So They Can
So They Can is an international non-profit charity that delivers education and community development programs in Kenya and Tanzania through partnerships with 57 government schools, reaching 55,000 children. It funds operations via individual sponsorships, donations, DFAT/ANCP grants, and corporate partnerships, and holds top-1% DFAT accreditation among Australian charities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersSydney, Australia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What So They Can does
So They Can is an international non-profit charity founded in 2009 in Sydney, Australia, by Cassandra Treadwell and Keri Chittenden in response to the 2007 Kenyan election violence. Headquartered in Sydney with registered entities in Australia, New Zealand, the USA, and the UK, the organization delivers education and community development programs in East Africa through partnerships with 57 government schools across Nakuru and Baringo County in Kenya and Babati District in Tanzania, reaching approximately 55,000 children. Its core offerings include the Mamire Teachers' Training College (the first public-private teacher training partnership in Tanzania, founded 2012), the founding Aberdare Ranges Primary School in Kenya, and a portfolio of thematic programs — Our School Community, My Voice, School Improvement, Teacher Development, Let's Learn, Keeping Girls in School, Shamba Letu, Camp Africa, and Msomi Scholarships — alongside community development programs in child and youth development, women's empowerment, community health, and family strengthening.
So They Can firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- So They Can
- Legal name
- So They Can
- Website
- https://sotheycan.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- So They Can is an international non-profit charity that delivers education and community development programs in Kenya and Tanzania through partnerships with 57 government schools, reaching 55,000 children. It funds operations via individual sponsorships, donations, DFAT/ANCP grants, and corporate partnerships, and holds top-1% DFAT accreditation among Australian charities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
So They Can industry classification
Industry- Product category
- International Development & Education Services
- NAICS
- Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (6117), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Education Access & Quality (International Development) (BPAGABAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- International Development & Donor-Funded Education Programs (EDADALAB), K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB), Intergovernmental Education Cooperation & Bilateral/Multilateral Programs (EDADALAA), Education, Skills & Workforce Development Aid Programs (BPADABAE)
Keywords
Where So They Can is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sydney
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices6 records
Markets served
So They Can business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Individual Sponsorships: Monthly recurring sponsorships at three tiers: Student sponsorship (US$55/month), Family circle support (US$120/month), and Education collective/school support (US$60/month). These provide steady recurring revenue while delivering direct impact to beneficiaries.
- One-time and Regular Donations: General donations and regular giving programs for supporters who want to contribute to the organization's education and community development mission without formal sponsorship.
- Government Grants (ANCP): So They Can receives support through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP), delivering development projects on behalf of the Australian Government (DFAT) for access to quality education in East Africa.
- Corporate and Philanthropic Partnerships: Partnerships with businesses for Payroll Giving, business partnerships, and immersion trips. Also includes support from trusts and foundations that provide grant funding.
- Fundraising Events: Organized fundraising campaigns and events including Global Dinner, Sew Women Can Lunch, Winter Plunge, and other community fundraising activities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Student Sponsorship - US$55/month |
| Subscription | Monthly | Family Circle Support - US$120/month |
| Subscription | Monthly | Education Collective (School Support) - US$60/month |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
So They Can product offering
Product offeringCore offering
So They Can is an international non-profit that delivers education and community development programs for children and families living in poverty in East Africa. It partners with 57 government schools in Kenya (Nakuru and Baringo County) and Tanzania (Babati District), reaching 55,000 children through a portfolio of education projects, teacher training at Mamire Teachers' Training College, community development programs, and three tiers of recurring individual sponsorship (Student US$55/month, Family Circle US$120/month, Education Collective US$60/month).
