About us

EMPOWERING THE WHOLE CHILD THROUGH SCHOOLS

Holistic Schools Africa is a hybrid social enterprise operating for-profit in private schools and non-profit in government and community schools committed to transforming schools across the continent into emotionally safe, inclusive spaces for all learners.
We support children’s social and emotional development by equipping educators, partnering with communities, and implementing evidence-based, whole-child frameworks that promote healing, resilience, and academic success.

Our Story

Holistic Schools Africa was born out of lived experience, resilience, and a shared belief that every African child deserves the opportunity to thrive mentally, emotionally, and academically.

While the seeds of this vision were planted in 2021 through informal community-based initiatives, the organization was officially founded in 2024 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and incubated at the Harvard Innovation Labs during Michael Louis Phiri’s graduate studies at Harvard University, where he pursued a Master’s in Human Development and Education. It was during this time that the informal vision took shape as a bold, evidence-informed movement for transforming education in Africa.

Michael, alongside his co-founder Dr. Derick Singogo, drew deeply from their own lived realities. Both founders experienced troubled childhoods, marked by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) that left lasting emotional and psychological effects. Though they eventually persevered through education, they came to realize that many of their childhood friends were just as capable and full of potential, continued to struggle with unresolved trauma that schools were never equipped to address.

This realization propelled them to study psychology and human development, not only to make sense of their own experiences, but to envision a future where schools are equipped to buffer adversity and support whole-child development.

At the heart of Holistic Schools Africa is the belief that schools should be more than academic institutions—they should be safe, nurturing ecosystems that promote mental health, social-emotional learning, resilience, and culturally responsive care. The organization works across sectors to promote evidence-based programming that is contextually adapted to the cultural realities of African learners.

Our mission is simple but urgent: to prepare children for the future by building systems that support the whole child today. From birth through adulthood, Holistic Schools Africa envisions an education system where every child in Africa has the opportunity to grow into a confident, emotionally healthy, and purpose-driven individual.

Our Mission

Our mission is to make schools inclusive and psychologically safe spaces by implementing evidence-based social-emotional learning frameworks, mental health & Psychosocial support programs, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, tailored to each child’s unique needs within their broader bio-ecological systems.

Our Vision

To build a generation of emotionally resilient and socially responsible learners by making every school in Africa a center of inclusion, healing, and holistic growth.

Our Core values

Inclusivity
We embrace and celebrate diversity, ensuring that every learner—regardless of background, ability, or identity, feels seen, heard, and valued.

Psychological Safety
We prioritize environments where students and educators feel emotionally secure, respected, and free to express themselves without fear.

Evidence-Based Practice
We commit to using approaches grounded in research and data to support the emotional and academic growth of all learners.

Equity
We believe in fair access to opportunities, resources, and support, especially for children who are most marginalized.

Holistic Development
We support the whole child—mind, heart, and body—through programs that nurture social-emotional learning alongside academic achievement.

Collaboration
We work hand-in-hand with families, educators, communities, and policymakers to create lasting change in schools.

Ubuntu
We are guided by the African philosophy of shared humanity: “I am because we are.” We believe healing and growth are communal journeys.

Our Approach

At Holistic Schools Africa, we take a whole-child, community-rooted approach to education. We implement evidence-based social-emotional learning (SEL) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) frameworks to make schools inclusive, safe, and responsive to every learner’s needs.

Our model is grounded in the bio-ecological systems theory, recognizing that a child's growth is shaped by their relationships with teachers, caregivers, and the wider community. Through teacher training, family engagement, and culturally rooted practices like Ubuntu, we create nurturing environments where learners can thrive emotionally, socially, and academically.