Street Child
Street Child is a British-founded charity established in 2008 that works to ensure children in low-resource environments and emergencies are safe, in school, and learning. They partner with local organizations in over 20 countries to provide education, protection, and livelihood support.
Company facts
- Founded
- 2008
- Headquarters
- United Kingdom
- CEO
- Tom Dannatt
About
Street Child's journey began in 2008, born from a desire to address the pressing educational needs of vulnerable children. Tom Dannatt, alongside Lucinda Dannatt, founded the organization after Tom witnessed firsthand the challenging conditions faced by street-connected children in Sierra Leone. The initial spark of inspiration led to their first project, a focused effort to support 100 street-connected children in Makeni, Sierra Leone, helping them return to education and reuniting them with their families. This foundational work laid the groundwork for what would become a global mission. Recognizing that simply placing children in schools wasn't enough, Street Child launched the innovative 'Family Business Scheme' in 2010. This program aimed to create sustainable change by empowering families through a combination of training, cash grants, mentoring, and incentivized savings schemes. The core idea was to strengthen family livelihoods, thereby ensuring children could remain in school long-term. Over the years, Street Child's vision expanded significantly beyond its initial project. From its beginnings in Sierra Leone, the charity grew to operate in over 20 of the world's most challenging environments, including countries across sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. The organization's scope broadened to include not only education access but also disaster relief, child protection, psychological support services, and advocacy for locally-driven responses. Key milestones include expanding into Liberia in 2013 and responding to major crises like the Ebola outbreak (2014-15) and the Nepal earthquakes in 2015. These events highlighted the critical need for integrated support in emergencies. Street Child has consistently emphasized partnering with local organizations, believing that community-led initiatives are the most effective way to create lasting impact. This collaborative approach, coupled with a commitment to evidence-based interventions and cost-effectiveness, has allowed Street Child to reach millions of children, providing them with safety, education, and the hope for a brighter future.