What Tutapona does

Tutapona is a US-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2008 by psychotherapists Carl and Julie Gaede, delivering group-based trauma rehabilitation and mental health programming to refugees and conflict-affected populations in Uganda, Iraq (Kurdistan), and Ukraine. The organization operates from a registered mailing address in New Richmond, Wisconsin, and runs field offices in at least seven locations, including Adjumani, Nakivale, Oruchinga, and Rwamwanja in Uganda; Esyan camp and Khanke in Kurdistan; and Lviv in Ukraine. Beneficiaries include South Sudanese, Congolese, Rwandan, Burundian, and Eritrean refugees, Yazidi survivors of the ISIS genocide, and Ukrainians displaced by the ongoing war.

The core product portfolio consists of four programs: GROW (group-based adult trauma rehabilitation using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Post Traumatic Growth Therapy), Heroes Journey (children's therapeutic program, also broadcast in four languages via radio), Healthy Habits (an eight-week psycho-social support program for unwanted behavioral patterns, in its fourth year as of 2025), and the legacy EMPOWER curriculum co-developed with Psychology Café. Programs are delivered by trained national staff in local languages, with rigorous pre- and post-program measurement using validated instruments (SPTSS, CPSS, WHO-5) and reported outcomes of >90% participant improvement, 37,000+ civil war survivors rehabilitated since founding, and 50–70% reductions in trauma symptoms across program contexts.

Tutapona's business model is donation-funded: services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries, and the organization is supported by individual donations (online via Virtuous Raise, check, IRA qualified charitable distributions, appreciated securities, and cryptocurrency), institutional grants (Education Cannot Wait, Jesuit Refugee Services, Save The Children, War Child Holland, and historically UNHCR), merchandise sales ($14–$35 items), and international giving channels for Canadian donors (ICMS Canada, Atlantic Missions Canada). Tutapona holds a 4-star Charity Navigator rating, GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency, and Excellence in Giving Certified Transparent designation. The company name means "We will be healed" in Swahili.

Name

Tutapona

Legal name

Tutapona

Website

https://tutapona.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tutapona is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2008 that delivers group-based trauma rehabilitation and mental health programs (GROW, Heroes Journey, Healthy Habits) to refugees and war-affected populations in Uganda, Iraq, and Ukraine, funded by individual donations, institutional grants, and merchandise sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Refugee and War-Affected Mental Health Services

NAICS

Social Assistance (624), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Child and Youth Services (62411), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Humanitarian Health & Emergency Medical Relief NGOs (HLAJAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disaster Recovery, Reconstruction & Resilience Programs (BPAGAAAK), Injury Prevention, Disability & Rehabilitation Programs (BPADAIAM)

Keywords

• Trauma rehabilitation programs
• Refugee mental health services
• Group therapy programs
• Psycho-social support services
• War-affected population counseling

Headquarters

HQ city

New Richmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Direct donations from individuals via online giving portal (powered by Virtuous Raise), check donations, IRA qualified charitable distributions (for donors 70½ and older, up to $100,000 annually tax-free), gifts of appreciated securities (full fair market value tax-deductible, no capital gains), and cryptocurrency donations.
2. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including apparel (t-shirts, hoodies, longsleeve tees), accessories (ball caps, beanies, mugs, tote bags, water bottles, travel mugs), and cause-specific items (Ukraine longsleeved tee). Revenue supports the organization.
3. Institutional Grants and Partnerships: Funding from institutional partnerships including UNHCR (ended 2019), Education Cannot Wait, Jesuit Refugee Services, Save The Children, War Child Holland, and the Family Challenge Charitable Trust ($120,000 commitment over three years through Psychology Café®). These grants fund specific programs and staff positions.
4. International Donation Partnerships: Partnership with ICMS Canada allowing Canadian donors to give and receive Canadian tax receipts, and Atlantic Missions Canada for processing Canadian donations with tax receipts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Tutapona delivers group-based trauma rehabilitation and mental health programs to refugees and war-affected populations in Uganda, Iraq (Kurdistan), and Ukraine. Its core programs — GROW, Heroes Journey, Healthy Habits, and EMPOWER — are grounded in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Post Traumatic Growth Therapy, are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries by trained national staff, and are supported by individual donations, institutional grants, and merchandise sales.

