Opening the classroom door for girls and women in Northern Nigeria.
We are a non-profit charity promoting literacy and easy access to quality education for the poor, especially Fulani nomadic communities, the girl child, and women working towards self-reliance.
About us
Help is our main goal.
Hillare Educational Foundation (HEF) is a non-profit, non-governmental charity founded to promote literacy and provide easy access to quality education among the poor, especially Fulani nomads.
We have delivered projects and programmes that have helped people who barely had access to education enrol in formal schooling and vocational skills training. At Mabam Ruga in Birniwa, Jigawa State, we built and equipped a primary school and engaged a teacher who now provides free education to the settlers.
- 2021
- Founded and registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission of Nigeria
- Mabam Ruga
- Two-classroom primary school built and equipped in Birniwa, Jigawa State
- Free
- Education provided to settlers by the teacher we engaged at the school
- Garki, Abuja
- Where we began, with adult education for wheelbarrow pushers in the market
Our programmes
What we do for all people
Our goal is to combat illiteracy, reduce poverty, empower women and assist the vulnerable and less privileged in the communities we serve.
- Creating access to quality education Free education for less-privileged children at every level, study bursaries at tertiary level, and learning tools for rural schools.
- Adult education and literacy Basic literacy, post-literacy and continuing education for adults, from market workers in Abuja to the parents of less-privileged children.
- Vocational training and skills acquisition General vocational training for all, with a focus on skills and empowerment for women and the girl child.
- Supply of clean water Clean, drinkable water for people living in rural areas.
- Campaigns and sensitisation Advocacy with local governments and traditional rulers, and dialogue with nomadic communities about the benefits of settling and modern grazing.
Who we serve
Who our work is for
HEF was founded to empower the less privileged, especially the girl child, orphans, nomadic children and divorcee women, through education and human capital.
- The girl child
- Women Especially housewives, widows and divorcees
- Almajirai Children out of school, popularly known as Almajiri
- Persons with special needs
Our target
At least a 20% increase in girl-child enrolment in the communities we work in.
Alongside it, we expect to see
- Improved literacy levels
- Conducive learning and teaching environments for communities
- More skilled people in rural communities
- Enlightened, empowered and self-reliant women in rural communities
“Education is the foundation of every civilisation. It paves the way to both human and capital development.”
Our founder
Maryam Umar Aliyu started HEF to give back to the place she came from.
Born in Zuzu, a Ruga Fulani settlement in Birniwa-Hadejia, Maryam founded Hillare Educational Foundation in 2021 to fulfil a lifelong dream of empowering the less privileged through education.
HEF grew from an idea she had during her National Youth Service: a basic adult education programme for wheelbarrow pushers inside Garki Ultra Modern Market, Abuja. Every project since has been built on that experience.
Get involved
Join us for a better world.
We are a volunteer team, and there is room for you in it. Here is how you can help.
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Volunteer
Give your time and skills to a team working for education in rural and nomadic communities.
Become a volunteer -
Partner with us
We work with government and non-governmental organisations, rural schools and community groups.
Explore partnership -
Support a programme
Help fund learning tools, bursaries, skills training or clean water for the communities we serve.
Ways to give