Empowering Teachers, Shaping the Future of Children

Every child deserves the chance to dream, to learn, and to build a future filled with possibility. Yet across Nigeria, millions of children sit in classrooms without the hope of truly learning — not because they lack potential, but because the teachers standing before them are exhausted, underpaid, and overlooked.

As a teacher with over 18 years of experience, I, Geraldine Ugbaja, have seen this struggle firsthand. I’ve watched brilliant, passionate teachers pour their hearts into their students, even buying chalk, markers, books, or resources to teach from their own pockets — while their own children go without. I’ve seen great teachers walk away, not because they stopped caring, but because survival became impossible. And I’ve seen the ones who stay suffer in silence, unnoticed and undervalued, even as they carry the future of our children on their shoulders.

This is why I founded STAR (Supporting Teachers to Achieve Results). Because if we want better outcomes for children, we must start with the teacher. When teachers are supported, trained, and respected, children don’t just pass exams — they gain confidence, curiosity, and the tools to break free from poverty.

At STAR, our mission is clear: to uplift teachers so that children can rise. We believe that by investing in teachers’ welfare, training, and recognition, we are investing in every child’s right to a brighter future.

When teachers thrive, children thrive. And when children thrive, nations are transformed.