Health Builders

What Health Builders does

Health Builders is a US-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, headquartered in Kigali, Rwanda with a US fundraising office in New York, that strengthens primary healthcare delivery in rural Rwanda through a four-pillar model: training and individualized mentoring of health workers, deployment of medical technology and equipment, construction of health facilities, and targeted health programs. The organization serves 2.3 million people across five Rwandan districts and constructs health facilities (centers, posts, and maternity wards) that are subsequently transferred to the Government of Rwanda for long-term operation within the national health system. Technology products include the eBuzima electronic medical record (EMR) system and cEMR for community health workers, Rapid SMS mobile data collection feeding a Ministry of Health central server, Rwanda's first commercial-sized oxygen plant outside Kigali with a decentralized distribution network reaching 3.5 million people, CPAP machines in 15 hospitals, ultrasound imaging systems, solar energy installations, and high-volume water purification systems. Programs include CARDIO4Rwanda (non-communicable disease screening for hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease) and HMS-HBS training (Helping Mothers Survive / Helping Babies Survive) for maternal and newborn care.

The business model is donation-based and entirely grant- and contributor-funded, with no commercial product or service sales. Revenue streams include grants from major institutional funders (Pace Family Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, GE Foundation, Pfizer Foundation, Sanofi, J&J Foundation, UNICEF, and others), corporate partners, and individual giving through the Kubaho Circle monthly recurring-donor program (tiers from $15 to $100 per month) plus one-time and major-gift contributions. All technology, equipment, and constructed facilities are provided free of charge to the Government of Rwanda and the communities served. Distribution is direct: Health Builders constructs, equips, trains, and transfers facilities; provides technology and equipment directly to health centers and hospitals; and delivers training and mentoring to staff across 54 health centers in three rural districts. Marketing and fundraising are conducted via email newsletters, social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube), website content/stories, and direct donation campaigns. Credibility signals include Charity Navigator's Give With Confidence rating and the Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency.

Name

Health Builders

Legal name

Health Builders

Website

https://healthbuilders.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Health Builders is a nonprofit organization that strengthens primary healthcare in rural Rwanda through health worker training, technology deployment, and facility construction. It serves 2.3 million people across five districts and is funded by foundation grants and individual donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Global Health Non-Profit Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Nonresidential Building Construction (2362), Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (236220)

akta.pro primary industry

Health Systems Strengthening & Primary Care Development (HLAJAKAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health Workforce Development & Capacity-Building (HLAJAKAM), International & Local Implementing NGOs (HLAJAKAD), Maternal, Newborn, Child & Adolescent Health (MNCAH) NGOs (HLAJAKAG), Global Health Systems Strengthening (BPAGABAD), Health Systems Strengthening & Global Health Technical Assistance (BPADAEAH), Medical Missions & Global Health NGOs (BPAGACAI), Healthcare Facility Construction (Hospitals, Clinics, Labs) (IMAFACAD)

Keywords

• Primary healthcare delivery
• Health system strengthening
• Rural healthcare access
• Maternal newborn health
• Community health workers

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Health Builders operates as a 501c3 registered charitable organization in the U.S. that relies entirely on donations from individuals, foundations, and corporate partners. The organization offers a monthly giving program (Kubaho Circle) enabling sustained donations at various tiers ($15, $30, $60, $100 per month) as well as one-time gifts and larger capital contributions for specific projects like health center construction.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Health Builders is a nonprofit organization that strengthens primary healthcare in rural Rwanda by combining training and mentoring of healthcare workers, deployment of health technology and equipment (EMR systems, oxygen plants, CPAP, ultrasound, solar power, water purification, Rapid SMS), construction of health facilities, and targeted health programs. All services and technology are provided free of charge to the Government of Rwanda and the communities it serves, funded entirely by donations from individuals, foundations, and corporate partners.

Product overview

Health Builders is a nonprofit organization strengthening primary healthcare in rural Rwanda through four interconnected service areas: Training + Mentoring (coaching healthcare workers through one-on-one mentorship), Technology + Equipment (deploying solutions including eBuzima EMR, oxygen systems, CPAP machines, ultrasound machines, solar energy, water purification, and Rapid SMS data collection), Health Facilities (constructing health centers, health posts, and maternity wards), and Health Programs (including CARDIO4Rwanda for cardiovascular disease screening). The organization serves 2.3 million people across five districts, with technology solutions like cEMR enabling Community Health Workers to improve care quality and data reliability. Fundraising initiatives like the Kubaho Circle monthly giving program support ongoing operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kubaho Circle: Monthly giving program where donors contribute regularly to support Health Builders' mission. Kubaho means 'to live' or 'long life' in Kinyarwanda.

