What Kwanda does

Kwanda is a diaspora-led collective philanthropy platform that operates as a non-profit entity — Kwanda Inc. (501(c)(3) in the United States, EIN: 41-2766953) and Kwanda Ltd (non-profit fund limited by guarantee in the United Kingdom, Company Number: 12378728). Founded in 2020 and headquartered in London with a US office in Baltimore, Kwanda enables members of African and Caribbean diaspora communities to pool monthly contributions starting at £5 and collectively vote on which local-led development projects to fund. The platform serves 1,845 active "villagers" generating ~£16,543/month in recurring income, with £224,125 in total capital deployed across 27,320 estimated direct beneficiaries since inception.

The platform is built on a web-based architecture with Stripe payment processing and a distinctive public ledger system that exposes all financial transactions, monthly income, overheads, and capital deployments for full transparency. The product portfolio includes the Village Membership subscription (voting rights, financial access), one-time donations, and the Open Ledger transparency tool. Funded project types span social micro-loans (Sierra Leone, Kenya), free micro-clinics (Nigeria), advanced robotics education (Haiti), regenerative agriculture scholarships (Cameroon), women's literacy and vocational training (Angola), and refugee support (Chad).

Kwanda's business model is community-led philanthropy funded through monthly subscription contributions (minimum £5, cancel anytime) and one-time donations, with growing access to foundation grants following 501(c)(3) status attainment in 2026. The go-to-market relies on word-of-mouth, social media (Instagram, Twitter), content marketing via blog and quarterly impact reports, and Trustpilot credibility (rated excellent with 77 reviews). The model is inspired by the traditional West African Osusu collective savings system and positions itself as a transparent alternative to top-down aid organisations, with £4,956 in monthly overheads representing ~30% of gross income.

Name

Kwanda

Legal name

Kwanda Inc. (United States) and Kwanda Ltd (United Kingdom)

Website

https://kwanda.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kwanda is a diaspora-led collective philanthropy platform enabling African and Caribbean diaspora members to pool monthly contributions (from £5) and vote on funding for local-led development projects across 15+ countries, with full financial transparency via a public ledger.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Collective Philanthropy

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE), Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

Keywords

• Collective philanthropy platform
• Diaspora giving community
• Monthly donation subscriptions
• Transparent charitable crowdfunding
• Community-voted project funding

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Monthly Membership Subscriptions: Members pay a monthly contribution (minimum £5) to join the Kwanda village and receive voting rights on project funding. Subscription model with cancel-anytime policy.
2. One-time Donations: One-time donations to the collective fund or specific projects, processed via Stripe.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kwanda operates a collective philanthropy platform that pools recurring monthly contributions from African and Caribbean diaspora members (minimum £5/month) and deploys the pooled funds as grants to vetted local partner organizations running development projects across Africa and the Caribbean. Members receive voting rights on which projects receive funding, and all financial transactions are published on a public open ledger for full transparency.

Product overview

Kwanda is a collective philanthropy platform enabling diaspora communities to pool resources and collectively fund development projects across Africa and the Caribbean. The core offering comprises the Kwanda Platform, Village Membership (monthly subscriptions starting at £5 with voting rights), and One-Time Donations, all supported by an Open Ledger providing full financial transparency. Funded projects span social micro-loans, micro clinics, robotics training (GEAR Lab), and regenerative agriculture scholarships, all delivered through vetted local partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Village Membership Recurring monthly subscription (minimum £5/month, cancel anytime) that gives individual members voting rights on project funding decisions and direct access to impact and financial data on Kwanda's website.
• One-Time Donations One-time donation option enabling non-members to contribute directly to Kwanda's collective fund for vetted projects, processed via Stripe-hosted secure payment page.
• Social Micro-Loans Programme Pooled-member-funded programme combining small loans with socio-economic training and ongoing support delivered through local partner Munafa Social Microfinance to micro-entrepreneurs in Sierra Leone.
• Micro-Clinics Programme Pooled-member-funded free primary healthcare programme delivered through converted donated spaces staffed by local nurses and volunteer doctors via partner AHA Initiative, serving up to 4,000 patients per clinic annually in Nigeria.
• GEAR Lab Robotics Programme Pooled-member-funded advanced STEM/robotics training programme in Haiti run by Hector Foundation, progressing students from introductory DRILL through to university-level engineering capability.
• Regenerative Agriculture Scholarships Pooled-member-funded regenerative farming and business-skills scholarship programme combining classroom lessons, hands-on cultivation, mentorship, and startup support for displaced young women in Cameroon, delivered via partner Wandusoa.

