Dream Catchers Academy

What Dream Catchers Academy does

Dream Catchers Academy is a Nigerian non-profit organization operating as a program of The Dream Nurture Foundation, founded in 2014 by Seyi Oluyole and headquartered in Ikorodu, Lagos. It provides free formal education (nursery through secondary), arts education (dance, drama, music, animation, visual arts), residential shelter, three daily meals, healthcare, and life skills training to orphaned and indigent girls recruited from Lagos slums including Ebute Metta. The organization also runs an annual summer outreach program for slum children and a farming/agriculture program for skills development. The academy currently houses approximately 40 girls, with campus capacity built to accommodate up to 100; a separate $250,000 hostel construction project is underway to expand residential capacity.

The underlying delivery model is heavily community-led: staff conduct slum assessments to identify beneficiaries, and services are delivered free at the residential campus rather than through a distributed sales channel. The core technology layer is light - a WordPress-based website with integrated donation processing via PayPal, Paystack, and GoFundMe, supplemented by social media channels (Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, X) that drive top-of-funnel awareness through viral dance video content.

Revenue is generated entirely through donations and charitable contributions across four streams: individual donations (preset $5-$100 one-time or recurring), child sponsorship (itemized per-need donations such as $105/term tuition, $45 textbooks, $90/month feeding), corporate and partner grants (including GoFundMe-crowdfunded builds, Lady Gaga Instagram story donation, NFT project proceeds), and event/performance contributions (a share of proceeds deposited into a trust fund for beneficiaries). The organization is supported by Global Pearls as a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor for US tax-deductible giving, and has received promotional and financial support from a roster of international celebrities including Beyonce, Rihanna, Viola Davis, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Naomi Campbell, and Cardi B. Documented funds raised to date include $24,763.70 via GoFundMe for the school building; annual revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Dream Catchers Academy

Legal name

Dream Catchers Academy for Girls

Website

https://dreamcatchersacademy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Dream Catchers Academy is a Nigerian non-profit, founded in 2014 by Seyi Oluyole, that provides free formal education, arts training, shelter, and welfare to approximately 40 orphaned and indigent girls at its Ikorodu, Lagos campus, funded entirely through individual donations, child sponsorships, and corporate grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Education and Social Services

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Camps (Theater, Musical Theater, Dance) (EDAMALAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills) (EDAMALAO)

Keywords

• Girls education program
• Arts education academy
• Orphan care services
• Child sponsorship program
• Nonprofit welfare services

Headquarters

HQ city

Ikorodu

HQ country

Nigeria

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals worldwide via PayPal, Paystack, or bank transfer. Donors can give preset amounts ($5-$100) or custom amounts on weekly/monthly/quarterly/yearly basis.
2. Child Sponsorship: Monthly or term-based sponsorship of specific items for individual girls including tuition ($105/term), uniforms ($20), textbooks ($45), art classes ($60), transportation ($38), lunch ($32), medical ($25/month), feeding ($90/month or $3/day).
3. Corporate/Partner Donations: Grants and donations from corporate partners and foundations including GoFundMe campaigns ($24,763.70 raised), NFT project donations, and Lady Gaga IG story donation.
4. Performance Revenue: Girls perform at events and on social media platforms. A percentage of donations from performances is put into a trust fund for the girls to build financial independence.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Dream Catchers Academy is a non-profit academy that provides free formal academic education, arts training (dance, drama, music, visual arts), residential shelter, three daily meals, healthcare, and welfare support to orphaned and indigent girls from slums and marginalized communities in Lagos, Nigeria. All services are provided at no cost to beneficiaries, with funding sourced from individual donations, child sponsorships, corporate partners, and crowdfunding campaigns.

