For years, Princess’s days revolved around gathering water, washing dishes, and helping her mother at home. “I wasn’t in school,” remembers Princess. “We didn’t have enough money.”
That all changed when the free Luminos program arrived in her community in Liberia, offering children like Princess the chance to learn foundational reading, writing, and math skills for the first time.
She fondly recalls starting each day by reviewing the letters of the alphabet and their sounds—a routine that sparked her love for learning.
“I learned so many things! The program helped me learn how to read and write with phonics, and we played games outside to practice spelling.”
Princess, Luminos alum in Liberia
Her mother, Jenneh, was amazed by her progress. “She picked things up quickly and did well. She had a book about Sammy from school, and she could read the whole thing!” says Jenneh proudly. “I was so happy to see her reading.”
The skills Princess gained in the Luminos program set her up for success in her local government school. Entering fourth grade after completing the Luminos program, she quickly found herself keeping pace with her peers: an experience that boosted her confidence and deepened her love for learning. Now in seventh grade, Princess continues to excel, particularly in science, social studies, and reading. Her favorite subject? “Science! I like learning about the body,” she says confidently.
Her former government school teacher, Robert, still remembers the day she joined his class. “I first started teaching her in the fourth grade after she finished the Luminos program. While there were a lot of changes, for her, the lessons were easy compared to the other students,” he recalls. “The Luminos program was good for them—even in how it shaped her behavior. She liked to be in class and was always very respectful.”
Princess and fellow Luminos alum, Emmanuel, on the grounds of their government school with their former Luminos teacher (and current Luminos supervisor), Varney.
Princess dreams of using her love of science to help others. “I want to go to college and become a nurse. I want to help when people are sick. I want to see everybody feel well,” she says with determination.
Reflecting on her journey, Princess shares a simple but powerful belief: “It’s important for every child to go to school.” Princess’s journey is a testament to the transformative power of education.
At Luminos, we believe every child deserves this opportunity—and when given the chance, children like Princess don’t just catch up; they flourish.
In one year, a child in the Luminos Liberia program learns 90% of what the average Liberian will learn in their lifetime.
The learning that Luminos students achieve in just one school year is almost as much as the average Liberian achieves over their entire life. No other externally evaluated program in Liberia has come close to the learning gains documented through a recent evaluation of the Luminos program. [1]
This statistic not only highlights the remarkable impact of the Luminos program but also underscores the significant challenges facing the education system in Liberia. Luminos is honored to have such a strong presence in Liberia, including our partnership with government, to help more children achieve similarly remarkable results in the years ahead.
Read this story and others from our various country programs in our 2024 Annual Report!
To learn more about our Liberia program, click here.
Photo credit for this story: Mara Chan/Luminos Fund
[1] The Learning Adjusted Years of School expresses learning in comparison to what would be achieved in a high-quality education system within a year. This enables the comparison of learning outcomes across different contexts.
