THE MARO ITOJE PEARL FUND
"A chance to learn, a life transformed"
England rugby captain Maro Itoje launched The Pearl Fund in 2023 to break the cycle of poverty for children in Nigeria and other African countries through the vehicle of education. Now, we are expanding our mission to also support disadvantaged children in the U.K.
The fund aims to transform the lives of children in Nigeria and the U.K. by generating a multi-million-pound investment in education. Donations will be given with stewardship.
“Education should be a door to opportunity but for many children it remains locked – another barrier rather than a bridge to a better future.
Through The Pearl Fund we are working to change that, providing children in both Nigeria and the UK with the support they need to succeed and to fulfil their potential.”
Maro Itoje
Founder of The Pearl Fund, Saracens & England Professional Rugby Union Player
The challenge
244 MILLION
20 MILLION
children are out-of-school in Nigeria
children are out-of-school across Africa
2.2 million
3.3 MILLION
pupils in England qualify for the pupil premium
children in England are facing significant barriers to their education
Education changes lives
The Pearl Fund aims to significantly impact the lives of children in the U.K. and Africa through life-changing education programmes.
Education helps to break the cycle of poverty, providing children with the knowledge and skills needed to achieve their full potential. It can improve health outcomes and promote gender equality.
But it’s not just life-changing for those who receive the education. By supporting this fund to improve access to education for children in the U.K. and Africa, you will be transforming the lives of future generations and communities.
Maro and The Pearl Fund aim to create a positive impact with depth as opposed to breadth. By focussing on a small number of children, the fund will be able to support them for longer, and more significantly, than supporting a higher number of children with less support.
In Nigeria
The first programme, with Community Development Links Initiative, will be a 'cradle-to-college' approach, where a cohort of pre-school children from one of Lagos’ most deprived areas will be supported - from early childhood, through the school system until school leaving age. Then they will be offered continued support through university or a vocational training programme. The children will also have additional input, such as economic support for their family, improved nutrition and clean water.
Another programme will centre on the town of Eku and those who have successfully completed primary and secondary education but can’t afford university or vocational training. The foundation will create a bursary to support the neediest by funding their education - and also support their families at home.
In the U.K.
We recognise that many children in the UK also face significant barriers to education. The Pearl Fund is working to partner with UK charities to offer additional STEM and music support to disadvantaged children.
With the cost-of-living crisis placing enormous pressure on families, we want to ensure that education remains a pathway to opportunity not a closed door.
Funding goals of The Pearl Fund
The Pearl Fund will support Community Development Links Initiative (CDLi) to fund education projects in Nigeria.
CDLi is a registered Nigerian NGO focused on reducing poverty and developing communities through learning opportunities for vulnerable people. Over the past decade, CDLi has funded education (primary to tertiary) for more than one hundred orphans and fatherless children. It runs free summer schools and supplementary programmes in Alimosho, Lagos, providing educational and psychosocial support to over 1200 children.
The Pearl Fund is also expanding to back UK initiatives offering tutoring, mentoring, and educational support for disadvantaged children. Find out more
Action Tutoring
We are proud to partner with Action Tutoring (charity number 08105978), which helps pupils facing disadvantage to succeed academically and progress in education, employment, or training. Through school partnerships, Action Tutoring matches pupils with skilled volunteer tutors to build subject knowledge, confidence, and study skills.
Changing lives
Following the death of her father, Success and her two siblings and mother became homeless. The children had to drop out of school and Success's dream of becoming a lawyer was shattered.
But through sponsorship via CDLi, Success is now gradually working towards her dream, having finished secondary school and hoping to go on to further education.
