What Buildher does

Buildher is a Kenyan nonprofit workforce development organization founded in 2018 and headquartered at its purpose-built training facility in Baba Dogo, Nairobi. It serves low-income women aged 18-60 by delivering a 12-month work-integrated pathway comprising six months of accredited technical training followed by six months of employer placement support. The core product is structured skills training across five trades: Carpentry & Joinery, Painting & Decorating, Tiling, Cabinetry, and Solar Installation, with curriculum aligned to Kenya's National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) standards. Buildher does not operate a proprietary software platform; the 'product' is physical training infrastructure, employer relationships, and a placement engine, supplemented by retention services (wellness, mentorship) and an alumnae network that supports ongoing career progression and subcontracting access.

The organization is funded as a nonprofit through institutional grants (GIZ-E4D, Google.org, Global Innovation Fund, Vitol Foundation, The Mwembe Foundation, and an early UK DFID grant of $95,000 in 2019), corporate sponsorships, and individual donor subscriptions structured as recurring tiers ranging from USD 7/month to USD 4,800/year for full program sponsorship. Myriad USA serves as the US-based fiscal sponsor. A secondary revenue stream, Buildher Shop, sells artisan-made furniture with proceeds reinvested in the training mission. Employer placement is distributed through a 5,000+ employer network including PG Bison, Unity Homes, Mi Vida Homes, Lynk Ltd, Moko, and Studio Koobi Fora.

Reported cumulative outcomes are 1,206 women trained, 1,059 placed in paid construction work (an 87.8% placement rate), 668 NITA-certified, and a 4.5x average income lift from pre-training baseline. Buildher is governed by Co-Founder & CEO Tatu Gatere alongside co-founder James Mitchell, with Robyn T. Emerson on the board. Operating geographies are limited to Kenya (with isolated coastal placement reach), and the organization runs advocacy vehicles including the biennial Women Fundis in Construction Conference (WFiCC), Community of Practice Gatherings, and Gender Round Tables with government stakeholders.

Name

Buildher

Legal name

Buildher

Website

https://buildher.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Buildher is a Kenyan nonprofit founded in 2018 that trains and places low-income women into skilled construction trades—including carpentry, painting, tiling, cabinetry, and solar installation—through a 12-month workforce pathway at its Nairobi training center.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Workforce Development Training

NAICS

Apprenticeship Training (611513), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Readiness, Career Pathways & Youth Employment Nonprofits (BPAGADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Incumbent Worker Training & Upskilling (EDAAAOAE), Workforce Development, Employment Readiness & Job Placement (BPADAKAE), Career Coaching, Mentoring & Placement Support Services (EDAAAKAO)

Keywords

• Vocational construction training
• Women workforce development
• Skilled trades training
• Construction apprenticeship programs
• Nonprofit employment training

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Funding and Donations: Buildher operates as a nonprofit organization funded through donations, grants, and corporate giving programs. Revenue comes from individual monthly/yearly donors, corporate sponsors, and funding partners who support the workforce training program.
2. Furniture Sales (Buildher Shop): The Buildher Shop sells furniture and artisan products, with proceeds supporting the organization's training and employment mission. Revenue from furniture sales represents a secondary income stream.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Buildher is a nonprofit that runs a 12-month work-integrated workforce pathway for low-income women, combining six months of accredited technical training in construction trades (carpentry, painting, tiling, cabinetry, solar installation) with six months of paid work placement support through employer partnerships. The curriculum is aligned with National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) standards, and graduates are connected to a network of 5,000+ construction employers. The organization also operates Buildher Shop, a small retail arm selling furniture and artisan products to support its training mission.

Product overview

Buildher is a nonprofit workforce development organization that operates a structured workforce system delivering skilled, reliable labor by aligning training, personal development, and direct pathways to employment with real sector demand. The core offering is a 12-month workforce pathway comprising: (1) Industry-Aligned Training in Carpentry & Joinery, Painting & Decorating, Tiling, Cabinetry, and Solar Installation using global industry-standard facilities; (2) Work-Integrated Learning & Placement providing real site experience and employer connections; (3) Workforce Support & Progression through alumnae networks and mentorship; and (4) Jobs & Enterprise Pathways connecting graduates to employer partnerships and subcontracting opportunities. The model is designed for low-income women aged 18-60 seeking skilled construction careers, with curriculum aligned to National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) standards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Buildher Shop: A retail/branding initiative selling products made by Buildher artisans.

