Overview of SHIELI

The Scaling Inclusive Home-Based Early Learning Initiative (SIHELI) is a 33-month implementation research project led by Kyambogo University (Uganda) in partnership with Associates for Change (Ghana) and Nimba University (Liberia). It pilots a hybrid early childhood education (ECE) model that combines home- and center-based approaches in ECE to expand access for children aged 3–6 years in communities without formal schools. The model emphasises inclusion of children with disabilities and promotes gender-responsive, culturally relevant play-based pedagogy. Parental and community management structures are integrated, with health and nutrition linkages to support child development. In Ghana, SIHELI is being implemented with the Ghana Education Service (GES) in selected communities within the Nanton District in the Northern Region. The project ultimately seeks to generate evidence to inform policy and scale sustainable, community-driven early childhood education initiatives.