Our Mission & Values
A world where women and girls thrive leading to a more just and equitable society. To empower women and girls through education, economic and healthcare empowerment fostering a culture of self-reliance and collective growth
Transparency Stewardship for Every Girl
At the Maria Foundation for Women Development, we understand that every contribution is an investment in a girl’s future. We treat every single donation, from a contribution towards a school uniform to a major grant for a health program, with the same uncompromising rigor and dedication to impact.
The Maria Foundation builds trust through complete transparency, including quarterly audits and real-time dashboards that allow supporters to trace their donations directly to project outcomes. We go beyond finance by publishing detailed impact reports that include successes and challenges, ensuring accountability and enabling quick course-corrections for maximum effectiveness. This rigorous, honest approach guarantees your investment is protected and delivers a stronger, more sustainable impact for the women and girls we serve.
Inclusive Collaboration: Co-Creating Sustainable Change
At the Maria Foundation, we believe sustainable change requires those most affected to help design the solution, ensuring every initiative is culturally relevant and effective. Before launching any program, we engage deeply by convening direct listening circles with women, girls, and youth advocates. We further demonstrate cultural respect by translating materials into local languages and inviting community leaders and elders to co-create project goals. To maximize impact, we actively forge cross-sector partnerships, recognizing that diverse expertise fuels innovation. We pair our NGO knowledge with the strengths of small businesses, universities, and faith groups.
This collaborative approach ensures our programs are both culturally sensitive and capable of scaling effectively across Nigeria. Through this inclusive design process, we secure the lasting success of our advocacy for women and girls.
Lifelong Service: Cultivating Enduring Impact
At the Maria Foundation, we recognize that advocacy is not a single event, but a lifelong rhythm of empathy in action that requires sustained commitment. We intentionally nurture this rhythm by focusing on the growth and competence of our volunteers and advocates. Structured mentorship pipelines and hands-on training equip volunteers to transition from one-time helpers into seasoned servant-leaders. We provide specialized workshops on crucial areas like trauma-informed care and systemic advocacy. This critical training empowers our team to address the underlying root causes of inequality, rather than just treating symptoms.
Furthermore, we maintain motivation by celebrating significant service milestones and offering continuous educational resources. This dedicated commitment fosters a wide network committed to transforming compassion into enduring, generational change. Ultimately, we seek to cultivate a movement for women and girls that achieves long-term, systemic impact.
