CedarRise Initiative

  For many secondary school students, answering “What do you want to become?” is difficult—not because they lack ambition, but because they may not have seen enough possibilities. The Career Pathways Programme , implemented by CedarRise Initiative for Human Development in partnership with Uzommiri Study Centre , was designed to change that. Held from July 2–4, 2026, at St. Paul’s College, Eke, Enugu State , the programme reached approximately 300 students , combining career exposure, aptitude assessment and personalised mentoring to help students make more informed decisions about their futures. The programme began with an aptitude assessment for 260 students , using cognitive profiling and the RIASEC career-interest framework. This gave students a starting point for understanding their strengths and interests before exploring possible career paths. Over three days, seven professionals introduced students to fields including medicine, law, engineering, technology, education, nur...

  For a child living with diabetes, school is more than a place to learn. It is where they spend much of their day, surrounded by teachers and classmates who may be among the first people to notice when something is wrong. A teacher may not be a healthcare professional, but knowing the signs of diabetes, understanding what to do during an emergency, and knowing how to support an affected child can make a meaningful difference. This was the focus of the Teachers’ Capacity-Building Training on Diabetes in Children and Adolescents , held on May 18, 2026 , in Enugu State. The training was organised through a collaboration between the Paediatric Endocrinology Unit of the Department of Paediatrics, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), the Society for Paediatric and Adolescent Endocrinology in Nigeria (SPAEN), and CedarRise Initiative for Human Development . The programme brought together 57 teachers and school representatives from 29 schools to build practical knowledge aroun...

                                                      From October 9–11, 2025 , the Iwollo Conference Centre in Aguobu Iwollo, Enugu State became a space for 27 teenage girls to explore what it means to understand themselves, find their voice and lead change. The three-day Leadership Bootcamp, themed “The Girl I Am, The Change I Lead,” brought together girls aged 13–18 from Roseville Secondary School for an experience centred on emotional intelligence, personal growth, leadership, teamwork and service. Rather than presenting leadership as something reserved for people with titles, the camp approached it as a personal practice—one that begins with understanding yourself, relating well with others and responding thoughtfully to challenges. One of the sessions that explored this idea was Emotional Intelligence and Navigating Emotions , facilitated by Miss...

For some children, going to school is ordinary. For others, it is an opportunity that can disappear when a family can no longer afford the cost, when a child is pushed into work, or when circumstances at home make education difficult to sustain. When that happens, returning to school is important. But returning is only the beginning. This is the thinking behind TACOTS — Take A Child Off The Street , a CedarRise Initiative for Human Development programme supporting children whose circumstances place their education at risk. Each year, TACOTS aims to support 20 vulnerable children—10 at primary level and 10 at secondary level —by helping them return to formal education and providing the support needed to remain there. More Than Getting a Child Back to School Education comes with needs that extend beyond tuition. Through TACOTS, children receive support with school fees, uniforms, books and other essential learning materials . But the programme also recognises that a child can be enrolled...

  An idea is easy to have. Turning one into something useful for other people is much harder. That was the challenge behind the Cedar Prize Social Impact Competition , a collaboration between CedarRise Initiative for Human Development and Uzommiri Study Centre created to give female undergraduates an opportunity to take their ideas beyond the classroom. Under the theme “Think, Act, Impact” and the broader concept TerraVerde — Where Dreams Grow , five multidisciplinary teams developed project proposals addressing challenges connected to the Sustainable Development Goals. Three teams— BELAH Impact, Magenta Heart and Team RISE —made it to the final stage, where they were required to put their ideas into practice. And that is where the competition became more than a competition. Three ideas, three different approaches BELAH Impact took its project, Achi Rise 2025 , to Achi, Enugu State, combining healthcare, education and women's empowerment. More than 125 people received free medica...

Before the first student walks into a new school, the people who will teach, guide and support them have to be ready. From July 29 -August 1 2025, as Regina Nostra Schools prepared to welcome its first students, CedarRise Initiative for Human Development was invited to help build that foundation. What followed was a four-day staff onboarding programme designed not simply to introduce new employees to their roles, but to establish a shared culture of purpose, excellence, growth and integrity . The programme brought together 19 staff members , including teachers, administrators and support personnel. Through interactive sessions, the team explored the school's vision and values alongside practical areas such as child-centred learning, safeguarding, Catholic ethos and technology integration . The focus was on turning these principles into everyday practice. For educators, this meant thinking about how children experience learning—not simply what is taught. Discussions around blended ...