Star-Education and Leadership Initiative (SELI)

Building Learning Environments Where Children Learn, Play, and Lead

...Because Victories Do Not Come By Accident.

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Educate. Empower. Lead.

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Success is

No Accident

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Who We Are?

We are a nonprofit organization committed to empowering children through access to quality education, learning tools, and mentorship.

We have reached over 8,000 children and trained over 600 teachers across 21 communities.

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Donation

Your support helps us build educational playgrounds (PlaySpaces), establish children libraries, and provide back-to-school kits for children in Northern Nigeria.

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Fundraising

From Teacher Training Academies to Teens School Summits and Book Clubs, we create structured environments for leadership and growth.

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Volunteer

Join us as a mentor or facilitator. Your time fuels our Teacher Workshops, Bible Clubs, and Mentoring Programs to empower the next generation.

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Be the Light in Someone’s Darkness

We believe that education is the most powerful tool to break the cycle of poverty.

Our mission:

SELI is committed to improving learning outcomes and expanding opportunities that ensure children, teenagers, and young people not only attend school but thrive while there across Northern Nigeria. We advance education through playful learning, libraries and literacy programs, teacher training and consultancy, and youth leadership, equipping young people with the knowledge, skills, and values they need to thrive and succeed academically, thereby contributing meaningfully to their communities.

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Impact Stats

Our vision is a Nigeria where every child and young person has access to quality education, joyful play and learning, and life-shaping opportunities that support school attendance, retention, and overall development, unlocking their full potential. We aspire to nurture confident, compassionate young leaders who transform their communities and inspire positive change across Nigeria and beyond.

Number of children reached

8000 +

Number of teachers trained

600 +

Number of educational playgrounds built

Number of communities served

Community children library

One Mission: Brighter Futures.

We focus on long-term impact — providing children with the tools they need to learn, grow, and thrive.

SELI Educational Playground Project (PlaySpaces)

We design, build, and activate educational playgrounds that promote learning through play. These PlaySpaces support children’s cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development, helping schools create joyful and stimulating learning environments.

SELI Community Children’s Library

We provide continuous literacy support and access to learning resources through our free community children’s library.

SELI Annual Teacher Training Workshop

Our flagship yearly event brings together teachers from across Plateau State for an intensive day of learning, capacity building, collaboration, and professional networking. The SELI Annual Teacher Training Workshop strengthens teaching quality, inspires educators, and equips them with innovative approaches that improve student learning and engagement.

Teacher Training / Retraining

We deliver comprehensive teacher training and retraining workshops for schools and educational institutions. These sessions help educators update their knowledge, adopt modern teaching practices, and bridge key gaps in pedagogy, classroom management, and child-centred learning approaches.

SELI Teacher Academy

We believe teachers are central to improving learning outcomes. The SELI Teacher Academy provides ongoing, monthly professional development sessions designed to strengthen teacher capacity, classroom practice, and instructional quality. Through continuous learning, teachers gain new strategies and skills that directly enhance the learning experience of their students.

STAR Book Clubs & Literacy Program

We hold weekly/biweekly reading clubs in schools and communities to strengthen literacy, build moral values and a love for reading.

Star Bible Club

We run a biweekly spiritual enrichment and values-based Bible club that operates throughout the year. This programme provides an engaging platform for children and teenagers to explore their faith through interactive lessons, discussions, and group activities. Beyond teaching biblical principles, it helps participants cultivate strong values, build a sense of belonging, and develop meaningful relationships within a supportive community.

Through this programme, we create a holistic learning experience that nurtures the mind, body, and spirit. It also equips young learners with the values, confidence, and integrity they need to navigate life’s challenges and become a faith-grounded generation prepared to contribute positively to society.

SELI Scholarship Scheme

We understand the importance of closing educational gaps, especially for learners who face financial or social barriers. Through the SELI Scholarship Scheme, we offer both merit-based and need-based partial and full scholarships to deserving children and teenagers. This initiative ensures that more young learners have access to the educational opportunities they need to grow, excel, and stay in school.

SELI Leadership and Mentoring Academy

We recognise the lifelong value of guidance, clarity, and strong mentorship for young people. Through the SELI Leadership and Mentoring Academy, we provide structured mentoring, personal development, value formation, and leadership training. The academy helps young people build essential life skills, develop strong moral values, and gain the confidence needed to navigate school, life choices, and future leadership roles.