Product overview

Tutapona is a nonprofit mental health organization offering group-based therapeutic programs for trauma recovery. The core product portfolio consists of three distinct programs: GROW (adult group therapy using CBT and Post Traumatic Growth Therapy), Healthy Habits (eight-week psycho-social support for behavior change), and Heroes Journey (children's therapeutic program). Programs are specifically tailored for refugees and conflict-affected populations, with evidence-based outcomes including reduction in trauma symptoms and improvement in well-being.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GROW: A group-based trauma rehabilitation program for adults affected by war and conflict
• Healthy Habits
• EMPOWER
• Heroes Journey

Products and services

• GROW Program
• Heroes Journey Program
• Healthy Habits Program
• EMPOWER Trauma Rehabilitation Program
• Tutapona Branded Merchandise

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 90% of graduates see reduction in distress and increase in well-being post-program
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Education Cannot WaitcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Education Cannot Wait partnership in Uganda enabled Tutapona to relaunch the Rwamwanja office, rehire staff, and expand children's programs. The partnership was a major institutional funding relationship that sustained operations during a financially difficult period.
• Jesuit Refugee ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Jesuit Refugee Services partnership enabled Tutapona to expand programs in Uganda during 2020, contributing to the organization's recovery from 2019 funding challenges.
• Save The ChildrencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnership with Save The Children contributed to Tutapona's Uganda operations expansion in 2020, including relaunching Rwamwanja office and hiring staff.
• War Child HollandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020War Child Holland partnership supported Tutapona's expansion and operations in Uganda in 2020, enabling continued delivery of mental health services to refugee children and families.
• American Refugee Committee (ARC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Partnership with American Refugee Committee (ARC) enabled Tutapona to open its Oruchinga field office in Uganda's South West. ARC partnership extended Tutapona's services to the Oruchinga refugee settlement.
• Psychology Café®coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with Psychology Café®, founded by Dr. Robi Sonderegger. Psychology Café® was instrumental in the formation of Tutapona's programs — Carl Gaede first came to work with Dr. Sonderegger's EMPOWER trauma rehabilitation program more than a decade ago. Tutapona collaborated with Psychology Café® to develop the GROW program. Psychology Café® provides staff development, training, clinical supervision, and financial support ($120,000 commitment over three years through the Family Challenge Charitable Trust).
• Stan Falkenhagen and AssociatesminorOthersTutapona works with Stan Falkenhagen and Associates to receive and sell gifts of stock. Stan has waived his fees for providing this service and also donates a portion of his fees from clients who support Tutapona.
• ICMS CanadaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial ICMS partners in Canada, enabling Canadian donors to give toward Tutapona's work and receive a Canadian Tax Receipt. Channel for international fundraising.
• Atlantic Missions CanadaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAtlantic Missions Canada provides Canadian tax receipts for donations to Tutapona made through CanadaHelps, enabling Canadian donors to receive tax-deductible receipts.
• World Gospel MissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld Gospel Mission partnership involved hosting counseling and pastoral teams from America that built into Tutapona staff through retreats. Also involved in hosting visits and communications work (e.g., Mansi Boegemann, Journalism Graduate visiting Uganda with World Gospel Mission).

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• International Rescue Committee: Large humanitarian organization serving refugees and conflict-affected populations globally, including integrated mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS). Comparable as a fellow provider of refugee mental health services in similar geographies, though much larger and broader in scope.
• International Medical Corps: Global humanitarian organization delivering mental health and psychosocial support in conflict-affected settings. Comparable in mission and beneficiary base (refugees, IDPs in similar regions), though significantly larger and with a broader clinical service portfolio.
• Global Refuge (formerly HIAS): International refugee protection agency providing mental health, psychosocial, and resettlement services to refugees worldwide. Comparable in mission and refugee mental health programming, though more focused on resettlement services in the U.S. and other receiving countries.
• Mercy Corps: Major humanitarian agency delivering programs in conflict-affected and refugee contexts, including mental health and psychosocial support. Overlaps with Tutapona's Uganda and broader geographic focus, but operates at significantly greater scale and program breadth.
• Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF): Provides medical and mental health care in conflict and crisis settings worldwide, including for refugees. Comparable as a peer delivering trauma-related mental health services in similar geographies, though much larger and medically broader.

Direct peers

• War Child: International NGO specifically focused on the protection and mental wellbeing of children affected by war, with a similar emphasis on evidence-based psychosocial programming. War Child Holland is even a current Tutapona institutional partner, making it a highly direct peer in the conflict-affected children's mental health niche.
• Jesuit Refugee Service: Faith-based international NGO serving refugees and forcibly displaced people with psychosocial and mental health support. Direct peer in the refugee mental health niche — and an active Tutapona partner in Uganda.
• Hagar International: Faith-based NGO providing holistic recovery services (including mental health and trauma counseling) to survivors of human trafficking and sexual violence, including refugees. Comparable as a specialized trauma-recovery provider serving conflict-affected women and children.
• Preemptive Love Coalition: Provides mental health and psychosocial care to conflict-affected communities in Iraq and the surrounding region, including Yazidi populations. Highly comparable as a faith-rooted NGO delivering trauma-focused programming to refugees in Kurdistan.

Emerging players

• Free Yezidi Foundation: Yazidi-led organization serving survivors of the ISIS genocide with trauma recovery, mental health, and social services in Kurdistan. Directly comparable beneficiary overlap (Yazidi genocide survivors) and similar programmatic focus in the same region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tutapona
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tutapona-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Tutapona