‘How we raise children shapes tomorrow’s communities’ — Education officer
As schools across Nigeria prepare to reopen on Monday, September 14, for the 2026/27 academic session, families are once again confronting the familiar pressure of school fees, books, uniforms and other educational expenses.
But for dozens of orphaned children supported by the Baytur Rahmah Orphan Foundation, the anxiety of resumption is being met with a renewed commitment to keep them in school and give them a better chance at life.
Muslim News gathered that the foundation has committed about ₦5 million towards first term tuition and school supplies for its beneficiaries, even as it disclosed that more funds would be needed to sustain the children throughout the 2026/27 academic session.
The Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Foundation, Mrs Sherifah Yusuf-Ajibade, disclosed this on Friday, September 11, 2026, at the foundation’s 2026/27 Annual New Session Event held at Assiddiq Schools, Iyase, Kosofe Ketu, Lagos.
The event featured a session on purposeful parenting and the presentation of educational support to the foundation’s beneficiaries, their mothers and caregivers.
Hajia Yusuf-Ajibade said Baytur Rahmah currently supports, wholly or partly, about 40 orphans from 22 families at different levels of education across Nigeria.
According to her, 15 of the beneficiaries are studying in tertiary institutions, while the remaining 25 are at nursery, primary and secondary school levels.
She disclosed that the foundation spent about ₦8 million on the education and welfare of the orphans in the year ended December 31, 2025.
She attributed the achievement to Allah and the generosity of donors who, despite their own financial responsibilities, had continued to give from their hard earned resources to support vulnerable children.
The foundation’s 2026 budget, she disclosed, stands at ₦12 million, underscoring the scale of funding required to keep the beneficiaries in school and provide for their welfare throughout the year.
From school support to university graduation
Hajia Yusuf-Ajibade said the impact of the foundation’s intervention was already evident in the academic achievements of some of its beneficiaries.
She recalled that two of its wards, Aminah Miskilu and Mariam Jubril, recently graduated from the University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos respectively, both with outstanding academic performances.
Jubril has since secured employment with TVC in Eko Atlantic City, Lagos, while Miskilu has commenced her internship as a Physiotherapy Intern at Lagos University Teaching Hospital.
The foundation, she said, hopes that both graduates will secure scholarships to further their education.
Another beneficiary, Shukura Damilola Soliu of the Department of Business Administration, University of Ilorin, has also completed her first degree with an outstanding performance.
Hajia Yusuf-Ajibade prayed that Allah would place blessings in Soliu’s achievement and guide her next steps.
She also highlighted the case of Fatimah Sunusi Musa, a 600 level student of Dental Surgery, who underwent surgery in June 2026 at Bayero University Teaching Hospital, Kano.
According to her, the procedure had previously been postponed because of funding challenges but was eventually carried out successfully.
Musa is now rounding off her studies, she said.
The case, she added, reflected the foundation’s commitment to supporting not only the education but also the welfare of its wards when serious needs arise.
₦5m for first term as funding needs rise
With the new academic session set to begin on Monday, September 14, Yusuf Ajibade said Baytur Rahmah would present cheques worth about ₦5 million for first term tuition and school supplies to its wards, mothers and caregivers across the different levels of education.
She explained that school fees would be paid directly into the schools’ accounts each term, while funds for school supplies would be paid to caregivers and monitored as much as possible.
However, she warned that the first term intervention would not cover the foundation’s obligations for the entire session.
She said more bills would arise as the academic year progresses, particularly for beneficiaries in tertiary institutions whose school fee payment portals had not yet been enabled.
“This journey is not a one off exercise,” she said, stressing that Baytur Rahmah was committed to supporting the orphans until they acquired the education needed to stand firmly on their feet and give back to society.
She therefore appealed for more funding to enable the foundation to settle educational and welfare bills for the remainder of the session and beyond.
‘Academic excellence must go with good character’
While celebrating the educational progress of its wards, the foundation also warned beneficiaries and caregivers that academic support came with responsibilities.
Hajia Yusuf-Ajibade urged the wards, their families and caregivers to maintain high standards of moral conduct and academic performance.
She said the foundation expected its beneficiaries to excel not only academically but also morally.
She cautioned that lazy and complacent students who refused to heed the advice of mentors could lose the support they were receiving.
“Lazy and complacent students who are unyielding to words of wisdom from mentors can neither benefit themselves now nor in the future,” she said.
She added that such beneficiaries would have no one to blame if the foundation eventually dropped them from its support list.
According to her, education should produce individuals who are beneficial to themselves, their communities and humanity at large.
She urged caregivers to ensure that the education of the orphans was accompanied by beneficial knowledge and good character.
Appeal for more donors
Hajia Yusuf-Ajibade used the occasion to appreciate the foundation’s committed donors, many of whom she said she had never met physically.
She particularly appreciated regular subscribers who contribute monthly, termly or annually, describing their consistency as crucial to the foundation’s ability to plan and sustain its interventions.
She also acknowledged support from individuals and organisations, including LOTUS Bank Limited, which selected Baytur Rahmah as one of the beneficiaries of its 2026 Corporate Social Responsibility initiative.
She prayed for the continued growth of the bank and appealed for sustained support.
The foundation also called on public spirited individuals and organisations seeking to contribute to a better society to join its mission of educating and caring for orphans.
Hajia Yusuf-Ajibade warned that without sustained support, vulnerable children could be exposed to hardship and the risk of becoming miscreants on the streets.
She argued that investing in their education and welfare would enable them to realise their potential and contribute positively to society.
Parenting children with a vision
Speaking on the topic, “Parenting Children with a Vision,” the Principal Education Officer, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mrs Abidat Olayinka Jubril, described parenting as the process of raising, guiding, caring for and educating children.
She said raising children with a vision required responsible adults who understood that children were a trust from Allah and that parents and caregivers would be held accountable for how they discharged that responsibility.
Mrs. Jubril referenced Qur’an 66:6 and the prophetic teaching that every person is a shepherd and would be responsible for those under their care.
She also cited Surah Luqman, Qur’an 31:13-19, describing it as an important guide to purposeful parenting built around faith, character and wisdom.
According to her, children should not only be taught what to do but also why their actions matter.
“The way we raise children today will determine the kind of adults, families and communities we have tomorrow,” she said.
She explained that vision gives direction, purpose and a clear picture of what one hopes to achieve in the future.
Mrs. Jubril advocated combining Islamic guidance from the Qur’an and Sunnah, which provides spiritual and moral foundations, with useful contemporary approaches to child development and communication.
She stressed that parenting with a vision should go beyond raising children for academic success.
Rather, she said parents should raise children who are faithfully connected to Allah, compassionate, responsible, educated and disciplined, while being confident without becoming arrogant.
Such an approach, she said, would produce balanced children with strong character, sound knowledge and the capacity to face the challenges of life.
Beneficiaries grateful
The beneficiaries expressed appreciation to Baytur Rahmah, its management, donors and sponsors for the support they had continued to receive.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Adekunle Kabeerah Ayomide, a Microbiology student at Lagos State University, Ojo, thanked the foundation’s CEO, sponsors and everyone who had contributed to their education and welfare.
She said the beneficiaries were deeply grateful for both the financial assistance and the love shown to them.
“We are truly grateful for the educational support and the love you have shown us,” Kabeerah said.
She prayed that Allah would reward the donors abundantly, increase them in wealth and bless the work of their hands.
She also prayed that their support would become a continuous source of sadaqah and that Allah would continue to use Baytur Rahmah to touch and transform more lives.
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