Back2School 2025: 270 children started term with confidence
3-minute read•Published on 7 October 2025
Thanks to the generosity of our Back2School community – and the heartfelt support of Nana –
270 children in Lagos and its environs began the new school year with school bags, books, and
the confidence that someone believes in them.
For many children, the start of a new school term brings excitement. But for families
experiencing financial pressure, it can also bring anxiety: How will we afford uniforms?
Notebooks? Pens?
In communities across Lagos, these questions are all too common. For some caregivers, buying
even a single exercise book means choosing between school and food. As a result, many children
risk staying home – not because they lack potential, but because they lack basic supplies.
Children receiving school bags and supplies through the Back2School 2025 programme in Lagos.
Our Back2School 2025 mission
This year’s Back2School drive focused on supporting children in and around Lagos. By partnering
with schools and community leaders, we identified families most at risk of keeping their
children out of school due to financial hardship.
Together, we made sure these children didn’t miss out on learning, friendships, and the joy of
returning to the classroom.
What your support made possible
Because of your generosity, Back2School 2025 achieved tangible, meaningful impact from day one:
270 children received school bags, exercise books, and writing materials.
65 caregivers took part in a short workshop on supporting children’s learning at home.
Each child received a simple wellbeing worksheet to help them talk about their feelings.
One caregiver, Ada, told us:
“When my daughter put on her new uniform and carried her bag, she said,
‘Mummy, I look like the girls in the movies.’ That day I cried, because I knew
she was going back to school.”
These moments remind us why this work matters.
Why Back2School matters for mental health
Missing school because of poverty affects more than education – it affects a child’s emotional
wellbeing. Arriving at school without a bag or book can be a daily reminder that they don’t fit
in. It lowers confidence, strains friendships, and dims the excitement of learning.
With small interventions like Back2School, we can change how a child sees themselves and their
future. A school bag becomes more than a bag – it becomes a symbol of hope, belonging, and
possibility.
Thank you for being part of this story. Your support is shaping brighter futures. Together, we
are helping young minds not only return to school – but flourish.
Want to support more children like these?
Your gift to Heritage Gardens helps children in Nigeria access education,
mental health support, and moments of joy that build confidence for life.
Back2School is our annual programme making sure children don’t miss out on learning
because they lack basic supplies. Each year, we aim to reach even more families in Lagos
and beyond.
