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Harvesters Africa Empowerment Foundation has launched its annual Back-to-School Initiative, a nationwide effort that reached more than 3,000 children across Nigeria.
The programme was carried out in partnership with SOHCAHTOA Foundation, Saturn Home Appliances and the Center for Legal Support and Inmate Rehabilitation. Activities took place in schools, informal communities and correctional centres.
A central part of this year’s initiative was the collaboration with CELSIR and the Ikoyi Correctional Centre on the “Empower to Rebuild” project. The project supports inmate rehabilitation through vocational skill development. Inmates received official trade cards issued by the Lagos State Ministry of Labour, confirming technical competence that can support future employment.
As part of the initiative, inmates produced 100 three-seater desks. These desks provide classroom seating for 300 schoolchildren. The project created support for both groups: practical learning resources for pupils and certified skills for inmates.
Across several cities, HAEF delivered school uniforms, books and classroom furniture. In Makoko, at Hope For The Slum School, the foundation distributed 150 new school uniforms, 42 three-seater desks seating 126 pupils, 750 notebooks and carried out sand-filling of the access road leading to the school.
At St. Jude’s Anglican Primary School, Ijesha-Ijebu, the foundation provided 30 desks, school uniforms, sandals, socks and 600 notebooks. Through the James Opeyemi Foundation (Project 1000), 2,000 exercise books were donated. At Kuramo Secondary School, Ikoyi, 28 classroom chairs were supplied and one classroom was fully renovated.
In Abuja, at LEA Primary School, Kabusa, 25 classroom chairs were delivered in partnership with the Preston Development Foundation. HAEF also paid the school fees of five students across Lagos, Ibadan and Ekiti, selected from households led by single mothers.
Pastor Bolaji Idowu, Lead Pastor at HICC and Founder of HAEF, said: “Education is one of the greatest levers for long-term transformation. Our strategy is simple target communities with the highest need and intervene with dignity-centered support. This year, we demonstrated that empowerment can also rebuild lives behind prison walls. We are proud to see inmates actively shaping the future of young Nigerians.”
The Back-to-School Initiative is one of several programmes through which HAEF works to expand access to education, enterprise and essential services. The foundation is inviting individuals, organisations and sponsors to partner in scaling the impact for 2025.