Educational Consulting

We provide expert educational consulting services to schools, individuals, and institutions seeking to strengthen teaching quality, learning outcomes, and strategic planning. Our consulting support includes school improvement guidance, curriculum support, professional development planning, and advisory services that help educators and institutions achieve excellence.

SELI Back-to-School Project

Our annual Back-to-School Campaign provides essential learning materials, uniforms, and school support for children from low-income families. This project helps improve school attendance, retention, and readiness to learn by removing common barriers that prevent children from staying in school.

SELI Teens School Summit

The SELI Teens School Summit is our annual youth leadership and empowerment event, bringing together teenagers from various schools to learn, connect, and grow. Through inspiring talks, workshops, and peer engagement, teens are equipped with knowledge, values, and confidence to excel academically and lead positive change in their communities.

Popular Campaign

Every Child. Every Chance.

Give a Child the Chance to be Educated Empowered, Grow, and Shine.

Every child deserves the chance to dream — but for many, school feels out of reach without even the basics: notebooks, a backpack, or a healthy meal.
In low-income communities, thousands of children are at risk of dropping out of school simply because they can’t afford supplies and access or go to school hungry.

That’s where you come in.

With your support, we’ll provide:

📚 Scholarship (Full/Partial)
🎒 School kits (uniforms, bags, notebooks, pens)
🍛 Nutritious daily meals
🧑‍🏫 Mentorship and after-school support

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Our International Yearly Events

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Meet Our Team

Lekan Otufodunrin

Chairman

Arc. Godspower Israel

Secretary

Esther Onyinyechi Mark

Founder, Executive Director

Genevieve Pritchard

Mentor

Rev. Nathaniel Ekpekor

Mentor

Nicole Swedlow

Mentor

SELI IN THE NEWS

At the end of the day, when teachers improve, our classrooms become better, and the children benefit, Children begin to see reasons to love school, to attend regularly, and to stay in school, Because when children love learning, they grow into adults who contribute positively to society. That’s the bigger picture behind what we are doing today.

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This is our own way of encouraging more children to be in school and stay in school. Through these playgrounds, we want them to feel joy, to develop cognitively, socially, and emotionally. Play is not just play; play is learning.”

The playgrounds serve dual purposes by supporting children’s cognitive development while also promoting communication skills, social skills, and critical thinking. The initiative was supported through the Reciprocal Exchange Component of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, a program of the U.S. Department of State, administered by IREX, in collaboration with Play360.

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We believe access to quality education is the fundamental right of every child,” she said. “These playgrounds are an enticing reason for children to want to come to school. Beyond the fun, they also serve as teaching aids and educational instructional materials. Teachers can embed many of the play elements into their classroom curriculum to support learning.

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The Star Education and Leadership Initiative (SELI) has commissioned a Community Children’s Library in the Kyan Rikkos community, Jos, aimed at improving access to quality reading and learning resources for children and young people. The library is the first of its kind in the vicinity, providing a dedicated, child-focused learning space for the community Neighborhood.

The library is designed to serve over 500 children from the community and will cater to children and young adults between the ages of 3 and 17 years. Access to the library and its resources is free for children in the community. The initiative seeks to promote early literacy, nurture a culture of reading, and provide a safe and supportive learning environment for children beyond the classroom. The library is expected to support improved reading habits, academic performance, and positive youth engagement within the community.

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“This library was created to address learning gaps, promote intentional reading, and provide an inclusive space where children can learn, grow, and develop positive values,” she said.

She added that SELI plans to introduce reading clubs, guided learning sessions, educational activities, and community-driven programmes to sustain children’s interest in learning, stressing that community support is critical to the project’s success.

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The library, the first of its kind in the community, is designed to serve over 500 children aged between 3 and 17, and offers free access to books and learning materials.

It aims to promote early literacy, nurture a reading culture, and provide a safe learning environment beyond the classroom.

The project was funded through the Reciprocal Exchange component of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, a programme of the United States Department of State administered by IREX.

Speaking at the commissioning, SELI Founder and Executive Director, Aunty Esther Onyinyechi Mark, said the library was established to bridge learning gaps and encourage intentional reading habits among children.

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