June 21, (THEWILL) – Rugby player, Maro Itoje, has launched the Pearl Fund, a new education initiative aimed at transforming the lives of Nigerian children.
The fund, supported by Itoje’s personal investment, will provide full education support to an initial group of 40 children in Lagos, from primary school through to secondary.
Itoje, who has Nigerian heritage, intends to create lasting change in Africa by seeking significant investment from donations and corporate partnerships for a sustainable education sponsorship scheme. The 28-year-old is committed to supporting the project for decades, aiming to help disadvantaged young people break the cycle of poverty.
Partnering with Christian charity Stewardship, the Pearl Fund will allocate funds to education charities, CDLi and World Vision UK. The first cohort of students will be based in Lagos, a city where one-third of Nigeria’s population lives in poverty. Additionally, the fund will support projects in Eku, Itoje’s family’s hometown.
The initial group of 40 children was chosen based on criteria such as being orphans, fatherless, or living in abject poverty, rather than focusing on academic potential, musical talent, or sporting ability.
Itoje believes that every child should have equal access to the opportunities provided by the fund. Reflecting on his long-term commitment to the project, Itoje said: “I’m committing to decades of support for these children. For children to be able to study, they need to have the conditions to be able to study… If those things aren’t attended to, then you’re not really giving them an opportunity to succeed.”
While the initiative has received overwhelming interest, Itoje acknowledges the need for additional support and funding from the public, corporate institutions, and his personal sponsors to realise the project’s goals. Although not intended to solve all of Nigeria’s education problems single-handedly, Itoje is confident that the Pearl Fund can make a significant positive impact on the lives of the supported children.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
