Dr Onerva Mäki, Honorary Doctor of Education, pioneer in the field of special education, and founder of the Niilo Mäki Foundation, passed away on Wednesday 30 July 2025 in Jyväskylä, Finland, at the age of 98.
Born in December 1926 in Ahlainen to a merchant family, Onerva Mäki (née Nummelin) demonstrated from an early age a remarkable sense of responsibility, resilience, and compassion. Orphaned at the age of 15, she assumed care for both herself and her younger sister.
Onerva completed her secondary education at the Finnish Co-educational Lyceum in Pori and pursued teacher training in Helsinki, graduating in 1950. Even prior to her graduation, she began her teaching career at the Foundation School for the Crippled (now the Valteri School Ruskis). Throughout her career, she was deeply committed to recognising the inherent dignity of every individual. She devoted her professional life to advancing special education and enhancing the quality of life for children with disabilities, consistently seeking new knowledge and innovative practices. To this end, she undertook further studies in the United Kingdom and the United States, specialising in the rehabilitation and care of children with disabilities.
In 1959, she married Professor Niilo Mäki, and following her studies abroad, she settled in Jyväskylä, where she also became involved in municipal politics. In 1962, she was appointed Lecturer in Special Education at the then Jyväskylä College of Education (now the University of Jyväskylä). During her tenure, she founded the university’s speech therapy clinic and served as Lecturer in Speech Therapy, Special Education, and Education for Sensory Impairments. She also held the position of Acting Associate Professor in Special Education. Her areas of expertise included developmental disorders such as cerebral palsy, hearing and visual impairments, and speech and language difficulties.
Dr Mäki was also active internationally. From the 1970s onward, she contributed to the training of special education professionals not only in Finland but also in the United States, Australia, and various African nations. She led the STAFRICA project (1982–1986), funded by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, which facilitated the training of over 50 African special education teachers in Jyväskylä. Her contributions were widely recognised, and in many African countries, she became affectionately known and highly respected as ”Mama Mäki”.
In 1990, together with Professors Heikki Lyytinen and Timo Ahonen, she founded the Niilo Mäki Institute to advance research, development, and training in the area of learning difficulties. She also co-founded the Niilo Mäki Foundation, which oversees the Institute’s operations. Dr Mäki was actively involved in the governance and strategic direction of the foundation, serving on both its Board and Supervisory Council from its inception. In 2024, she was appointed Honorary Chair of the Supervisory Council. A visionary and widely connected figure, Dr Mäki approached all individuals with openness and empathy. She was a tireless advocate for equality and inclusion, and her intellectual and moral legacy will endure in the ongoing work of the Niilo Mäki Institute and its extensive network of collaborators.
Based on the ideas of Onerva Mäki a series of diploma-level training projects has been conducted since 1992 by the Niilo Mäki Institute, primarily with the support of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs’ particularly in Namibia, Kenya, Zambia, and Tanzania. In the initial stages, African colleagues received training in developmental disorders and learning difficulties in children. Small clinics were established in connection with universities and institutions for special education teacher training. Through the Ekapeli/Graphogame initiatives led by Professor Heikki Lyytinen, the focus gradually shifted towards the teaching of foundational literacy skills in local languages. The ongoing eTALE project (2019-) is being implemented in close collaboration with African colleagues, aiming to develop a comprehensive online learning environment to support teacher education in Namibia, Kenya, Zambia, and Tanzania.
Her work laid the foundation for ongoing efforts in supporting children with learning difficulties across the continent. Until the end of her life, she remained unwavering in her advocacy for the rights and well-being of the most vulnerable, often offering personal support in addition to her professional efforts. Her warmth, integrity, and generosity of spirit earned her friends and colleagues around the world. In 2009, she was awarded the UNESCO Jan Amos Comenius Prize. Mama Mäki was the first Finnish recipient of this award.
Dr Mäki is mourned by her son Petri and his family, her extended relatives, the staff of the Niilo Mäki Institute, and the many students, colleagues, and friends whose lives she touched. Her life’s work has left an enduring legacy and serves as a powerful example of lifelong dedication to education, justice, and human dignity.
Timo Ahonen, Member of the Board of Niilo Mäki Foundation
Päivi Fadjukoff, Chair of the Board of Niilo Mäki Foundation
Juha-Matti Latvala, Executive Director of Niilo Mäki Institute