Our Impact
Driven by evidence
To do this we:
Our Impact In Numbers
The Difference We Make
Those in our programme are a full year ahead of their peers.
Fewer tantrums, less biting and kicking, and better emotional regulation.
Improved nutrition and lower malnutrition rates, shown by increased upper arm circumference.
Greater confidence, well-being, capability, and respect in their communities.
Governments report improved ECD knowledge, project management, and community engagement.
Rigorous external evidence from leading academics
The Power of Parenting
The Institute for Fiscal Studies and Innovations for Poverty Action conducted a rigorous randomised evaluation our programme in Ghana. They found that it was leading to many wide-ranging impacts including improved cognitive development by the equivalent of an extra year of schooling, improved socio-emotional development and a reduction in malnutrition for Children. They also found that the programme was leading to significantly improved parenting knowledge and practice.
Our partnership with EDI Global assessed the impact of the Lively Minds programme in Uganda. While methodological challenges affected the quantitative study, qualitative findings highlighted meaningful benefits: Mothers reported clear improvements in their children's behavior, stronger family dynamics and improved relationships at home; Personal growth for Mothers and Village Health Teams delivering the programme, along with greater recognition and respect in their communities where also reported. And local government teams recognised the programme’s role in filling the gaps in childcare and early education.
Radio Impacts
An external evaluation by Farm Radio assessed the impact of our Lively Minds Together” radio programme in Ghana—and the results speak for themselves: 97.4% of listeners said the programme helped them support their preschool children’s learning at home; 91.5% reported adopting new early childhood care and education practices as a direct result.
Working Through Government
This independent Governance Review Report was commissioned after a year of the Ghana scale-up to assess and strengthen the governance of the GES–Lively Minds Early Childhood Development Programme. The review found strong commitment from Regional and District teams, active community engagement, and highly competent technical support. It also highlighted challenges such as unclear governance roles, funding structures, and gaps in programme ownership. Key recommendations were subsequently turned into action including enhanced regional and district oversight, and the appointment of a project management team staffed by GES to drive long-term success.
This report, produced by THRIVE, documents the scale-up of the Lively Minds programme across rural Ghana through government systems. It shares practical lessons on institutionalization and sustainability for similar efforts in low- and middle-income countries. The findings show that phased implementation, strategic partnerships, and strong government ownership improved early childhood development, despite challenges like limited funding and teacher workload, which were addressed through adaptation and community involvement. The report offers a roadmap for integrating NGO-led initiatives into national systems.
Our research partners
Hear what Lively Minds Mothers have to say
“The programme has built my confidence, before I could not even speak in public, now I can” … “Taking part of the programme I realise I did not even know the colours before. Now I know, I learned them thanks to the games”
“Before I was feeling lonely and often sad, but since I have enrolled the programme, I know I belong to a group. I go back home, and I feel happy”
