14 years of Inspiring Change through Learning. We Give Books
Teach skills
Disability-Inclusive Keeping It Real (KIR) Foundation was established in 2010.
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We are a non-profit, social impact organization that is learning-oriented, disability-inclusive, and youth-centric. We are committed to inspiring change through learning so that our beneficiaries can have access to opportunities to learn, grow, change and own their future. KIR Foundation as a nongovernmental organization (RC 916541) with a tax-exemption status commenced operations in Lagos in 2011. The organization currently has its headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, a Liaison Officer in Lagos, and partnerships with various non-profit organizations and coalitions. KIR Foundation addresses educational and socio-economic issues with the purpose of inspiring change through learning. The organization gives books, teaches skills, and advocates the rights of its beneficiaries, especially those with disabilities with the objective of breaking the cycle of illiteracy, poverty, and inequality and replacing it with a new cycle of empowerment, opportunity, ethics, and transformative servant leadership. All KIR Foundation’s projects under the following thematic areas; Education, Advocacy, Capacity, and Sustainable Development are strategically aligned to promoting and implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations; especially SDGs 1,4,5,8,10, and 17; as a result, KIR Foundation was one of the few registered Hubs spread across 44 countries that participated in the 2018 Global People’s Summit. In the past 13 years, KIR Foundation has worked with over 195 institutions in Nigeria (Lagos State, Rivers State, Imo State, Abia State, Adamawa State, Niger State, Kwara State, Kano State, Akwa Ibom State, Plateau State, Bornu State, Calabar State, Delta State, Enugu State, Gombe State, Oyo State, Imo State, Kaduna State, Kogi State, Nasarawa State, Ogun State, Ondo State, Yobe State, Sokoto State, Zamfara State, Benue State, Ebonyi State, Jigawa State, Taraba State, Bauchi State, Abia State, Bayelsa State, Katsina State, Kebbi State, Osun State, Abuja the capital of Nigeria and Ghana). The organization has reached more than 90,797 people, we have trained more than 1,566 youth in various market-relevant skills (Digital, Vocational, and Soft skills) and donated over 46,421 books, numerous educational aids, starter kits, and farming implements, and published; ‘The Young Leader’s Guide’, a leadership manual for young people and ‘It’s About Empathy’, an Explanatory Guide to The Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Prohibition Act 2018. To commemorate the KIR Foundation's 11th Anniversary, the organization initiated the KIR Foundation Book Drive Campaign. KIR Foundation is working with stakeholders in the corporate, government, and social sectors and a team of volunteers to establish 100 Reading Corners in public/community primary schools in the 36 States of Nigeria and Abuja to close an existing Reading Gap that has been further widened by the closure of schools in 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. So far, 85 Reading Corners have been set up in 36 states. KIR Foundation’s short-term goal is to put 80,000 books in the hands of underserved communities that do not have access to books, train 2000 young people in market-relevant skills and provide business linkages for them by the year 2025. Kindly check the website www.kirfoundation.org and social media handles (; Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Linked-In, and YouTube Channel) for more details. The KIR Foundation has received the following awards;
> IDPWD Achievement Award for Outstanding Contribution to Society- 2014
> Rotaract Club of Port Harcourt Township Humanitarian Award - 2014
> National Association for Exceptional Children (NAEC) Service Award – 2015
> SWAGTv Community Service Award - 2015
> NECA's Network of Entrepreneurial Women Award of Recognition as Selfless NGO - 2016
> Rotary Club Service Project Partner Certificate of Recognition – 2017
> AIESEC University of Port-Harcourt Partner Certificate of Recognition - 2018
> Rotary Club Service Project Partner Award of Recognition – 2019
> EDU Festival Prestigious Award of Recognition for Contribution to Educational Advancement – 2019
> Certificate of Recognition by the Kano State Government on the SDGs - 2020
> Top Charity Nigeria Award by MoneyTransfers.com - 2021
> Award of Excellence from PIND Foundation - 2021
> YALI Rivers State Hub Certificate of Stewardship - 2022
> YALI Rivers State Hub Award of Partnership - 2023
29/11/2025
💙 It’s ! 💙
November is Disability Awareness Month — a powerful moment to celebrate the abilities, strengths, and voices of persons with disabilities while calling for true inclusion.
