today, the ability to empower young people with knowledge and skills is greater than ever before. By ensuring connectivity on the ground, training teachers, and establishing income-generating initiatives, we aim to support communities in accessing new opportunities that will serve as the building blocks for lasting change. This approach is a proven method of sustainable intervention that can ensure generations of children can access their right to life-changing education.
Tom Winstanley, CTO & Head of New Ventures at NTT DATA UK&I, shared: “Without establishing connectivity, social development projects are unlikely to have a lasting impact in remote areas. NTT DATA is uniquely positioned to help bridge this digital divide in Sierra Leone’s rural communities, giving younger generations the crucial opportunity to reach their full potential through excellent education. We hope to build the architecture on which future generations can build those brighter futures that they so richly deserve.”
Get involved!
We invite our clients, alliance partners and employees to get involved in this important and lasting initiative. There are a series of events already planned throughout the year and we’re open to collaborating with other companies to raise awareness, funding and support for our secondary school. If you are interested in getting involved in this project, get in touch with Jane Spriggs Head of NTT DATA Charity Network.
Alternatively, visit our Charity partnership page here.