Oasis International

What Oasis International does

Oasis International Ltd. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit religious publishing ministry, founded in 1978 (as The Oak Foundation) by Edward and Virginia Elliott and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The organization addresses Bible poverty across Africa by producing and distributing contextually relevant Bibles and Christian literature through a network of regional offices (Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa) and partners in 34 countries. Its flagship intellectual property is the Africa Study Bible family — English edition launched in 2017 and French edition (BEPA) launched in 2022 — featuring more than 2,600 notes authored by 350 contributors from 50 African countries, alongside the NLT Africa Edition Text Bibles, the Persecution Study Bible (developed with Open Doors), and a pan-African publishing program with 60+ active titles.

The organization's technology base centers on publishing and print distribution rather than software platforms; Oasis operates three branded websites (oasisinternational.com, oasisinternationalpublishing.com, godswordforafrica.com) plus YouVersion-hosted devotionals and has begun exploring digital Bible distribution. Its revenue and program financing model is hybrid: commercial sales of value-priced books (under $5.00 retail) through African distributors and retailers, recurring donor support via the Sowers of God's Word monthly giving program and the God's Word for Africa campaign, and an affiliated for-profit investment entity, Africa Bible Fund LLC, which is being scaled toward a $3 million capitalization target by end of 2027 to bridge the printing and distribution financing gap. Distribution combines church and NGO partnerships, school Bible programs, and emerging commercial retail channels (notably supermarkets in the DRC via Oasis Media Centre). Operational certifications include ECFA membership, EIG Certified Transparent status, and a 2024 Platinum GuideStar Seal. The organization reports over seven million people reached cumulatively across its distribution history.

Name

Oasis International

Legal name

Oasis International Ltd.

Website

https://oasisinternational.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Oasis International is a 501(c)(3) non-profit religious publishing ministry producing and distributing contextually relevant Bibles (including the Africa Study Bible in English and French) and Christian literature across 34 African countries through church, school, NGO, and retail partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Religious Reference & Study Tools Publishing (Commentaries, Concordances, Lexicons) (MPAJAHAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Devotional & Prayer Publishing (Devotionals, Prayer Books, Meditation Guides) (MPAJAHAB), Religious Education & Catechetical Publishing (Sunday School, Catechism, Study Guides) (MPAJAHAC), Religious & Spiritual Books Retail (CRALAAAE), eBook & Digital Reading Platforms (BPAMAJAK)

Keywords

• Bible publishing ministry
• Christian literature distribution
• African contextualized publishing
• Religious nonprofit publishing
• Theological resource distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Bible and Book Sales: Oasis generates revenue through the sale of Bibles and Christian books to distributors, retailers, churches, and individuals across Africa. Books are sold at value-priced points (under $5.00 retail) to make them affordable for Africa’s economically-challenged majority.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that relies on donations to fund the God’s Word for Africa program. Donors can sponsor projects, give Bibles to pastors and schoolchildren, or join the Sowers of God’s Word monthly giving program. The Africa Bible Fund pools stimulus capital through investment and direct donation.
3. Africa Bible Fund Investment: The Africa Bible Fund LLC is a separate for-profit investment entity that alleviates Bible poverty by supporting cost of goods sold. Investments cover printing and distribution costs, with proceeds from sales rolled back into the fund for reprints and support of African-led organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Oasis International publishes, prints, and distributes contextually relevant Bibles and Christian books across Africa. Its flagship offering is the Africa Study Bible family (English and French/BEPA editions) developed by 350 African contributors from 50 countries with over 2,600 contextual study notes. Bibles and books are sold at value-priced points (under $5.00 retail) through church partnerships, school programs, NGOs, and a commercial distribution network spanning 34 African countries.

Product overview

Oasis International is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that creates and distributes world-class, contextualized Bibles and biblical resources for Africa. The core product portfolio centers on the Africa Study Bible family (English and French editions), the New Living Translation Africa Edition Text Bibles, and the God’s Word for Africa distribution program. Additional offerings include a pan-African publishing program for African-authored books, the Sowers of God’s Word monthly donor program, the Africa Bible Fund investment vehicle, and free devotional content. The company operates through related websites: oasisinternational.com (main ministry), oasisinternationalpublishing.com (publishing), and godswordforafrica.com (donations/programs).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Africa Study Bible: A study Bible with over 2600 notes and features created by 350 contributors from 50 countries, specifically designed for African readers with African contextualization.
• Africa Bible Fund
• God's Word for Africa (GWFA)

Products and services

• Africa Study Bible (English Edition) A comprehensive study Bible specifically designed for African readers, built on the New Living Translation text with over 2,600 contextual study notes and features contributed by 350 scholars and pastors from 50 African countries. Notes address African religious beliefs, cultural practices, and everyday life situations.
• La Bible d'étude: perspectives africaines (BEPA) The French edition of the Africa Study Bible for French-speaking Christians in Africa and the diaspora, providing over 2,600 contextual study notes written by African contributors from a French-African cultural perspective.
• New Living Translation (NLT) Africa Edition Text Bibles Clear, accessible English Bible translations designed specifically for African readers, sold at value-priced points (under $5.00 retail) for distribution across African schools and churches.
• Persecution Study Bible A special edition of the Africa Study Bible created in partnership with Open Doors for believers who risk persecution for their faith, containing Scripture notes, devotionals, and testimonies that speak to endurance, courage, and forgiveness in hostile environments.
• Pan-African Publishing Program A publishing initiative that discovers, develops, and distributes books by African authors who speak to African contexts, empowering African voices across the 60+ active book titles in the Oasis catalog.
• God's Word for Africa (GWFA) Program A donation-funded distribution program providing Bibles, books, and training to pastors, leaders, and schoolchildren across Africa through the Sowers of God's Word monthly giving program and the School Bibles initiative.

