Maple Leaf Early Years Foundation (MLEYF) – Maple Leaf Early Years Foundation is a non-profit organisation with a mission to provide basic education for all children all over Africa

Every child deserves an Opportunity

Our Programmes and Interventions alleviate and empower children from low-income families in rural areas which have been torn apart by tragedies such as war and disasters.

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*Press Release*

*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*

*Maple Leaf Early Years Foundation Joins Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty as Founding Member*

Abuja, Nigeria — 10/11/2024—

Maple Leaf Early Years Foundation is proud to announce its commitment as a founding member of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, a groundbreaking initiative set to launch at the upcoming G20 summit in Brazil.
This international collaboration aims to tackle the persistent challenges of hunger and poverty, ensuring a sustainable and equitable future for all.

By joining the Global Alliance, Maple Leaf Early Years Foundation reaffirms its dedication to the mission of eradicating hunger and poverty in all forms, aligning with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1 and 2.
MLEYF recognizes the urgent need for collective action against the rising tide of food insecurity and inequality, which has been exacerbated in recent years also aligning with SDGs 10 and 17.

“We are indeed honoured to be a founding member of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty,” said Ndubuisi Nwigwe, Co-Founder and Director, Strategic Partnerships, Stakeholder and Government Relations, of the Maple Leaf Early Years Foundation. “Our commitment and resolve reflects our belief that by working together with other stakeholders, we can create lasting solutions that not only address immediate needs but also tackle the structural barriers that perpetuate poverty and hunger.”

The Foundation’s commitment includes providing technical assistance, capacity building, and knowledge-sharing to support member countries in implementing effective policy instruments that promote food security, nutrition, and social protection. By leveraging its expertise in early childhood support and education, the Maple Leaf Early Years Foundation aims to enhance the resilience and well-being of vulnerable populations.

The Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty seeks to unite countries and organizations around innovative and integrated approaches to overcome the challenges of poverty and hunger, emphasizing the importance of collaboration at all levels—from local communities to international partners.

For more information about Maple Leaf Early Years Foundation and its commitment to the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, please visit www.mleyfoundation.org

*Media Contact:*
Aisha Digil
Senior Advisor, School Feeding, Nutrition and Food Security
Maple Leaf Early Years Foundation
info@mleyfoundation.org

ENDS

Our Reach.

We're making an impact

We envisage a world where children would not lose their education as a result of prevailing humanitarian emergencies.

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6,570 children reached

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Volunteers

538,500 Meals Provided

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Country

With your help

We've reached over 10,000 children & provided over 800,000 healthy meals.

Maple Leaf Early Years Foundation’s mandate is to provide basic childcare and Education in Emergencies for displaced children, with a special focus on children from low-income families, rural areas, underserved settlements, and children who have been affected by tragedies such as war.

Our Programmes & Interventions

Education-in-Emergencies

We are at the forefront in providing Education in Emergencies for victims of conflict or disasters and displacement…

Lunch@School

No child deserves to learn on an empty stomach. The importance of having the assurance…

Early Years for IDPs Initiative

This initiative ensured that the young children who have been affected by displacement are……

Set for Success

For many out-of-school children, their challenge is being able to get back into the school system…

Latest Publications and Announcements

Latest Publications

We are glad to share that Maple Leaf Early Years Foundation (MLEYF) has been announced as a Zero Project 2024 awardee! MLEYF is being recognized for its groundbreaking work in providing inclusive early childhood and primary education in displaced settings, host, and rural communities in Nigeria. Our innovative Inclusive Education in Emergencies in Transitional Learning Centres program is making a real difference in the lives of children and families affected by crisis. By ensuring access to quality education, MLEYF is creating opportunities for growth, empowerment, and a brighter future. We will receive this prestigious award at the Zero Conference 2024 in Vienna, held from February 21-23 at the United Nations Vienna office. It’s a remarkable opportunity to showcase our impactful work on a global stage and connect with like-minded individuals and organizations dedicated to inclusive education. Let’s continue to support and promote inclusive education, creating a world where every child has the opportunity to thrive.

You can view other nominees of the Zero Project 2024 Awards on the Zero Project website

#InternationalDayOfPeopleWithDisabilities #InclusiveEducation #MLEYF #ZeroProject2024 #EducationForAll #Empowerment #BrighterFuture #ZeroCon24

From Our Community.

