The Community Learning Access Programme (CLAP) was created in response to the educational inequalities we observed in underserved communities, where many children attend school without basic learning materials or adequate support. Through our work with public schools and communities, we saw how poverty, limited resources, and social challenges were preventing children, especially girls, from fully participating in education.
We created this innovation to remove these barriers and ensure that every child has a fair opportunity to learn and succeed. CLAP was designed to go beyond traditional classroom support by addressing both academic needs and non-academic challenges that affect learning, such as menstrual hygiene management, confidence, and community awareness. By working closely with schools, families, and local volunteers, we aimed to build a practical, community-driven solution that improves learning conditions and keeps children engaged in school.
At its core, CLAP exists because we believe access to quality education should not depend on a child’s background or circumstances. The innovation reflects our commitment to creating inclusive learning environments where communities actively support children’s education and help them reach their full potential.
The Community Learning Access Programme works through close collaboration with public basic schools and the communities they serve. The programme begins by engaging school leaders, teachers, and community stakeholders to identify learning gaps and barriers affecting student participation. This ensures interventions respond to real needs and local realities. CLAP supports schools by providing essential learning materials that improve classroom conditions and enable effective teaching and learning. Alongside this, the programme delivers learner-focused activities such as educational talks, mentoring, and sensitisation sessions that promote school attendance, confidence, and positive learning habits. Learner wellbeing is central to the innovation, with a strong focus on girls’ education. CLAP conducts menstrual hygiene education sessions and distributes sanitary items to reduce absenteeism and stigma, helping girls stay engaged in school. These sessions are delivered in safe, age-appropriate settings and linked to broader discussions on health, dignity, and self-esteem. Community involvement is key to how CLAP operates. Parents, local volunteers, and community leaders support implementation and reinforce messages at home and in the community. The programme is delivered in flexible cycles, using feedback from teachers and learners to improve and adapt. Its low-cost, community-led model makes CLAP easy to replicate in other underserved settings, strengthening inclusive and support
Since its launch in 2020, the Community Learning Access Programme (CLAP) has steadily expanded across multiple public basic schools and communities in Ghana. Initially piloted in one community, the programme demonstrated measurable improvements in learning conditions, school participation, and learner engagement, which encouraged other schools and communities to adopt the model.
Over the years, CLAP has grown through community partnerships, volunteer networks, and school collaborations. Its scalable, low-cost, and adaptable design has made it possible to replicate in different contexts without heavy infrastructure. By engaging parents, local leaders, and community stakeholders, CLAP has strengthened ownership and trust, allowing it to reach more learners and schools each year.
Since 2020, the programme has reached thousands of students, with a particular focus on supporting girls’ education through menstrual hygiene interventions and learner wellbeing initiatives. Its growth reflects both the demand for effective community-driven educational solutions and the programme’s ability to deliver measurable impact, making it a model for replication in other underserved regions.
Since its launch, the Community Learning Access Programme (CLAP) has evolved based on feedback from teachers, students, and community stakeholders. Initially focused on providing learning materials, the programme has expanded to include targeted learner support activities, mentorship sessions, and educational sensitisation programmes.
A major addition has been the focus on girls’ education, including menstrual hygiene education and distribution of sanitary items, which addresses absenteeism and social barriers. We have also refined our community-led model, engaging parents, local volunteers, and leaders more systematically to strengthen ownership and sustainability. These adaptations have made CLAP more responsive to learners’ needs, more inclusive, and easier to replicate in different communities.
To try the Community Learning Access Programme (CLAP), start by connecting with a local school or community to identify children’s learning needs. Provide essential learning materials, organise mentorship or educational sessions, and include activities that support wellbeing, especially for girls. Engage parents, volunteers, and community leaders to strengthen participation and ownership, and use feedback from students and teachers to refine and improve the programme over time. Once successful, the model can be gradually replicated in other communities.