Products and services

• Training + Mentoring Coaching and mentoring program providing one-on-one support to health center staff in rural Rwanda to address unique local challenges and improve the quality of primary healthcare delivery. Reaches 54 health centers across 3 rural districts.
• Health Center Construction Design, construction, equipping, and sustaining of health centers serving catchment populations of approximately 25,000 people each, with completed facilities subsequently transferred to the Government of Rwanda for long-term ownership.
• Maternity and Delivery Wards Specialized maternity and delivery centers equipped with tools for emergency interventions and monitored by trained clinicians, ensuring safe births for mothers in rural Rwanda.
• Health Posts (Ubugingo Project) Smallest link in Rwanda's healthcare chain, providing primary care access to communities that previously had to travel 10-15 kilometers for healthcare.
• eBuzima Electronic Medical Record (EMR) Electronic medical record system enabling healthcare workers to better track patient data and make accurate diagnoses, transforming service delivery to be faster, more accurate, and more secure in rural Rwanda.
• cEMR (Community Electronic Medical Records) Community health worker-focused electronic medical record system deployed to support non-communicable disease screening, maternal and child health data collection, and reporting to the Ministry of Health.
• Oxygen Production and Distribution System Decentralized medical oxygen production and distribution system with affordable oxygen sales across Rwanda, creating access for over 3.5 million people.
• CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) Machines Life-saving respiratory support machines for maternity wards providing newborn respiratory support, benefiting over 1,000 infants and children in the first three years.
• Ultrasound Imaging Service Ultrasound machines deployed in health centers performing approximately 5,900 ultrasounds annually to improve antenatal care and pregnancy risk identification.
• Solar Energy Systems for Health Centers Solar energy systems installed at health centers serving over 165,000 community members, reducing utility costs and enabling reallocation of resources to direct healthcare needs.
• Water Purification Systems High-volume water purification systems in health centers providing more than 250,000 people with access to safe, reliable, and inexpensive drinking water.
• Rapid SMS Community Health Data System Mobile technology system enabling Community Health Workers to collect data on pregnant women, postpartum women, and children until age two, with data sent to a central Ministry of Health server and feedback returned to health workers.
• CARDIO4Rwanda Program focused on raising awareness and providing screenings for high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases across Rwamagana, Bugesera, and Kicukiro districts, with 5,000 cases of hypertension detected and enrolled in treatment.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2.3 million people served across five districts
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Republic of Rwanda Ministry of HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose collaboration with the Ministry of Health ensures health care solutions benefit Rwanda for generations. All new facilities are transferred to government ownership. The Ministry provides policy direction and integration with Rwanda's national health system.
• Global Health CorpsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting placement of global health professionals in Rwanda.
• Construction for ChangeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner supporting construction of health facilities.
• Assist InternationalcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartner in oxygen production project - helped install Rwanda's first commercial-sized oxygen plant outside of Kigali. Provides technical assistance for medical equipment.
• Medical College of WisconsinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner supporting healthcare training and education programs.
• Active Social Architecture (ASA) Design LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner in the Ubugingo Project to achieve the goal of providing 1,600 health posts by 2050, in accordance with Rwanda's 2050 Sustainable Development Goals. Health posts are the smallest link in Rwanda's health care chain.

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• PATH: Global health organization with deep work in health systems, maternal and child health, and digital health tools in low- and middle-income countries — overlapping with Health Builders on technology deployment and primary care strengthening.
• Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI): Large global health organization operating across multiple low-income countries with a focus on health systems strengthening, access to medicines, and government partnership — overlapping with Health Builders' work but at materially larger scale.
• International Medical Corps: Global humanitarian organization providing healthcare, training, and health systems support in conflict and low-resource settings — overlapping with Health Builders on health worker training and primary care delivery.
• BRAC: Large international development organization operating health, education, and livelihoods programs across multiple countries, with health systems strengthening programs in Africa that overlap with Health Builders' community health worker model.

Emerging players

• Muso: Emerging global health nonprofit focused on community health worker-led primary care in Mali and other West African settings — comparable to Health Builders' model of training and supporting frontline health workers in rural communities.

Direct peers

• Jhpiego: Global health nonprofit affiliated with Johns Hopkins focused on maternal, newborn, and child health, with strong training/mentoring programs and government partnerships in Africa — directly comparable to Health Builders' maternal health focus.
• Partners in Health: Global health NGO focused on strengthening primary healthcare systems in low-income countries, particularly in rural settings, through a model combining infrastructure, training, and government partnership — closely paralleling Health Builders' approach in Rwanda.
• AMREF Health Africa: Africa's leading health NGO focused on training health workers, strengthening community health systems, and partnering with African governments to expand primary healthcare access in rural and underserved areas.
• Last Mile Health: Community health worker-focused nonprofit that trains, equips, and supports frontline health workers in rural Africa, with similar investments in digital tools, government partnership, and training/mentoring models.

Others

• Solidaridad Network: International civil society organization working on health, agriculture, and supply chains in low-income countries with similar community-led development and donor-funded operating model, though with a broader thematic scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HB_Rwanda
• Facebookfacebook.com/healthbuildersintl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/health-builders
• Instagraminstagram.com/healthbuilders
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/healthbuilders

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Health Builders