For Doris Ottah, education is not just an academic pursuit—it’s a mission, a calling. From a young age, she understood the power of learning and how it opens doors that would otherwise remain closed. Driven by a vision where every child, regardless of background, can access education, she founded the Doris Ottah Foundation to bring this vision to life.
Doris grew up in a modest community, witnessing firsthand how many promising young people were unable to realize their potential due to financial constraints. She remembers a close friend who dreamed of becoming a teacher but couldn’t afford to sit for her exams. “I never forgot the look in her eyes when she realized her dreams wouldn’t come true,” Doris recalls. This experience fueled her passion to make education accessible for everyone, so no student would have to abandon their dreams due to lack of funds.
The foundation’s WAEC Sponsorship Program is a personal and deeply meaningful project for Doris. By covering the costs of these essential exams, she hopes to provide students the chance to move forward in their education and reach for opportunities they might have thought impossible. “When students know that someone believes in them, they become unstoppable,” she says. Doris often meets with the students her foundation supports, and she shares that these encounters fill her with hope.
One student, Amaka, shared her story with Doris last year. Amaka’s family struggled financially, and she had almost given up on her dreams of becoming a nurse. But through the Doris Ottah Foundation, her exam fees were covered, allowing her to take her WAEC exams and gain entry into nursing school. “I was ready to give up,” Amaka admitted, “but the foundation showed me that someone cares, that someone wants me to succeed.”
For Doris Ottah, education is more than academic achievement—it’s about opening doors, believing in young people, and helping them see beyond their current circumstances. Through her foundation, Doris is bringing hope and opportunity to students across Ukwuani, ensuring they know they are valued, supported, and capable of achieving greatness.