Products and services

• Workforce Development Pathway
• Skilled Trades Training
• Work-Integrated Learning & Placement
• Buildher Shop

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.5x average income improvement from baseline for graduates
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Google.orgcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Google.org supported the Women Fundis in Construction Conference (WFiCC) in 2022, contributing to Buildher's advocacy and professional development initiatives for women in construction.
• Global Innovation Fund (GIF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Global Innovation Fund was a co-developer of the WFiCC 2022 conference, supporting Buildher's mission to advance women in construction through knowledge sharing and industry engagement.
• Vitol FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Vitol Foundation partnered with Buildher on the Women Fundis in Construction Conference (WFiCC) in 2022, supporting the organization's advocacy efforts for gender inclusion in Kenya's construction industry.
• GIZ-E4DcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) through the E4D (Employment for Skills and Enterprise Development) program partnered with Buildher on the Women Fundis in Construction Conference (WFiCC) in 2022. The partnership supported professional development and networking for women in Kenya's construction sector.
• CREAWminorOthersCenter for Rights Education and Awareness (CREAW) is listed as an organizational partner, suggesting collaboration on advocacy and rights-based programming.
• LVCT HealthminorOthersListed as an organizational partner, likely providing health and wellness support services for Buildher participants.
• Muungano wa wanavijijiminorOthersCommunity partner organization working on urban settlement issues, collaborating with Buildher on community-based initiatives.
• SHOFCOminorOthersShining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) is listed as a partner organization, suggesting collaboration on community development and women's empowerment programs.
• PG BisoncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLeading furniture manufacturing company that employs Buildher graduates. Lucy Mwikali, a Buildher alumna, was placed at PG Bison where she worked in precision cabinetry before transitioning to the Research and Design department.
• Employer Partners (5,000+)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBuildher has established partnerships with over 5,000 construction companies and employers who provide job placement, internships, and work experience opportunities for graduates. These employer partnerships are central to the workforce placement model.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Generation: Global nonprofit operating employer-driven workforce training programs for underserved adults. Direct peer in mission and methodology (training-to-placement model, employer partnerships, outcome reporting), though Generation spans multiple sectors beyond construction.
• Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator: South Africa-based nonprofit solving youth unemployment through structured training, work-readiness support, and employer placement. Highly comparable operating model and target beneficiary profile.
• Year Up: US nonprofit delivering workforce training and corporate placement for low-income young adults. Direct structural peer in combining skills training, real-workplace exposure, and employer partnerships, though operating in a different geography and sector mix.
• African Management Initiative (AMI): Pan-African nonprofit providing employability and management training to African youth and SMEs. Comparable in Africa-based workforce development, though focused on management rather than construction trades.
• Educate!: Uganda-headquartered nonprofit delivering skills training and work-readiness programs to African youth. Peer in mission (youth employment) and operating region, though training content differs.

Emerging players

• Soko: Kenya-rooted ethical artisan marketplace connecting African artisans to global buyers. Comparable in connecting low-income Kenyan craftspeople to economic opportunity, though focused on accessories rather than construction trades.
• Build Change: Global nonprofit working on disaster-resilient housing, training local builders in safer construction techniques. Comparable in construction-sector NGO training focus, though geographically broader and disaster-mitigation oriented.

Broad incumbents

• BRAC: One of the world's largest development NGOs with extensive skills-training and youth employment programs across Africa and Asia. Comparable in mission and scale of workforce development, though operating across many sectors and geographies.
• TechnoServe: International nonprofit working on economic development including workforce and enterprise development in Africa. Peer in operating context and nonprofit workforce development, though broader than women-in-construction niche.

Regional players

• ZanaAfrica: Kenya-based nonprofit combining girls' health, education, and economic empowerment. Comparable in operating geography and women-empowerment focus, though not specifically construction-trades oriented.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/_buildher
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCrYI0O_D2DAEOs5_vV9fVxQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/pg/BuildherNonprofit
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/buildherkenya
• Instagraminstagram.com/_buildher

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Buildher