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Champions' Network
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Championing education and child's rights in their communities.
So They Can invests in a dedicated network of volunteers who advocate for quality education in their local communities.
Known as our Champions' Network, these mothers and fathers are the go-to people in their villages for child rights matters, with at least two in every school community in Kenya and Tanzania.
Who is a Champion?
A Champion is a local parent or community member who is committed to quality, inclusive education and child rights.
They are respected members of their community and serve everyone equally, whatever their sex, religion, ethnicity or background. Champions are skilled communicators who can engage with people of all ages and backgrounds, and they know how to build trust and rapport.
Meet Zainabu
Zainabu is one of So They Can's Champions located in Babati District, Tanzania. As a mother of 4, she feels strongly about ensuring parents and the community are educated and uphold children's' rights.
"I became a Champion in 2020 after witnessing too many cruel acts against children in my community. Being a champion I want to ensure that the community gets the right education and stops acts of violence against children, especially sexual violence".
What does a Champion do?
The primary role of a Champion is to proactively advocate for children, and ensure that every child in their community is attending school. Their work includes:
Prioritising child protection
In Tanzania, aligned with the Government's new National Guidelines for Child Protection and Security Desks In and Out of School (2022), additional measures are expected to include:
In Kenya, So They Can has established a Child Rights Club in every partner school. The clubs, which are run by students and overseen by a teacher who is a Club Patron, raise awareness on child rights within schools and ensure that violations are detected and reported.
Meet Margaret
'I am passionate about helping children. Having been a school representative at AIC Sunrise Primary School, I was eager to get more involved, so I became a Champion Mother.'
A mother of 8 children (4 girls, and 4 boys) Margaret knows the value of education and has ensured that all of her children go to school.
She loves to see her own children, and the children in her community, succeed in life. 2 of her children are in school, in Grade 4 and 8, and one child is joining college.
'Since I became a Champion Mother I have been able to rescue teenage mothers and get them re enrolled in school. I regard it as my biggest achievement and I hope to assist more young mothers. I am dedicated to sensitising the members of my community on the importance of education.'
How does a Champion work?
They are equipped to respond quickly, with access to a range of local resources to:
Our Champions are easily recognisable in their communities, with their So They Can branded t-shirts. In Kenya a monthly stipend of KSH 3,000 (AUD $34) supports their activities. In Tanzania Champions can access small loans for income-generation activities.
Why are Champions needed?
The network was first formed by So They Can in 2020, prompted by the need for community-based health messaging during school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, aligned with our child rights programming approach, it is children that actively select the Champions in their school community, to be trained by national trainers on their roles and responsibilities.
As the focal point in their community, a Champion is the critical connector between all of the various education stakeholders.
Let’s end child poverty through education.
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So They Can is accredited by the Australian department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), responsible for managing the Australian government’s development program. So They Can receives support through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).
So They Can is a registered charity in Australia (ABN 91 138 063 475), New Zealand (CC # 45673), a registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit in the USA (EIN 47-1079440), and a UK charity with the Registered Charity Number 1213084.