About Me

The Principal Foundation was established in loving memory of our late grandmother, Lolo Cecilia Akaji Onyirimba, a woman whose life embodied compassion, service, and quiet leadership.

Though she never had the opportunity to attend formal school, Lolo Cecilia possessed a deep understanding of humanity and an unwavering commitment to helping others. After marrying her husband, Chief Ndah Onyirimba, she used the resources available to her not for personal gain, but to uplift those around her—especially the less fortunate, the forgotten, and those without a voice.

She was widely known in her community as “Principal”—a name earned through service rather than status. Like a true principal, she guided, protected, corrected, and provided. She paid school fees for children who would otherwise be sent home, supported families facing medical hardship, assisted widows, and helped women find ways to work and sustain themselves. Her home and heart were always open.

The Principal Foundation carries forward this legacy of service.

Inspired by Lolo Cecilia’s life, the Foundation is committed to improving access to education, healthcare, and economic empowerment for underserved individuals and families, particularly in Nigeria. Our work includes medical bill relief for patients who are medically discharged but financially detained, tuition assistance for children from nursery school through higher education, and support for widows and women seeking sustainable livelihoods.

Through our startup empowerment initiative, the Foundation provides initial capital to widows and women in need to begin small businesses. Once a business becomes profitable, the original startup support is returned to the Foundation and reinvested to assist another individual. This revolving model promotes dignity, accountability, and long-term community impact rather than dependency.

The Principal Foundation is a nonprofit organization rooted in compassion, dignity, and service. Established in honor of Lolo Cecilia Akaji Onyirimba, we exist to support underserved individuals and families by improving access to education, healthcare, and sustainable economic opportunities—particularly within communities in Nigeria.

We are guided by a legacy of selfless giving and community leadership, working to remove barriers that keep people trapped in cycles of hardship. Through strategic support, accountability, and reinvestment, we help individuals regain stability, independence, and hope.