“No child should ever be denied the chance to dream, simply because they lack resources.”- Prayer Chinaza Nwagboso, Founder of Naza Agape Foundation.
Growing up in the northern part of Nigeria, Prayer Chinaza Nwagboso witnessed how internally displaced families lived unsettled lives due to insurgency. They needed better food, clean water, and healthcare. Children like herself were forced to abandon their dreams simply because they couldn’t afford schooling.
But even as a young girl, Prayer refused to accept that this was how life had to be. She wondered how she could improve the lives of these people. However, the defining moment for Nwagboso was during her NYSC service in 2018, when she witnessed the horrible armed attacks in Plateau State.
Many communities were displaced, leaving children vulnerable and deprived of education. At that point, she started gathering children to organise lessons for them. After seeing her progress with them, she decided to stay back in Plateau State even after her service year. That birthed The Naza Agape Foundation.
Founded in 2018, after her NYSC year, the foundation provides education and opportunities to underprivileged children, especially girls and women. She is allowing less privileged individuals to experience a better life in the small villages in Plateau State, Nigeria. What started as a modest project has now grown into an organisation that has impacted over 18,000 lives.
Planting Seeds of Hope
The foundation’s first project was a book drive that donated learning materials to schools in underserved communities. After that, Nwagboso’s team began visiting Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, providing free classes for children who had been removed from their homes for over seven months.
The Naza Agape Foundation has donated over 2,000 books to low-income schools and directly supported thousands of children through various programs. The foundation’s focus spans four key areas: education, welfare (zero hunger), entrepreneurship, and health.
Over the years, the foundation’s initiatives have touched the lives of more than 18,000 people with over 90 successful projects. One of its most impactful projects has been providing free education for children living in IDP camps.
In addition to education, Prayer Nwagboso has also addressed an important but overlooked issue: menstrual hygiene. Through Girlified, a company she co-founded, she launched campaigns to provide eco-friendly menstrual products to young girls while educating them about health and environmental sustainability.
The social advocate has also built partnerships with local communities and global donors to scale her programs and ensure their sustainability. She has received some recognition for her work as a leader in social impact, including the Nigeria Magazine International Women’s Day Award, which honoured her for her contributions to social change. She is an active member of global platforms like World Pulse and the Republic of Women, contributing to other impact projects.
Prayer Nwagboso dreams of giving children from disadvantaged backgrounds access to the resources and support they need to reach their full potential. She is committed to doing whatever it takes to make this happen.