Today in Keeping It Real (KIR) Foundation, we deepened our empathy practice by simulating everyday challenges many persons with disabilities face — eyes closed, one hand behind us, one leg lifted.
Just a few seconds… yet for many, this is daily reality.
Their resilience reminds us of an essential truth: empathy is not pity; it is intentional understanding that drives meaningful action.
📘 Oritsetsolayemi Lydia Odji, our Programme and Communications Officer, shared key guidance for meaningful engagement:
• Focus on abilities, not disabilities
• Communicate with respect, patience, and openness
• Avoid labels, assumptions, and stereotypes
• Uphold dignity in every interaction
📜 What the Law Says
Nigeria’s Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018 reinforces these principles.
Under Section 3, every person with a disability has the right to accessible public spaces on an equal basis with others.
The Act mandates ramps, lifts, accessible walkways, and a five-year compliance window for modifying public structures.
Accessibility is not optional — it is a legal obligation.
💖 Let’s commit to building a society where every space is inclusive, every person is valued, and every voice is heard.
We are excited to spotlight our 5th Career Guidance Workshop 2025 at Community Secondary School, Abuloma, Port Harcourt!
Our exceptional facilitators — Joanna Tamunonengiofori, Constance Nnabuihe, Koko Boma Inimgba, Tsola Odji, inspired 157 students in the Community Secondary School, Abuloma, with practical lessons on choosing the right career pathway in Medicine, Law, Management Science/ Entrepreneurship and Social Media / Digital Marketing. 🌱✨
In KIR Foundation, our goal with this initiative is clear:
to equip young people with the knowledge, confidence and exposure they need to make informed career decisions and build purposeful futures.
One of the participants, Princess Dapa, an SSS1 student, shared:
"I learnt that an entrepreneur should have an ambitious goal, think about the future, manage time properly and be creative at all times."
Her reflection captures the heart of this workshop, showing students that success starts with clarity, discipline and vision.
This session reminded us of a powerful truth:
✨ When young people are guided, inspired and believed in, their dreams gain direction and their future becomes unstoppable. ✨
Let’s continue empowering the next generation of thinkers, creators and changemakers.
🌟 It’s ! 🌟
We Flashback to our inspiring 5th Career Guidance Workshop at Community Secondary School, Abuloma!
Our facilitators — , , Koko Boma Inimgba and and — inspired 157 students as they explored real career pathways in Medicine, Law, Management Science and Digital Marketing.
Princess, an SSS1 student, shared:
“I learnt an entrepreneur should have ambitious goals, think about the future, manage time well, and stay creative.”
We are proud to guide young people toward clarity, confidence and purposeful career choices. 🌱✨
28/11/2025
✨ Guess what!✨
# It's our last TGIIF for the Year!
From February till today, our young beneficiaries have shown remarkable commitment—showing up every Friday ready to learn, grow, and stretch into their potential. Together, we explored:
🎯 SMART and achievable goals
🎓 Career possibilities with inspiring facilitators
🧠 Mentorship for navigating real-life challenges
🎬 Practical Lessons from Movie Fridays
A heartfelt THANK YOU to our volunteer facilitators whose dedication made every session meaningful. Your passion strengthened every learner and lit up our TGIIF Fridays! 💛
Today, we close the year with The Forge—a film that challenges young people to pursue purpose with courage and rise above obstacles with determination and faith.
🌱 This is what happens when young people are supported, encouraged, and given the space to grow.
👉 Volunteer to Facilitate: bit.ly/KIRF11
👉 Share this to inspire someone!
27/11/2025
“For all that has been – thanks. For all that shall be – yes.” — Willie Nelson
It’s and , and we are truly grateful for YOU!
Thank you for your generosity and belief in our mission since 2011, together we have:
📚 Reached 115,418 beneficiaries
📖 Donated 52,271 books to underserved children and schools
💡 Trained 2,133 youth with market-relevant, future-ready skills
Every book donated, every hour volunteered, and every partnership has helped children learn, youth thrive, and communities grow stronger.
Thank you for being part of our journey to build an inclusive, literacy-rich, opportunity-filled world for every learner.
Your support makes the difference!
27/11/2025
🌟 🌟
We are excited to reflect on our TGIIF Mentorship Friday session for World Children’s Day 2025, themed “My Day, My Rights”.