Product overview

Dream Catchers Academy is a nonprofit educational and arts academy for orphaned and indigent girls in Nigeria, operating as a program of The Dream Nurture Initiative for Girls and Women. The organization offers a multi-faceted program combining arts education (dance, drama, music, animation), formal academic education, shelter, welfare, and life skills training. Core services include their Arts Education Program, Formal Education Services, and Shelter and Welfare Program. Additional support services include Child Sponsorship, Farming Program, and Annual Summer Outreach Program. Infrastructure projects include the completed Free Formal Arts Academy School Building (commissioned March 2022) and the ongoing Girls Hostel Building Project. The academy currently serves approximately 25-40 girls with plans to expand capacity to 100 girls through infrastructure development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Arts Education Program Comprehensive arts education including dance, drama, acting, music, and animation classes taught by professional volunteers and instructors, designed to empower indigent and orphaned girls with creative skills for future careers in the arts.
• Formal Education Services Free formal academic education from nursery through secondary school level for orphaned and indigent girls, providing quality schooling alongside arts education.
• Shelter and Welfare Program Safe housing, daily meals (three times a day), healthcare, and general welfare support for resident girls who have experienced homelessness, abuse, or economic hardship.
• Child Sponsorship Program Individual sponsorship opportunities allowing donors to support specific needs including tuition, school uniforms, textbooks, art classes, sports wear, transportation, lunch, medical care, clothing, feeding, and more for sponsored children.
• Farming Program Agricultural skills training where each girl has a portion of land to plant on, promoting financial independence and sustainability aligned with SDGs Goal 1 and 2.
• Annual Summer Outreach Program Free yearly summer coaching program for slum children with intensive educational classes for four weeks, empowering participants with back-to-school materials.
• Free Formal Arts Academy School Building The first free formal and arts education academy building in Lagos, Nigeria, catering to 100 gifted indigent or orphaned girls, providing formal education, arts education, daily meals, healthcare, shelter, and welfare. Completed and commissioned in March 2022.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10,000+ girls and families impacted since inception
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• AudiomackminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMusic streaming platform partner where Dream Catchers Academy releases music including the 'Ariwo Period Song' to raise awareness on period poverty.
• Drug Aid AfricaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting healthcare and welfare programs for the girls.
• Kids Being Kids NigeriaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization focused on children's welfare and development programs.
• Springtime Development FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation partner supporting development programs for the organization.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Room to Read: Global education nonprofit operating across multiple countries including parts of Africa. Comparable in providing holistic education to disadvantaged children including girls, though broader in scope (literacy, gender equality) and without the performing arts specialization.
• Malala Fund: Global nonprofit advocating for girls' education, active in Nigeria through local partnerships. Comparable mission focus on girls' secondary education access, though operates as advocacy and grant-making rather than direct service provider.
• WE Charity / WE Movement: International nonprofit combining education with youth empowerment and community development. Comparable integrated education-plus-development model for disadvantaged children, though operating at much larger global scale.

Direct peers

• Slum2School Africa: Nigeria-based nonprofit providing education and support to children in slums and underserved communities. Direct geographic and mission overlap with Dream Catchers Academy, both targeting out-of-school children in Lagos informal settlements.
• Camfed (Campaign for Female Education): Nonprofit focused on educating and empowering girls across sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria. Comparable mission of breaking poverty cycles through girls' education with holistic support, though Camfed operates at much larger scale.
• African Children's Choir: International nonprofit that combines formal education with performing arts training (music, dance) for disadvantaged African children. Directly comparable model to Dream Catchers Academy in mission, geography (Africa), arts-emphasis pedagogy, and reliance on performance visibility for fundraising.
• OrphanAid Africa: Nonprofit providing education, shelter, and welfare support to orphaned and vulnerable children in West Africa. Directly comparable residential care and education model for vulnerable children, with similar demographic focus and West African operations.

Regional players

• Education as a Vaccine (EVA): Nigerian nonprofit focused on child and youth development through education and health programming. Comparable Nigerian-anchored nonprofit addressing education and welfare for marginalized children, though more focused on advocacy and HIV/AIDS-adjacent programs.
• FATE Foundation: Lagos-based Nigerian nonprofit focused on youth and entrepreneurship education. Geographic and sector overlap as a Nigerian education-focused nonprofit, but more oriented to enterprise/employability rather than arts and residential care.

Emerging players

• She's the First: Nonprofit supporting girls' education in low-income countries including parts of Africa. Comparable in mission of providing holistic support (education plus life skills) to girls facing barriers, though at smaller direct-service scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dreamcatchersDA
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC5Fvdl9zErr5g0B5DxvK6wg
• Facebookfacebook.com/DreamCatchersda
• Instagraminstagram.com/dreamcatchersda
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dream-catchers-academy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dream Catchers Academy