Quantifiable outcome

• 27,320 lives improved through funded projects
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WandusoacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 October 2025Founded by Kuta Cornelius, Wandusoa trains marginalised young women (many internally displaced) in regenerative agriculture and business skills in Cameroon. The programme combines classroom lessons, hands-on farming, mentorship, and startup support, and won the International Gold Level Award from School Enterprise Challenge.
• Munafa Social MicrofinancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 May 2022Munafa is Kwanda's local partner in Sierra Leone for social micro-loan projects. They provide socio-economic training, ongoing support, and circular loans to micro-entrepreneurs in Waterloo and Freetown. Munafa utilizes a social approach to microfinance, employing social workers to help entrepreneurs with both business and personal issues.
• AHA InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by Tolani Yesufu (Harvard Medical School, Columbia Business School, Cornell graduate), AHA Initiative converts donated spaces into free micro-clinics in Nigeria. They provide consultations, treatment, and medication to up to 4,000 low-income patients per clinic annually in Lagos.
• Hector FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founded by Wilhem Hector and Gil Sander Joseph, the Hector Foundation runs advanced robotics programmes (GEAR Lab) in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. They operate DRILL (introductory robotics), Manus 1 (Haiti's first open-access engineering makerspace), and GEAR Lab for advanced training.
• World Hope GiverscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by Alain Bayongwa, World Hope Givers works with former child soldiers in Eastern Congo. In partnership with Fesser and Friends, they provide vocational training in welding, carpentry, and metal fitting, along with psychosocial support for reintegration.
• Dufatanye OrganizationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner in Rwanda providing sustainable agriculture training to families in Nyabisindu village. They deliver training in agricultural practice, animal husbandry, and financial literacy, and distribute banana trees, fruit trees, laying hens, and vegetable seeds.
• Ella Africa FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by Samara Dias in Luanda, Angola, Ella Africa provides literacy and vocational training to women who have never had access to education. The programme achieved 83% completion rate with transport stipends increasing attendance from 50% to 80%.
• Chipinge College of HorticulturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLed by Victor Ngwenya, this college has provided vocational training since 1995 to disadvantaged youth in Zimbabwe. Kwanda funded equipment for eight vocational departments (cosmetology, welding, carpentry, plumbing, etc.), growing enrolment from 130 to 156 students.
• Hope and HavenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHope and Haven operates the only free medical clinic in Adré refugee camp (eastern Chad) supporting Sudanese refugees who fled civil war. They also run the Rain Cover Project distributing tarpaulins and provided emergency food baskets to over 1,000 displaced people.
• Feminist CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKwanda contributed £5,000 to support Nigeria's youth-led #EndSARS movement demanding an end to police brutality. The donation helped cover legal assistance, medical care, and support for affected families.
• Journeyman InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner supporting Wandusoa's Ecological Learning Centre design in Cameroon, working with architect Cédric Delbeke on eco-friendly, community-oriented construction planning.
• Fesser and FriendscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmergency doctor Nicolas Fesser's organization works with World Hope Givers in Goma, DRC. They operate the Fesser and Friends Transit and Orientation Centre supporting children affected by armed conflict, providing food, shelter, safety, and therapy.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Watsi: Watsi is a nonprofit crowdfunding platform that lets donors directly fund low-cost, high-impact medical care for people in developing countries. Comparable to Kwanda's micro-clinic project type (e.g., AHA Initiative clinics in Nigeria) and Africa/international focus.
• GlobalGiving: GlobalGiving is a crowdfunding marketplace connecting donors to vetted grassroots projects worldwide, with a particular focus on developing countries. Most directly comparable to Kwanda's model of pooling donor contributions to fund vetted local projects in Africa and the Caribbean.
• Kiva: Kiva is a nonprofit crowdfunding platform that enables individuals to lend as little as $25 to micro-entrepreneurs in developing countries. Directly comparable to Kwanda's micro-loan project type (e.g., Sierra Leone micro-entrepreneur lending) and Africa-focused deployment.
• GiveDirectly: GiveDirectly operates a direct-cash-transfer model to households in extreme poverty, primarily in Africa. Comparable to Kwanda's mission of bypassing traditional aid intermediaries to direct resources to local recipients, with shared focus on Africa and transparency.
• StartSomeGood: StartSomeGood is a crowdfunding platform dedicated to social enterprises and impact-driven initiatives. Comparable to Kwanda's community-funded local entrepreneur model and its focus on funding vetted, locally-led social projects.

Emerging players

• Omidiyi Foundation: Smaller diaspora-led foundations focused on African development. Comparable to Kwanda as a community-rooted, grassroots African-development funder, though with different funding mechanics (no recurring membership or voting layer).

Broad incumbents

• JustGiving: JustGiving is a UK-headquartered online fundraising platform for charities and individuals. Comparable as a UK-based incumbent crowdfunding platform for charitable giving, with overlapping donor pool among UK-based diaspora philanthropists.
• WaterAid: WaterAid is a major international NGO focused on clean water access in developing countries. Comparable to Kwanda as a 501(c)(3) charity funding water/sanitation projects in Africa (e.g., Kwanda's Tanzania well projects), though operating at much larger scale through institutional grants.
• GoFundMe Charity: GoFundMe is the largest consumer crowdfunding platform, including a dedicated charity vertical. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering individual donation infrastructure that competes for donor attention, though it lacks Kwanda's curated, voting-driven, transparent-ledger model.
• Classy: Classy is a fundraising platform serving established nonprofits with recurring donation infrastructure. Comparable as a broader incumbent in the giving-platform space that targets the same donor base for development and social-impact causes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/JoinKwanda
• Instagraminstagram.com/joinkwanda
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kwanda

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Kwanda