Our facilitator, Onyinyechi Natha-Amadi (Lawyer and Legal Writer), led an insightful discussion on “Knowing My Rights and Using Them for Positive Impact.” 🌍✨
The young people explored the foundations of rights. Onyinyechi reminded them that all humans are born free and equal, and children’s rights include education, life, health, play, safety and special care for children with disabilities.
One of the Hub members Excel Isabel (12) shared that from the session, she learnt that she has rights as a child and mentioned some key rights: expression, play, movement and religion.
KIR Foundation remains committed to raising informed, confident youth who can advocate for themselves and others. 💙
Want help us raise a generation of youth that not only understand their rights, but can advocate for the rights of others?
📩 Join our community of 375+ Changemakers:
bit.ly/KIRF11.
🌟🌍💙
27/11/2025
to of , our incredible implementing partner in !
Your commitment to promoting quality education & improving the literacy skills of underserved children is commendable! 🌟
May God & keep you today & always!
26/11/2025
Our is Chisom Oke Chinda.
She is a Lawyer, Child Rights Advocate &
Principal Consultant in Sceptre and Prima.
Chisom protects & empowers children!
for making our project in 12 primary schools in impactful.
26/11/2025
26/11/2025
⚡️Tech Alert from Keeping It Real (KIR) Foundation
We are wrapping up our Digital Hub activities for the year with the 3rd Meet the Tech Mentor Session for 2025 today. Our young tech enthusiasts like Judah are preparing to dive into a powerful learning experience. 🎉💡💻
🎙 Ifeanyi Destiny is sharing his journey in financial markets, technical analysis and blockchain, guiding our learners as they build confidence and digital readiness for the future.
The Digital Hub has engaged 191 young people from February to November.
📚 They pushed through limited data, shared devices, erratic internet and unstable power to gain ICT, graphics, web development and workplace skills. Their dedication continues to encourage our team to show up!
Our sincere appreciation goes to our volunteer facilitators: Martins, Great, Stephen, Goddey, Chiamaka, Ime, Segun, Precious and Jehu. Your commitment strengthens every learner.
Join us to support the next generation of creators and innovators to thrive!
💙📚 It’s at Keeping It Real (KIR) Foundation — and today, we’re inviting you to meet David.
David is 8 years old. Bright. Curious. Always smiling!
Every single day after school, he walks into our Resource Room because reading makes him feel alive. 🌟
His favourite recent book? “Something Special” by David McPhail.
His biggest lesson?
✨ “Everyone has a talent and every talent is special.”
When we asked him what would happen if the Resource Room ever closed, he said something that touched our hearts:
💔 “I will feel sad because I will not have access to the books I love to read.”
This is why we do what we do.
This is why books matter.
This is why your support can change a child’s world.
On this Giving Tuesday, we are asking you; our community to help us keep this door of possibility open for underserved children like David.
👉 Donate new or gently used books
Visit: www.kirfoundation.org
👉 Sponsor a child’s reading journey
GTBank: 0052683160
👉 Volunteer or partner with us
bit.ly/KIRF11
📘 Your kindness today becomes a child’s lifelong learning journey tomorrow.
Let’s make sure every child discovers the joy of reading and the power of their unique gifts.
Address
Plot 8, Road 112, Federal Housing Estate, Amadi-Ama Road Peter Odili Rd Port Harcourt 234084
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In the wake of the Boko Haram attack on the villages in Mubi Local Government Area in Adamawa in North-Eastern Nigeria 2014, Polycarp and his colleagues who are teachers in the remote villages that share a boundary with Cameroun, had to run away to secure their lives. On their return, they saw first hand the devastation to their houses and sadly to school structures, which led to low attendance and retention as the children had to be taught under trees. KIR Foundation decided to step in and rebuild the lives of the children and their communities through education. Kindly check our project reports on https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/educate-270-children-in-northern-nigeria/updates/
Keeping It Real (KIR) Foundation was established in 2010 as a non-profit and nongovernmental organization (RC 916541). KIR Foundation has been in operation since 2011 as a disability-inclusive organization with the primary objective of ‘inspiring change through learning’. KIR Foundation exists to transform the lives of vulnerable children, youth, persons with disabilities, prison inmates, women and our local communities through Education, Advocacy, Capacity and Sustainable Development Programs. KIR Foundation has its headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, a Liaison Office in Lagos and partnerships with various non-profit organizations and coalitions.
