Project SHINE! is making waves in Sierra Leone, with coverage in one of the country’s leading media outlets. The story highlights the project’s partnership with the Sierra Leone government, which has resulted in the development of new national policy guidelines on integrating health and nutrition into early childhood development centers. Supported and funded by Columbia World Projects and implemented by ICAP and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Preservation, and Planning, Project SHINE! (Supporting Healthy Interaction, Nurturing, and Enrichment for Preschool Children) is gaining well-deserved recognition for its impact.

Launched in 2022, Project SHINE! set out to tackle the systemic health and developmental challenges facing preschool children, ages two to six. In a nation of nearly 9 million, childhood mortality rates remain staggering: more than 100 deaths per 1,000 live births for children under age five, according to UNICEF. And while the childhood mortality decreased by 37.5% between 2010 and 2022, the government of Sierra Leone is committed to further changing this reality and continues to push for improvements.

“We still have much work to do in childhood development. It’s alarming that 30% of children in this country die from malaria, and over 50% face similar dire conditions. We need to change this narrative, which is why I’m committed to supporting early childhood development,” said Professor Charles Senesie, the Deputy Minister of Health in Sierra Leone. 

Project SHINE! has brought together experts from the Columbia community, leaders in Sierra Leone, and the local community to address critical health and developmental challenges in Sierra Leone's preschools. ICAP piloted Project SHINE! at one demonstration site, Our Lourdes Preschool in the Port Loko District of Sierra Leone, where they introduced a wraparound health services solution for preschool children and their families that placed the child at the heart of the initiative, surrounded by nurturing care from caregivers, family, teachers, health workers, and the wider community.

With this pilot, Project SHINE! tackled systemic issues and supported early childhood development, providing a scalable solution to improve health outcomes for Sierra Leone’s youngest and most vulnerable children. This innovative project tested a comprehensive suite of health services, including enhancements to school toilet facilities and kitchen facilities, as well as hand-washing stations; household health visits conducted by community health workers; school-based health services; community health days; and the establishment of a nutritional teaching garden and creation of an associated garden curriculum. 

During the pilot, Project SHINE! reached over 200 children, uncovering critical health issues like malaria. Subsequently, medical referrals, treatments, and follow-up care ensured each child received the support they needed, proving just how vital accessible health services are for young children in Sierra Leone.

While Project SHINE!’s immediate impact was evident at the school level, its success played a key role in accelerating government engagement. From its beginning, the project was built on the foundation of driving policy change to integrate health, nutrition, water, sanitation, and hygiene services into Sierra Leone’s early childhood development centers. The project’s success sparked collaborative conversations and deepened government engagement, which helped bring these guidelines to life at a time when the country needs them most. Now these guidelines are set to be integrated nationwide, marking a major milestone for early childhood care in the country.

“This intervention isn’t just about immediate actions but ensuring future sustainability. Addressing issues like water access and providing children with education and care for four to five hours a day can significantly impact their well-being and prevent severe illness,” said Mame Awa Toure, MD, MSc, regional director of ICAP in West and Central Africa, at a recent gathering for Project SHINE!.

SHINE’s trajectory from a pilot program to a policy-driving initiative is exactly the kind of impact Columbia World Projects strives for — where thinking and doing leads to lasting change.