Established in 2017, the Shima Leadership Academies Foundation, believes that true leadership begins with a commitment to integrity, empathy, and service. Founded on the principle that every individual holds the potential to inspire change, we empower youth, young professionals, teachers and care practitioners to become ethical leaders who tackle local challenges with compassion and innovation.

The Shima Foundation prioritizes making empowerment opportunities accessible to children and young adults through providing education, mentorship and training opportunities and working with partners to provide exposure for learning and development. We believe that every child should readily access quality education, mentorship and training opportunities regardless of their geographical location, social status or economic background.

Our work addresses significant inequalities in society that limit the potential of a growing majority of young people, particularly women, to access the tools and training they need to achieve their highest potential. From early childhood education to formal and informal education and mentorship, we utilize experiential methods to ensure holistic development of children and young women and men get the best shot at achieving their potential while enabling them to address challenges facing society including unemployment, sexual and gender-based violence, poor access to quality education, environmental degradation as well as stigma faced by people living with disabilities in society.

Through our work, we seek to create a world where children and young adults experience holistic growth and development because they have access to quality education, mentorship and training opportunities regardless of their socio-economic backgrounds.

We combine service delivery with the strengthening of the capacities of emerging leaders and practitioners as beacons of hope to serve children and young people in their communities. Rooted in local partnerships yet global in reach, we blend cultural wisdom with forward-thinking strategies to cultivate leaders who drive meaningful progress.

Mission

To empower children, youth, and young professionals with the skills, values, and opportunities needed to become ethical, innovative, and compassionate leaders who drive meaningful change in their communities and beyond.

Vision

A world where every child and young person, regardless of background, has access to quality education, mentorship, and leadership opportunities—fostering a generation of changemakers committed to integrity, service, and sustainable impact.

Our Core Values

1. Integrity: We lead by example, prioritizing honesty and accountability in every action.
2. Empathy: We foster leaders who listen deeply, respect diverse perspectives, and champion inclusivity.
3. Innovation: We embrace creativity and adaptability to solve complex challenges.
4. Collaboration: We believe transformative change happens when communities unite.
5. Service: We measure success by the positive impact we create for others.

 

Our Programs
We offer immersive experiences designed to turn potential into purpose:

• Lluna Camps for Girls and Boys: Year-round workshops blending theory with hands-on projects in ethical decision-making. Lluna Camps combine group mentorship with personalized guidance connecting mentees with seasoned leaders across industries, with structured interventions for children in primary, secondary and tertiary education.
• Early Childhood Education: Our comprehensive intervention focuses on offering quality, affordable childcare to families, enabling parents to access employment, childcare workers to access training and employment and children to access quality, affordable care
• Climate Action: We are working with others to implement grassroots initiatives where we address local climate challenges by working with communities to practical solutions to address the climate crisis.
• Local Leadership Summits: We host annual gatherings uniting practitioners at national and local level to learn, share and collaborate on issues of benefit to young people.