In the past 7 years, KIR Foundation has worked with 84 institutions in Nigeria (Adamawa State, Edo State, Imo State, Lagos State, Niger State, Plateau State, Rivers State, and Abuja the capital of Nigeria), making a difference in the lives of more than 18,238 beneficiaries. We have donated over 15,251 books, various educational supplies (exercise books, stationaries and learning aids), starter kits, farming implements and published ‘The Young Leader’s Guide; a leadership manual for young people. Kindly check our website for more details; www.kirfoundation.org.
Our vision - To raise innovative leaders committed to lifelong learning to transform their communities.
Our Mission: KIR Foundation is a Disability-Inclusive, Education, Advocacy, Capacity and Sustainable Development organisation, committed to inspiring life long learning and creating transformative change in the lives of vulnerable children, youth, persons with disabilities, prison inmates, women and our local communities.
TARGET BENEFICIARIES
Most deprived, marginalized and vulnerable groups in the society are our primary stakeholders. They include the following;
Vulnerable children - in orphanages and homes for street children who receive educational support and health insurance through us.
Youth - in and out of school youth with and without disabilities benefit from our after school academic projects, career guidance and counselling initiative, leadership, ICT and vocational training projects.
Persons with Disabilities - we raise awareness on physical, social, cultural, and communication barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from participating in society; promoting their inclusion in society. We develop their social and educational capacity so that they are included in all developmental issues.
Prison Inmates - we support prison adult literacy programs by donating books and educational supplies. We believe that education is an opportunity and effective way of sustainably preparing them for success outside of prison.
Women – Through our entrepreneurial project with rural farmers, women are supported to become key agents of positive change in the agricultural sector. We work with poor rural female farmers to promote household empowerment as a direct or indirect objective.
Local Communities – KIR Foundation organizes projects in our local communities which are targeted at disadvantaged groups to strengthen and build capacity especially as regards education. We partner with community-based nonprofits to ensure stakeholder engagement and sustainability.
In 2011; Donated 1672 Books, Impacted 130 Children with Learning Projects and Trained 878 Youth
In 2012; Donated 3710 Books, Impacted 82 Children with Learning Projects and Trained 989 Youth
In 2013; Donated 2390 Books, Impacted 18 Children with Learning Projects and Trained 4000 Youth
In 2014; Donated 1470 Books, Impacted 338 Children with Learning Projects and Trained 3728 Youth
In 2015; Donated 2948 Books, Impacted 726 Children with Learning Projects and Trained 4169 Youth
In 2016; Donated 1345 Books, Impacted 430 Children with Learning Projects and Trained 2236 Youth
In 2017; Donated 2001 Books, Impacted 826 Children with Learning Projects and Trained 2970 Youth
In 2018; Donated 6932 Books, Impacted 846 Children with Learning Projects and Trained 7220 Youth
In 2019; Donated 6978 Books, Impacted 866 Children with Learning Projects and Trained 7742 Youth
MILESTONES AND AWARDS
• Humanitarian Award by Rotaract Club Town Branch 2014
• Humanitarian Award by Association for Exceptional Children Practitioners Nigeria 2015
• Humanitarian Award by SWAGTV 2015
• Selfless Service Award by NECA's Network of Entrepreneurial Women 2016
• Service Project Award by Rotary Club of Port Harcourt GRA District 9140 2017
• AIESEC University of Port-Harcourt Partners Certificate of Recognition 2018
• Partnership with @PINDFoundation to train 75 youth with and without disabilities in Digital Skills through the Niger Delta Youth Employment Pathways (NDYEP) project.
• Partnered with Bonny Youth Resource Centre to host The Young Leadership Academy with 112 students and 5 teachers from 15 schools in attendance.
• Hosted the UN Global People's Summit in Port Harcourt.
• Received a Service Award from Rotary Club GRA District 9140 and a Humanitarian award from Education Fair Initiative.
• Certificate of appreciation by Rotary Club of Port Harcourt GRA District 9140 2019
• 4 Global Giving Badges for Top Ranked Organisation, Vetted Organisation, Staff Favorite Organisation and Effective Organisation.
