Changemaker of the Month: Mary Olanrewaju
This October, we’re proud to celebrate Mary Olanrewaju—an extraordinary SEND educationist, counsellor, life coach, and community trainer—whose work is transforming lives across the UK and Nigeria.
Mary is the founder of Equal Education Chances (EEC), a charity committed to inclusive education and social change. Her journey began with a deep passion for justice and a belief that no child should be left behind due to disability, poverty, or circumstance. Through EEC, she’s built bridges between communities, schools, and faith spaces—empowering families through education, creativity, and wellbeing.
Her flagship initiative, the Faith and Neurodivergency (FAN) project, is a powerful example of inclusive innovation. FAN creates compassionate spaces where faith and neurodiversity meet, helping worship communities become more accessible and understanding of neurodivergent experiences.
Mary’s impact extends beyond the classroom. As an author, her book The Bridge: Inclusive Educational Resources equips teachers and parents with practical tools to support SEND learners. Her ambitious goal? To distribute 50,000 copies across Nigerian schools—raising awareness and building capacity for inclusive education on a national scale.
Flourish Connections
Mary first connected with Flourish Together CIC and our vibrant network of women changemakers when she joined our ELLI programme post Covid, which was a programme supporting ‘Women’s Support Organisations’ to help build their capacity, leadership skills, and enterprise thinking. Mary has also benefitted from our Time to Grow programme, participated in mentoring, networking, and development workshops that helped refine her leadership and expand EEC’s reach across Greater Manchester, plus accessed Flourish seed funding opportunities. We’re honoured to support her journey and celebrate her unwavering commitment to progress, purpose, and impact.
Mary has also been a key attendee at our Multicultural Christmas showcasing and celebration events and we look forward to welcoming EEC again this year at our event in Longsight on 16th December.
What’s Next?
Mary and EEC are preparing for:
- A Winter Holiday Club for children from low-income families
- Community inclusion workshops exploring culture, disability, and belonging
- Continued promotion of The Bridge to educators worldwide
🖤 Black History Month Reflections
For Mary, Black History Month is a celebration of resilience, excellence, and unity. It’s a time to honour Black contributions to education and community—and to amplify stories that inspire hope.
🤝 Get Involved
Support Mary’s mission by volunteering, collaborating, donating educational resources, or simply spreading the word about inclusive education and wellbeing.
Find out more at: http://equaleducationchances.org/