Product overview
So They Can is a non-profit organization delivering development projects focused on education in East Africa. Its offering consists of education programs implemented through partnerships with 57 government schools in Kenya and Tanzania, supporting approximately 55,000 children. The core education portfolio includes the Mamire Teachers' College (teacher training institution), Aberdare Ranges Primary School (founding school), and multiple project-based programs covering school community development, student empowerment, infrastructure improvement, teacher training, early learning, girls' education initiatives, agricultural education, inter-school camps, and secondary school scholarships. Supporting these is a Community Development Program encompassing child development, women's empowerment, community health, and family strengthening projects. The organization operates through a 3-Phase Model (Foundation, Core, Sustained) and is fully accredited by the Australian Government's DFAT.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Student Sponsorship Recurring monthly sponsorship at US$55/month that provides one child in a partner school in Kenya or Tanzania with access to quality education, including learning materials, teacher support, and school resources.
- Education Collective (School Sponsorship) Recurring monthly sponsorship at US$60/month that delivers quality education to a whole community by supporting a partner school with infrastructure, teacher training, and learning resources.
- Family Circle Sponsorship Recurring monthly sponsorship at US$120/month that extends support to an entire family, helping break the poverty cycle through education and community development resources.
- Education Programs (Kenya and Tanzania) Portfolio of education projects including Our School Community, My Voice, School Improvement, Teacher Development, Let's Learn (early childhood), Keeping Girls in School, Shamba Letu (agriculture), Camp Africa, and Msomi Scholarships, delivered through 57 partner government schools in Kenya and Tanzania to reach 55,000 children.
- Community Development Program Holistic community development portfolio comprising the Child & Youth Development Project, Women's Empowerment Project (including Sew Women Can and Wezesha Business Skills Program), Community Health Project, and Family Strengthening Project, supporting vulnerable children, women, and families in Kenya and Tanzania.
- Mamire Teachers' Training College Public-private teacher training college in Babati, Tanzania founded in 2012. Graduates up to 100 quality teachers annually who progress to local government primary schools, and has ranked in the top 5 of 79 Tanzanian teacher training colleges since 2018.
- Aberdare Ranges Primary School The founding school project of So They Can, opened in 2010 in Nakuru, Kenya. 100% of its first graduating class of 120 students in 2017 proceeded to secondary school, and the school is now placed in the top 3 performing schools in its Sub-County, transitioning to the 'Sustained' phase.
- One-Time and Regular Donations General donation and regular giving program that allows supporters to contribute to So They Can's education and community development mission without committing to a formal sponsorship.
- Corporate Partnerships and Immersion Trips Business engagement offering that combines payroll giving, CSR partnerships, and immersive travel experiences to project sites in Kenya and Tanzania for companies and their employees.
Quantifiable outcome
- 27.6% increase in students transitioning from primary to secondary school (2016-2019)
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use So They Can
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
So They Can technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
So They Can partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Kenyan GovernmentcoreMemorandum of Understanding with Kenyan Government outlining government commitment to fund teachers, water, electricity and roads, while So They Can constructs schools, provides learning resources, teacher training, and participates in Board of Management.
- Tanzanian GovernmentcoreFirst public-private partnership in teacher training in Tanzania. MoU signed in 2012 with Tanzania Government and local stakeholders for joint objective to improve quality of education throughout Tanzania.
- Girls Not BridescoreGlobal partnership to end child marriage. So They Can's Franklin Arukudi serves on a committee position with Girls Not Brides Kenya supporting efforts to end child marriage and strengthen child protection initiatives.
- Kitkit SchoolminorPartnership with Global X-Prize winner Kitkit School in 2021 to enhance early childhood learning through their child-centered, tablet-based, personalized early learning system integrated into So They Can's Let's Learn project.
- University of WollongongminorEducation partner providing academic support and resources to Mamire Teachers' College and partner schools.
- St. Andrew's CollegeminorNew Zealand education institution partnering with So They Can to support education programs and student development.
- SolarBuddyminorNGO partner providing solar lighting solutions to partner schools and communities.
- Bicycles for HumanityminorNGO partner providing bicycles to improve transportation access for students and teachers in remote communities (So They Ride program).
- WellawareminorNGO partner focused on water and sanitation initiatives in partner communities.
