The Education First Initiative aims to improve school enrollment and performance in Gomoa Dago, a fishing community with poor school enrollment rates and academic performance. More than 40% of children of school age in this community were not enrolled in school in 2011. This program aimed to put every child in school by removing educational barriers to school enrollment and completion, while also kindling excitement for learning.

This initiative promotes access to quality education and serves as a safe place where young people can learn and develop their full potential. Boys and Girls Clubs of Ghana collaborated with community leaders, churches, and parents on the urgent need to enroll out-of-school children in school. In the first year, 350 children improved their academic performance by 40%. In the future, the Education First Initiative seeks to increase academic performance by 90% and minimize the school dropout rate by 30%. The program’s long-term vision is to help them learn and utilize at least one income-generating skill so they can succeed in the workplace and achieve financial independence.