Est. 2016 · Makoko, Lagos
One Touch... Many Lives
Transforming the lives of children in Africa's largest waterfront community through free education, health outreach, and sustainable hope.
A Community Built on Water,
A Dream Built on Hope
Makoko is one of West Africa's largest waterfront communities, nestled beneath the iconic Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos. Home to over 100,000 residents — mostly fishermen and their families — living in stilt homes above the Lagos Lagoon, it is a place of extraordinary resilience.
For generations, children in Makoko have faced impossible barriers to education: no schools nearby, no safe transport, no uniforms, and a daily struggle to survive. Many were pulled into fishing or trading before they could read their own name.
The Makoko Dream was born from one man's refusal to accept that fate — and today it stands as a beacon of possibility for every child in the waterfront.
The Makoko Prince
"I grew up watching children just like me fall through the cracks — not because they lacked talent or dreams, but because they lacked opportunity. I decided I would be the bridge."
Emmanuel Agunze
Founder & Executive Director · "The Makoko Prince"
Born and raised in the Makoko waterfront community, Emmanuel Agunze witnessed firsthand the cycle of poverty that trapped generations of children. In 2016, with little more than conviction and community trust, he established The Makoko Dream — a free school on the waterfront that would give children their first real chance at an education.
What started with a handful of students in a single room has grown into a multi-program foundation touching over 20,000 lives. Emmanuel has been recognized globally as a Mandela Washington Fellow, an Ashoka Changemaker, and a recipient of the prestigious Microsoft Impact Award (2025) and the Innocent Chukwuma Award (2023).
Numbers That Tell
A Real Story
Milestones That
Shaped a Movement
The School is Founded
Emmanuel Agunze establishes the first free school in the Makoko waterfront community, opening doors to children who had never set foot in a classroom.
Water School Bus Launched
A boat repurposed as a school bus begins ferrying children across the lagoon each morning — making the journey to learning safe and reliable.
Back-to-School Uniforms Drive
Hundreds of school uniforms, bags, and supplies are distributed to enrolled children — giving them dignity and a sense of belonging to a school community.
Mandela Washington Fellowship
Emmanuel Agunze is selected as a Mandela Washington Fellow — joining the most prestigious leadership programme for young African changemakers.
Ashoka Changemaker Recognition
The foundation is recognized by Ashoka as a changemaker initiative — connecting The Makoko Dream to a global network of social entrepreneurs.
Innocent Chukwuma Award
The foundation receives the prestigious Innocent Chukwuma Award in recognition of outstanding civic leadership and community transformation in Nigeria.
AwardSigma Awards — Data Journalism
Recognised at the Sigma Awards for using data-driven storytelling to amplify the voices and struggles of waterfront communities across Africa.
Microsoft Impact Award
The Makoko Dream wins the Microsoft Impact Award — global recognition of how technology and grassroots action can transform underserved communities.
AwardPrograms Built for
Real Change
Every programme is designed with the community, not for them — rooted in local knowledge and sustained by local people.
Free Education
Quality primary and secondary schooling at absolutely no cost to families — because a child's future should never depend on a parent's wallet.
Free Education
- Qualified, full-time teachers
- Structured curriculum aligned to national standards
- 2,000+ children currently enrolled
- Literacy and numeracy focus
- After-school tutoring sessions
Health Outreach
Regular medical clinics, nutrition programmes, and health education bringing essential care to a community that formal services rarely reach.
Health Outreach
- Free medical check-ups and screenings
- Malaria prevention campaigns
- Maternal and child health support
- Clean water and hygiene education
- Partnerships with health volunteers
Solar Energy
Solar-powered classrooms keep lights on and students learning — even when the grid fails, the Makoko Dream keeps running.
Solar Energy
- Solar panels on school buildings
- Powered lighting, fans, and devices
- Reduced dependence on generators
- Extended evening learning sessions
- Environmental sustainability model
School Bus on Water
A repurposed boat ferries children safely across the Lagos Lagoon every school day — because where there's a will, there's a waterway.
School Bus on Water
- Daily safe transport across the lagoon
- Life jackets for all passengers
- Removes the biggest barrier to attendance
- Operated by trained community members
- Serves multiple pick-up points
Back-to-School Drives
Annual drives supplying uniforms, bags, books, and stationery so every enrolled child shows up on day one ready to learn and proud to be there.
Back-to-School Drives
- School uniforms for every child
- Bags, pencils, notebooks, crayons
- Hundreds of families supported annually
- Dignity and belonging for every student
- Driven by donor contributions
Community Support
From food drives to financial literacy workshops for parents — we support the whole family, because a child thrives when their community thrives.
Community Support
- Food and nutrition assistance
- Parent empowerment workshops
- Skills training for youth and adults
- Community dialogue and advocacy
- Partnerships with global NGOs
Honoured by the
World's Best
Global institutions have recognised what Makoko has always known — that extraordinary things happen when one person refuses to give up on a child.
Mandela Washington Fellowship
Selected as a Young African Leader by the U.S. State Department's flagship programme — connecting Emmanuel with a continent-wide cohort of change-makers.
YALI Program
Honorary Impact Award
Honoured for advancing SDG4 (Quality Education) through The Makoko Dream — free schooling that has enrolled and graduated thousands of children, several now advancing to secondary scholarships and Senior WAEC in 2025.
SDG4 · Education
Teleperformance Grant
A $3,000 donation from the Teleperformance Group, present in over 80 countries, to help build a Digital Learning Space for Makoko Dream children.
2021 · 5th Anniversary
Innocent Chukwuma Award
A landmark Nigerian civic award recognising outstanding leadership in community development — presented in 2023 for the foundation's decade of grassroots impact.
2023
Microsoft Impact Award
Awarded by Microsoft in 2025 for leveraging technology and digital tools to create measurable, lasting social impact for underserved communities.
2025
Global Community Recognition
Featured by international media, universities, and humanitarian organisations as a model for community-led education in informal urban settlements.
OngoingWhat the World
Is Saying
Faces of
The Dream
Be Part of
The Dream
Every contribution — of time, money, or skill — writes another chapter in a child's story. Reach out and let's build something together.
Find Us
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Headquarters House 1, Ibeju, Lagos, Nigeria
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Phone +234 705 998 7193
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Industry Non-Profit · Education · Community Development
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Founded 2016 · Makoko Waterfront, Lagos