{"id":18,"date":"2024-06-01T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-06-01T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/clepafrica.org\/index.php\/stories\/expanding-our-reach-20-new-scholars-in-2024\/"},"modified":"2026-03-19T12:42:52","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T12:42:52","slug":"expanding-our-reach-20-new-scholars-in-2024","status":"publish","type":"clep_story","link":"https:\/\/clepafrica.org\/index.php\/stories\/expanding-our-reach-20-new-scholars-in-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Expanding Our Reach: New Scholars in the 2025\/2026 School Year"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Thanks to the generosity of our donors and the proven success of our pilot program, CLEP is scaling up. This past September, we welcome 6 new scholars, bringing hope to more families across two communities.<\/p>\n<p>The selection process was rigorous and community-driven. Local leaders, teachers, and parents nominated children based on need, potential, and family commitment. We met and interviewed parents, and assessed each child&#8217;s readiness.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-84 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/clepafrica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Schools-223x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"314\" height=\"422\" srcset=\"https:\/\/clepafrica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Schools-223x300.jpg 223w, https:\/\/clepafrica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Schools-762x1024.jpg 762w, https:\/\/clepafrica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Schools-768x1032.jpg 768w, https:\/\/clepafrica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Schools-1143x1536.jpg 1143w, https:\/\/clepafrica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Schools.jpg 1208w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 314px) 100vw, 314px\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"161\" data-end=\"498\">At CLEP, every new school year is more than just a calendar milestone, it is an opportunity to change lives, restore hope, and rewrite the future for children who need it most. The 2025\/2026 academic year marks a significant step forward in our mission, as we expand our reach to support more vulnerable children across our communities.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"500\" data-end=\"669\">Finally, we are excited to welcome a new group of scholars whose stories reflect both the challenges many children face and the powerful impact of timely intervention.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"671\" data-end=\"1091\">Among them is <strong data-start=\"685\" data-end=\"696\">Rachael<\/strong>, a joyful 7-year-old girl raised by a single mother in a leaking plank house. Despite sleepless nights during heavy rains and limited access to proper nutrition, Rachael continues to shine with resilience and enthusiasm. With CLEP\u2019s support, she is now growing in confidence, making steady progress in mathematics, exploring new languages, and expressing herself through creative art projects.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1093\" data-end=\"1497\">We also welcomed <strong data-start=\"1110\" data-end=\"1117\">Joy<\/strong>, who lives with her mother in an uncompleted building where daily life is marked by exposure to cold weather and mosquito bites. Her mother\u2019s heartfelt plea for help reflects the reality many families face. Today, Joy is experiencing a new sense of stability through CLEP\u2019s program, showing steady academic improvement and discovering her voice through learning and creativity.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1499\" data-end=\"1902\">Another powerful story is that of <strong data-start=\"1533\" data-end=\"1545\">Emmanuel<\/strong>, who recently lost his father. At the time of our visit, he had traveled for his father\u2019s funeral, and his sister received his scholarship on his behalf. His family now faces financial hardship, placing him at risk of child labour. Through CLEP\u2019s intervention, Emmanuel is being supported to remain in school and rebuild his future with dignity and hope.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1904\" data-end=\"2248\">Similarly, <strong data-start=\"1915\" data-end=\"1928\">Oluwaseun<\/strong> was at the brink of leaving school to begin street trading with his mother after the loss of his father. Faced with financial pressure, his education was nearly cut short. Today, through CLEP\u2019s support, he remains in school, learning, growing, and stepping into a future filled with possibility rather than limitation.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2250\" data-end=\"2451\">These stories are just a glimpse into the lives being impacted this year. Each child represents not only a need but also a potential future leader, creator, and change-maker waiting to be nurtured.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2453\" data-end=\"2651\">As we expand our reach, our commitment remains clear: to prevent child labour, promote education, and provide children with the support they need to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2653\" data-end=\"2781\">This journey would not be possible without the support of partners, donors, and community members who believe in this mission.<\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"2783\" data-end=\"2786\" \/>\n<h3 data-section-id=\"1154u84\" data-start=\"2788\" data-end=\"2817\"><strong data-start=\"2792\" data-end=\"2817\">Be Part of the Impact<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"2819\" data-end=\"2914\">As we continue to expand, there are still many children waiting for an opportunity like this.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2916\" data-end=\"3030\"><strong data-start=\"2916\" data-end=\"2950\">Join us in transforming lives.<\/strong><br data-start=\"2950\" data-end=\"2953\" \/>Sponsor a child, support a family, and help us reach even more communities.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3032\" data-end=\"3155\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">\ud83d\udc49 <strong data-start=\"3035\" data-end=\"3065\">Donate. Partner. Advocate.<\/strong><br data-start=\"3065\" data-end=\"3068\" \/>Together, we are not just expanding numbers, we are expanding hope, one child at a time.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3123\" data-end=\"3243\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With your support, we are scaling our impact and preparing to welcome 20 new children into the CLEP family.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":84,"template":"","story_category":[7],"class_list":["post-18","clep_story","type-clep_story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","story_category-future"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/clepafrica.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/clep_story\/18","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/clepafrica.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/clep_story"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/clepafrica.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/clep_story"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clepafrica.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/84"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/clepafrica.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"story_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clepafrica.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story_category?post=18"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}