1 in 5
children in sub-Saharan Africa is out of school
%
of children in low-income countries cannot read by age 10
$10
trillion
dollars are lost each year as a result of children not learning
Millions of children are shut out of school due to global crisis, poverty, and discrimination.
Our award-winning programs ensure the world’s most vulnerable children get a chance to experience joyful learning.
Luminos runs catch-up education programs
Joyful, activity-based
learning
Assessment-based
instruction
Student-centered classrooms
Foundational
literacy & numeracy
Our results
A new randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the Luminos program shows dramatic learning gains for students.
children given a second chance education
%
of graduates transition to government school
2x
more likely to complete primary school than their peers
Students learn how to learn
Literacy in 10 months
Centered in a holistic approach
Training local teachers
Engaging parents & local leaders
Collaborating with government
Partnering with community-based organizations
Our results
teachers trained
government classrooms using our approach in the 2025-26 school year
parents and guardians engaged
Where we work
Ethiopia
Ethiopia is our largest and longest-running program
reaching thousands of vulnerable children through
direct delivery and government adoption. Learn more >
Lebanon
In Lebanon, Luminos serves Syrian refugee children,
helping them restart their education, catch up on
foundational skills, and thrive. Learn more >
Liberia
In just one year, Luminos students in Liberia achieve 90%
of the learning an average Liberian gains in a lifetime.
Learn more >
Ghana
In Ghana, Luminos collaborates with the government
and local organizations to enhance the national
accelerated learning curriculum and expand education
for vulnerable children. Learn more >
The Gambia
In The Gambia, Luminos collaborates closely with the
government to co-implement our accelerated learning curriculum,
bringing thousands of vulnerable and out-of-school children back
to learning. Learn more >
Featured by
Latest news
From Classrooms to Systems: Ten Years of Joyful Learning in Ethiopia
Many education programs that work in a few hundred classrooms falter in a few thousand. Researchers call it "voltage drop": as a program scales, training gets thinner, support stretches further, and learning gains decline. How can an effective foundational learning...
Building Better Evidence by Inviting Debate: Reflections from the Inaugural Bilingual Advisory Council Convening
By: Meredith McCormac, Director of Programs, Luminos FundWhen we launched the Bilingual Boost program, funded by the Gates Foundation, we set out to explore a challenging question: How can education systems help children successfully learn to read and understand two...
Luminos Fund and Philanthropic Partners Mobilize $50 Million for Global Education
Commitment announced during the UN General Assembly week will support country-led efforts to expand joyful and impactful foundational learning for vulnerable children.New York, September 21, 2026 — The Luminos Fund, an international nonprofit helping the world’s...
Data sources for initial statistics: (1 in 5) UIS/UNESCO; (92%) World Bank; ($10T) UNESCO
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