Testimonials

My primary one pupils are all incredibly special and I am extremely proud of them and their progress throughout the last term. The pupil I will share my success story on is Aisha Abba. When she got admitted into the Transitional Learning Centre, she did not understand English Language, had low self-esteem in the classroom, and found it hard blending in with peers. On noticing all this, I made sure to involve her in class activities and ask her questions. Whenever she got the answers right, I praised and encouraged her efforts, and also encouraged her to always be confident to speak English in the class. This helped to boost her confidence, enabling her to become more positive, outspoken, and an enthusiastic learner. She now represents her class in inter-class quiz competitions. Today I can categorically say Aisha is one of the top of her class.

My Psychosocial support sessions with the children are always remarkably interesting, fun, and interactive. I take topics related to the mental health of the children and I make sure they are in the right capacity to gain knowledge without any distractions. I have come to understand these sessions are having a great positive impact on the children. From my observations, I realized that the children do not just learn and put into practice what I teach them, but they also go home and discuss it with their peers and family. I am extremely proud of them and their development in both their academics and behavior.

In basic two, the pupil with an outstanding transformation is Onyinyechukwu. At seven years old, she struggled, having had a poor academic foundation, with reading and writing. With the aid of constant spellings and drills, she now reads fluently on any age-appropriate materials and is always ready to guide her classmates.

Maple Leaf Early Years Foundation has indeed touched so many lives and homes. The Centre has recorded so many success stories but the most profound one dear to us is the rapid progress of the children’s academic progress. We picked so many children from very low-income/status homes who could not afford a meal per day let alone be able to pay for the fees of their children. We met children of school age who had never been to school, while some had dropped out for almost 3 - 4 years. We were excited for them to come to school and learn. Most of them could not even hold a pencil but today, they are able to write and read words they never knew how to read. Their self- esteem has been boosted as they can communicate freely with their peers in English Language compared to when they began. They look brighter and stronger because they are at least sure of a meal served on each school day. Thank you, Maple Leaf Early Years Foundation, for this amazing service to humanity.

When Aminu was admitted into the Transitional Learning Centre, he was a strong-willed and opinionated child who wanted everything his own way. He would always avoid being corrected for inappropriate behaviour, even resorting to missing school for days. We spoke with his mother concerning this and discovered that she had seemingly was also quite frustrated with Aminu’s behaviour and hoped we would be able to help with his excesses. She felt helpless and hopeless, wishing the time he spent in school would never end. We started our success story journey by showing him love and encouragement, celebrating his successes, no matter how seemingly small. He was nominated leader of the boys in his class. This leadership position pushed him to be his best because he was told that a leader is expected to be an example to his followers. He has now positively improved in all areas.

There is a quote by Robert John Meehan that says "Every child has a different learning style and pace. Each child is unique, not only capable of learning but also capable of succeeding". Hussaina is a twin and the youngest of five children. Being noticeably quiet and introverted, she hardly responded to questions when asked. She avoided any activity that would require her to engage or interact with anyone in the class. Sometimes, her mother has to force her to come to school but not without her throwing a tantrum. During class, Hussaina would stare at the door or the floor. I tried my best as a teacher to make her more comfortable so that she would loosen up and be free with the children. Then I discovered that she enjoys learning that involves activities such as body gestures and touch. To support her, I picked out rhymes with actions and made sure to incorporate gestures and actions during lessons. I also made it a point to give her a warm welcome and engage her in small chats whenever she comes to school. Right now, Hussaina can recite some letters of the alphabet and also a number of nursery rhymes, most especially the ones with actions. She loves the Mavis Talking Pen and role play story telling sessions. During the children's break time, I could not help but notice Hussaina playing with some of her classmates. It gladdens my heart to see now much she has improved.

My success story is about Maimuna. Her parents were internally displaced which resulted to them becoming IDPs. Right from when she was admitted, Maimuna used to isolate herself from peer group, did not like group activities and would not attempt answering any questions. I observed her struggles with low self-esteem, and her difficulty in adapting to unfamiliar environment. I began to work on the identified areas, and her challenges were revealed, discussed, and solved. Maimuna now engages in group activities, motivates other students in the class, and is now a role model now in the Centre.

We are creating impact

IDPs Reached

We have reached and catered for 6,570 IDPs across the country.

We Have Solid Support System

Volunteers On Board

We currently have 67 volunteers on-boarded and the number is growing by the day.

We Care About Good Food /Health

Meals Provided

We have provided over 500,000 healthy meals and still counting.