- Camara TanzaniaminorEducation technology partner providing digital learning resources and equipment to schools.
- TenMET TanzaniaminorTeacher training and education management partner supporting teacher professional development programs.
- Silverleaf AcademyminorEducation partner facilitating internships and practical teaching experience for Mamire Teachers' College students.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights5 records
So They Can competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Room to Read: International non-profit focused on literacy and gender equality in education across Africa and Asia. Highly comparable to So They Can's education delivery model, government school partnerships, and country office footprint in low-income countries.
- CAMFED (Campaign for Female Education): Panh-African non-profit supporting girls' education and young women's leadership in rural sub-Saharan Africa. Directly comparable to So They Can's focus on girls' school retention (Keeping Girls in School) and community-led education outcomes in Tanzania and Kenya.
- buildOn: Non-profit delivering literacy, education, and school-building programs in low-income countries including Malawi, Nepal, and Haiti. Comparable to So They Can's school construction, community empowerment, and adult literacy focus.
- Pencils of Promise: Education non-profit working to increase access to quality education in Ghana, Guatemala, Laos, and Nicaragua. Comparable school partnership and infrastructure development model to So They Can's partner government school model.
- Educate Girls: Non-profit focused on enrolling and retaining out-of-school girls and improving learning outcomes in rural India with growing Africa operations. Comparable focus on girls' enrolment, community engagement, and measurable learning outcomes.
- BRAC: International development organization operating education programs (including BRAC schools and teacher training) across multiple low-income countries in Africa and Asia. Directly comparable teacher training and school partnership approach to Mamire Teachers' College and So They Can's school support programs.
Broad incumbents
- Plan International: Large international development non-profit operating child rights and education programs globally including in Kenya and Tanzania. Overlaps with So They Can's education and gender equality focus but at much larger scale and broader thematic scope.
- Save the Children: Global child-rights non-profit delivering education, health, and protection programs in 100+ countries. Overlaps with So They Can's East Africa education and child wellbeing programming but operates as a much larger multi-thematic incumbent.
- UNICEF (East Africa Regional Office): UN agency delivering large-scale education, child protection, and gender programs in Kenya and Tanzania. So They Can partners with government systems that UNICEF also supports, and operates within the same donor and policy ecosystem (e.g., ANCP-aligned funding pools).
Emerging players
- Malala Fund: Non-profit advocating for and investing in girls' secondary education across multiple countries. Comparable mission alignment with So They Can's Keeping Girls in School program and girls' education focus, though primarily grant-making rather than direct program operator.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
So They Can social profiles
Digital presenceSo They Can financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
So They Can leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
So They Can funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
So They Can M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about So They Can
What does So They Can do?
So They Can is an international non-profit that delivers education and community development programs for children and families living in poverty in East Africa. It partners with 57 government schools in Kenya (Nakuru and Baringo County) and Tanzania (Babati District), reaching 55,000 children through a portfolio of education projects, teacher training at Mamire Teachers' Training College, community development programs, and three tiers of recurring individual sponsorship (Student US$55/month, Family Circle US$120/month, Education Collective US$60/month).
Is So They Can a public or private company?
So They Can is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was So They Can founded?
So They Can was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is So They Can based?
So They Can is headquartered in Sydney, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does So They Can make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Individual Sponsorships are the primary driver. The others are one-time and Regular Donations, government Grants (ANCP), corporate and Philanthropic Partnerships and fundraising Events.
Who are So They Can's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Room to Read, CAMFED (Campaign for Female Education), buildOn, Pencils of Promise, Educate Girls and BRAC. Broad incumbents are Plan International, Save the Children and UNICEF (East Africa Regional Office). Malala Fund is listed as an emerging player.
Does So They Can have an API?
No public API is recorded for So They Can.
What industry is So They Can in?
So They Can's product category is International Development & Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGABAE, Education Access & Quality (International Development), with a secondary code of EDADALAB, International Development & Donor-Funded Education Programs. Its NAICS code is 611 and its SIC code is 8200.