Quantifiable outcome

• 7 million+ people of faith have been reached with books and Bibles over the last two decades
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Teen Missions South AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeen Missions South Africa operates youth boot camps and evangelism programs distributing NLT Bibles and Africa Study Bibles. Their Country Director Joackim Kunda coordinates youth ministry and Bible distribution to teenagers across South Africa.
• Scripture Union NigeriacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScripture Union Nigeria coordinates school fellowships, youth camps, and leadership programs. Joseph Chijioke leads the Youth Affairs department, distributing affordable NLT Africa Edition Bibles to students and mission fields across Nigeria, including secret discipleship work in the North.
• Good News (Nigeria)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGood News trains rural pastors, laypeople, and prison chaplains in Nigeria for holistic ministry. Their prison ministry work includes distributing Bibles and supporting inmates.
• Oasis Media CentrecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOasis Media Centre is a partner distributing BEPA (French Africa Study Bible) in Kinshasa, DRC. They have partnered with supermarkets to place Bibles in retail locations and are expanding to Lubumbashi.
• Higherlife FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhilani Nyatsanza, Country Director of Higherlife Foundation, serves on the Oasis Board of Directors. Higherlife Foundation supports youth and community development across Africa.
• Open DoorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to create and distribute the Persecution Study Bible, a special edition of the Africa Study Bible for believers who risk persecution. Provides devotionals and testimonies for believers in hostile environments.
• Anglican Diocese of MaiduguriminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRev Alfred Daniel Buba and other priests in the Anglican Diocese of Maiduguri receive Africa Study Bibles for ministry in the challenging Northern Nigeria environment.
• Liberia Baptist Theological SeminaryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide NLT Africa Edition Text Bibles to high school students through the seminary’s ministry programs in Liberia.
• Child Evangelism FellowshipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSunday School teacher training and Good News Club leadership training in conjunction with Bible distribution programs.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Crossway: Crossway is a Christian publisher known for the ESV Bible and study resources. Comparable in study-Bible publishing category and donor-supported distribution model, though with less Africa-specialized content.
• Pioneer Bible Translators: Pioneer Bible Translators focuses on translating Scripture into indigenous languages across Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Comparable in the African Bible-translation-and-distribution space, though more focused on local-language work than English/French/Portuguese editions.
• Urban Ministries Inc. (UMI): UMI publishes Bible and Christian education resources with a focus on African-American and African contexts. Its CEO serves as Secretary on Oasis's Board, indicating direct industry overlap in contextualized Bible publishing for African-heritage Christians.

Broad incumbents

• Tyndale House Publishers: Tyndale House Publishers is a major Christian publisher that produces study Bibles and translations including the NLT (used in Oasis's Africa Edition Text Bibles). Comparable as a Bible-publishing peer with overlap in translation licensing and study-Bible category.
• United Bible Societies: United Bible Societies is a global fellowship of Bible Societies operating in over 200 countries and territories. It is a broad incumbent in the same Scripture-distribution space, with deeper regional infrastructure but less Africa-specific contextualized content than Oasis.
• Zondervan (HarperCollins Christian Publishing): Zondervan is one of the largest Christian publishers globally, producing study Bibles and academic works. Comparable in study-Bible category though more Western-focused, less specialized in African contextualization.

Direct peers

• American Bible Society: American Bible Society is a 501(c)(3) that funds Bible translation and engages donors in Scripture distribution globally. Comparable to Oasis in non-profit structure, donor-funded model, and mission focus, though it operates at much larger U.S. scale and different geographic focus.
• Biblica: Biblica is a global Bible translation, publishing, and engagement ministry that distributes Scripture in hundreds of languages. It is the most direct comparator to Oasis's Bible-publishing-and-distribution model, with overlapping donor-funded distribution and translation programs.
• Open Doors: Open Doors is a persecuted-church ministry that already partners with Oasis on the Persecution Study Bible. Comparable as a donor-funded ministry serving African Christians with Bibles and discipleship resources in restricted regions.
• Scripture Union: Scripture Union is a global interdenominational movement focused on children and young people's engagement with the Bible, with strong African national entities (including Scripture Union Nigeria, an Oasis partner). Highly comparable in school-based Bible distribution and youth programs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/OasisIntLtd
• Facebookfacebook.com/OasisIntLtd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oasis-international-ltd-
• Instagraminstagram.com/oasisintltd

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Oasis International