The idea for Road to School Foundation was born during the tenure of Governor Babatunde Fashola (2007–2015), when Lagos State cracked down on displaced persons—dislodging informal settlements, clearing footbridges, removing street beggers from markets, and relocating thousands of beggars to their states of origin.
While these actions aimed to position Lagos as a more orderly and polished metropolis toward its mega city ambition, the action addressed only the surface of a much deeper social issue. The approach overlooked the root causes of destitution and, in many ways, stripped vulnerable people—especially children—of dignity.
Rather than viewing the crackdown purely as an enforcement action, Road to School emerged as a compassionate alternative—reframing the situation as an opportunity to redirect underserved children from life on the streets into the classroom. This approach acknowledges both the need for immediate intervention and the necessity of long-term support systems that address the real drivers of destitution: poverty, lack of access to education, family breakdown, and displacement.
At its core, the Road to School concept is rooted in a simple belief: Every child, regardless of socio-economic background, deserves access to quality education as a pathway out of poverty and social exclusion.
Today, the Road to School Foundation builds on the lessons from that era while adapting to current realities. We promote collaborative partnerships among government agencies, civil society organizations, religious institutions, private-sector actors, and community stakeholders to ensure that no child is left behind. Our modern implementation emphasize equity, inclusivity, sustainability and community partnership—ensuring that interventions are not temporary fixes but gateways to lasting transformation. This includes:
Programs that provide direct access to education for out-of-school children.
Community-driven initiatives that empower families and local leaders.
Strengthening public–private partnerships to scale impact
Advocacy and support for vulnerable children.
Training teachers and volunteers to cater to diverse learning needs.
Through this approach, Road to School Foundation is transforming the lives of children and communities—one classroom, one program, and one child at a time.
We partner with over 320 amazing projects worldwide, and have given over $150 million in cash and product grants to other groups since 2011. We also operate our own dynamic suite of Signature Programs.
The idea for Road to School Nigeria was born during the tenure of Governor Babatunde Fashola (2007–2015), when Lagos State cracked down on displaced persons—dislodging informal settlements, clearing footbridges, removing street beggers from markets, and relocating thousands of beggars to their states of origin.
While these actions aimed to position Lagos as a more orderly and polished metropolis toward it mega city status ambition, the action addressed only the surface of a much deeper social issue. The approach overlooked the root causes of destitution and, in many ways, stripped vulnerable people—especially children—of dignity.
As one observer put it: