Local solutions for social change
Every child and young person deserves to learn, create and shape their own story.
We support education at the grassroots and youth development in the creative arts: backing local educators so that vulnerable and marginalised children can learn, and young creatives across Africa who use art for social change.
What we do
Local by design, with a reach across Africa
We start from the ground up and trust local people and ideas. Plateau State, where we are based, is rich in culture and talent, and has lived through years of conflict that cost children their schooling.
Learning at the grassroots
Grants to community educators, accelerated literacy and numeracy, and libraries, so out-of-school and underserved children catch up and keep learning.
Our education work
Youth and the creative arts
Open mics, the Creative Futures Lab and campaigns that help young creatives aged 15 to 35 build a practice, earn from it and drive change.
Explore Creative Futures
Making the case for education
Evidence-based campaigns for quality education, and research and evaluation for organisations working for change.
How we workWhy we do this
Children who miss the basics miss out on their own story
Three in four children aged 7 to 14 in Nigeria cannot read a simple sentence or solve a basic maths problem (UNICEF, 2024). We start with the local educators who already reach them, and back them to do more.
How we support learningThe COAL Bookshop
Stories worth sharing. Books that give back.
Discover African literature, from much-loved novels to new voices. Every purchase supports our work.
Buy a book, make a difference
Visit the BookshopSupport African writers
We stock and champion African authors, including new voices from our creative community.
Browse the books
Libraries and reading
Books open doors
Through school libraries, book clubs and book-to-film screenings, we put stories within reach of children and young people, so that learning to read becomes a love of reading.
Explore libraries and reading In their words
I love learning, and I will invite my friends to class.
A seven-year-old learner in a GAEF-supported class, Bassa LGA, Plateau State
Stories, ideas and opportunities
Latest from COAL
International Day of Education 2026: celebrating grassroots education
On the International Day of Education, we celebrated the community educators who keep children learning in Plateau State, alongside our partners.
Held Too Briefly: our anthology on avoidable deaths is out
Poetry, flash fiction and visual art from across Sub-Saharan Africa, born from the 2025 Art for Life campaign.
Annual call: Grassroots Accelerated Education micro-grant
Micro-grants of up to ₦2,000,000 for community-led projects that help out-of-school and underserved children in Plateau State learn.
We work alongside