What Rafiki Foundation does

Rafiki Foundation is a private, Florida-incorporated Christian nonprofit organization founded in 1984 and headquartered in Eustis, Florida. It operates ten Rafiki Training Villages across ten African countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia) delivering six integrated programs: Bible Study, Education (PreK-12 classical Christian schools), Teacher Training (via the Rafiki Institute of Classical Education, or RICE), Orphan Care, Outreach, and a Widows Program. Its core products include the proprietary Rafiki Bible Study (RBS) curriculum — available free in Africa and at modest cost in the US — and a PreK-12 classical Christian education curriculum developed over 13 years by 60+ writers under the direction of School Curriculum Developer Anne Burguet. A US-based subsidiary, Rafiki Classical Academy (RCA), operates on the Florida campus as part of the Rafiki Education Foundation umbrella.

The organization's revenue model is built on charitable giving rather than commercial sales. Primary streams include monthly child sponsorship (publicly priced tiers from $25 to $125 per month), one-time and recurring general donations, and the Rafiki Exchange e-commerce store selling handcrafts made by African widows. Missionaries — both long-term and short-term — are required to raise personal support (e.g., $15,000 upfront and $5,700/month cited for some roles), effectively making the missionary corps a distributed fundraising channel. Governance is led by Executive Director Karen J. Elliott (since 2012), a board of directors chaired by Rev. Dr. Dennis Johnson, and founder Rosemary Jensen. The organization holds a four-star Charity Navigator rating and is an accredited ECFA member, signaling financial accountability standards within the US nonprofit sector.

Name

Rafiki Foundation

Legal name

Rafiki Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://rafikifoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Rafiki Foundation is a Florida-based Christian nonprofit operating ten training villages across ten African countries, delivering Bible study, classical Christian education, teacher training, orphan care, outreach, and widow support funded by child sponsorships, donations, and an e-commerce store.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Nonprofit Ministry and Christian Education

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Religious Organizations (8131), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International) (BPAGAJAE), Christian Colleges with Theological Programs (EDAHAKAG), Faith-Based & Mission Service Programs (EDAIAGAI)

Keywords

• Christian nonprofit ministry
• Orphan care services
• Classical christian education
• Bible study curriculum
• Child sponsorship programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Eustis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Child Sponsorship: Monthly sponsorship program allowing donors to support individual children at Rafiki Villages. Monthly tiers range from $25 to $125.
2. General Donations: One-time and recurring donations to support Rafiki's six programs: Bible Study, Education, Teacher Training, Orphan Care, Outreach, and Widows.
3. Rafiki Exchange: E-commerce platform selling handcrafts made by African widows. All proceeds go back to support widows in Africa.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Rafiki Foundation delivers a Christian ministry built around six integrated programs—Bible Study, Classical Christian Education, Teacher Training, Orphan Care, Outreach, and Widows—operating through 10 Rafiki Training Villages in 10 African countries and a U.S. home office. The organization funds these programs via monthly child sponsorship ($25-$125), one-time and recurring donations, and the Rafiki Exchange e-commerce store that sells widow-made handcrafts, while distributing its proprietary RBS and classical Christian curricula free of charge in Africa.

Product overview

Rafiki Foundation operates as a Christian ministry with six interconnected programs centered on Bible study and classical Christian education across ten African countries. The core offerings include the Rafiki Bible Study (RBS) curriculum, PreK-12 Rafiki Classical Christian Schools, and the Rafiki Institute of Classical Education (RICE) for teacher training. Supporting programs include Orphan Care, Widows Program, and Outreach Program. The organization also offers child sponsorship, an e-commerce platform (Rafiki Exchange) for widow-made products, and a U.S.-based school (Rafiki Classical Academy). Missionary service opportunities enable volunteers to serve in various capacities across African villages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rafiki Bible Study (RBS): Bible study curriculum developed by Rafiki Foundation for use in Africa and available in various formats in the US
• Rafiki Institute of Classical Education (RICE)
• Rafiki Classical Christian School
• Rafiki Exchange

Products and services

• Rafiki Bible Study (RBS)
• Rafiki Classical Christian Schools
• Rafiki Institute of Classical Education (RICE)
• Orphan Care Program
• Widows Program
• Rafiki Outreach Program
• Child Sponsorship
• Rafiki Exchange
• Rafiki Classical Academy (RCA)
• Missionary Service Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 847 children available for sponsorship, with thousands more served through day student programs and partner schools
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ligonier MinistriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to ship Bibles to Rafiki Villages across Africa. Ligonier Ministries provides Bibles that are distributed to children and communities through Rafiki's network.
• CrosswaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to ship Bibles to Rafiki Villages. Crossway provides Bibles that are distributed through Rafiki's operational infrastructure.
• Mekane YesuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch partner in Ethiopia. Rafiki works with Mekane Yesus to open English-speaking church services and collaborate on ministry activities.
• Veritas Scholars AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorldwide online classical Christian school with 10,000 enrolled students. Collaborated with Rafiki Kenya for high school service projects, including library organization, campus beautification, and student competitions.
• Rosemary Jensen Bible FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides children's Bibles that are distributed through Rafiki's Outreach Program to children in partner schools who are able to read.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• ChildFund International: Child sponsorship-focused nonprofit with extensive Africa operations. Shares Rafiki's child sponsorship, education, and community development program structure.
• World Vision: Major Christian humanitarian organization with child sponsorship, education, and community development programs across Africa. Operates at much larger scale but with overlapping mission and beneficiary model.
• Compassion International: Largest evangelical child sponsorship organization globally, operating in 25+ countries with similar child sponsorship, education, and Christian discipleship programs. Closest direct comparable to Rafiki's model.
• Samaritan's Purse: Evangelical Christian humanitarian organization with international operations including child sponsorship (Operation Christmas Child), education, and disaster relief. Comparable donor base and faith-based mission.
• Holt International: Child welfare nonprofit focused on international adoption, child sponsorship, and family services. Operates with the child-focused model similar to Rafiki's Orphan Care program.
• SIM (Serving in Mission): Global Christian mission organization with extensive Africa operations, including education, healthcare, and church partnership. Comparable missionary-deployment model with similar theological orientation.
• Africa Inland Mission (AIM): Interdenominational Christian mission agency focused on Africa, with church planting, education, and community development. Directly comparable to Rafiki's faith-based African ministry model.

Emerging players

• Bright Hope (formerly World Hope): Christian nonprofit alleviating extreme poverty through partnership with local churches in Africa. Smaller scale but similar church-partnership model and African operations focus.

Others

• Memorial Christian School / Classical Christian Education publishers: Classical Christian education curriculum publishers serving the U.S. classical Christian school and homeschool market. Comparable to Rafiki's Classical Christian Education curriculum as a content/curriculum peer.

Broad incumbents

• Cross International: Catholic-based nonprofit supporting faith-based ministries serving the poor globally. Operates as a broader funder of ministries in Africa, comparable to Rafiki's outreach and partnerships model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RafikiFound

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Rafiki Foundation