The Mayasalis Entrepreneurship and Vocational Empowerment Foundation (MEVEF) successfully executed its 2026 Back-to-School Project on Friday, 16 October 2026. This Special Edition was organised to celebrate a defining milestone in the life of the Foundation’s Founder and Chairman, Amb. Salmat Salisu Musah (PhD) popularly known as Mayasalis while translating that achievement into a practical act of service to children and communities.
The project reached 300 orphans and underprivileged pupils in three primary schools across three Local Government Areas of Edo State:
Each of the 300 beneficiaries received essential educational and welfare materials, including school bags, water bottles, shoes and stationery. MEVEF also donated First Aid Kits to the beneficiary schools to strengthen their capacity to provide basic first aid and respond to minor injuries and emergencies within the school environment.
CELEBRATING AN EXTRAORDINARY ACADEMIC AND SCIENTIFIC JOURNEY
Dr Salisu recently earned her PhD, becoming one of Nigeria’s youngest PhD holders and, as represented in this milestone, the first female from her state to attain these distinctions at her age at age 29 in 2025. Her achievement is especially significant in the context of the challenges and systemic constraints within Nigeria’s educational landscape. All her academic degrees were earned from public universities in Nigeria, demonstrating what determination, resilience and intellectual excellence can achieve even in challenging circumstances even for a girl that was once a house maid.
Her academic journey culminated in a First Class achievement and original scientific research that produced and identified scientifically documented probiotic isolates. The research outputs include the following strains, which were subsequently deposited in the NCBI GenBank database:
The research was also recognised through a patent approval from the Government of Nigeria. Together, these milestones represent more than the attainment of a doctorate: they reflect academic excellence, original scientific contribution, international research documentation and intellectual property development.
FROM THE ROOTS, BACK TO THE ROOTS
Beyond the academic titles, certificates, scientific contributions and recognition is a story that remains at the heart of this celebration: a commitment to giving back. The 2026 Special Edition connected the Chairman’s academic milestone with the Foundation’s longstanding humanitarian purpose. Rather than treating achievement as a personal destination, it became an opportunity to extend support to children and communities, affirming the belief that progress is most meaningful when it creates opportunities for others.
A defining feature of this edition was its full personal sponsorship by Amb. Dr. Maya Salis . Her personal financial commitment made it possible to support 300 pupils across the three schools and to provide First Aid Kits for their school communities.
MEVEF is a non-profit, non-religious and non-political foundation committed to empowering individuals and communities towards self-reliance. Its work focuses on five key areas: vocational skills training, entrepreneurship development, agricultural education, health initiatives and general educational support which was founded by Dr Salmat at the age of 14.
The outreach was designed to ease some of the practical burdens faced by disadvantaged families, encourage school participation and create a more supportive learning environment. It reflects the conviction that no child should be denied the opportunity to learn because of poverty, parental loss or other socioeconomic challenges.
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS AT A GLANCE
The MEVEF Back-to-School Project 2026 — Special Edition was therefore both a celebration of academic and scientific achievement and a meaningful humanitarian intervention. It demonstrated how personal milestones can be transformed into opportunities to serve, uplift and invest in the next generation. MEVEF remains committed to empowering individuals, transforming communities and contributing to national development through education, entrepreneurship, vocational skills acquisition, health and humanitarian initiatives.
MEVEF believes that every child deserves a chance, every dream deserves support, and every act of kindness has the power to transform a life.
HUMANITARIANISM IS NOT A PROOF OF WEALTH BUT OF SELFLESSNESS.
