Tropical Health Alliance Foundation

What Tropical Health Alliance Foundation does

Tropical Health Alliance Foundation (THAF) is a U.S. Registered 501(c)(3) tax-deductible nonprofit charity (EIN 20-3556410) headquartered in Loma Linda, California, with a secondary mailing address in Rochester, Minnesota. Founded by Dr. Larry L. Thomas and currently chaired by Geir Frivold, MD, MPH, THAF is an all-volunteer organization with no paid staff; board members self-fund travel and administrative costs, and 100% of donations flow directly to charitable programs. The organization runs five core programmatic lines targeting impoverished communities in Ethiopia: cataract and other eye surgeries, safe water infrastructure, podoconiosis treatment and prevention, women-and-children healthcare (including fistula repair and maternal waiting homes), and mobility aids for disabled individuals. Programs are delivered entirely through in-country Ethiopian partners rather than THAF-operated clinics.

THAF's operating model is donor-funded and program-priced at extremely low unit costs — cataract surgery at approximately $60 per eye (versus ~$5,000 in the U.S.) and podoconiosis treatment at $50 per patient per year — supported by a 2025 operating budget above USD $600,000. Distribution is handled through strategic partnerships with Wings of Healing (water projects, with Dr. Feven Tesfay as country director), Dr. Samuel Bora's mobile eye camps, Gondar University Hospital's ophthalmology department, Cure Blindness Project, The Carter Center, Hamlin Fistula Foundation, and APIDO (podoconiosis care across 70 rural centers). Donor acquisition is driven by content marketing on the thaf.org website, Facebook, Instagram, Vimeo, and the award-winning documentary 'The End of Blindness' (Amazon Prime, iTunes, physical media), with donations accepted via website, PayPal, and mail. By the end of 2024, THAF had funded more than 30,000 cataract surgeries and had set a public target of exceeding 45,000 by 2030.

Name

Tropical Health Alliance Foundation

Legal name

Tropical Health Alliance Foundation

Website

https://thaf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tropical Health Alliance Foundation is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds cataract surgeries, safe water systems, podoconiosis treatment, maternal healthcare, and mobility aids for impoverished Ethiopian communities through in-country delivery partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Humanitarian Healthcare and Aid Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (813990)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAAAC

Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Humanitarian Aid & Disaster Relief

SECONDARYHLAJALAO

International & Global Public Health Aid Administration (Government Donors)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Public Health, Government & Regulators/Public Health Funding, Grants & Program Administration

Keywords

• Humanitarian health programs
• Nonprofit charity services
• Cataract surgery funding
• Safe water projects
• International aid ethiopia

Headquarters

HQ city

Loma Linda

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations: THAF operates as a U.S. Registered 501(c)(3) Tax Deductible Nonprofit Charity (EIN: 20-3556410). The organization raises funds through individual donations, with 100% of donations going directly to charitable projects. Administrative costs are funded separately.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Tropical Health Alliance Foundation (THAF) is an all-volunteer U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity that funds and coordinates humanitarian healthcare, clean water, and mobility aid programs for people in Ethiopia. Its core offerings consist of five program lines—cataract surgery for the blind, safe water infrastructure (spring protection and water collection), podoconiosis treatment with shoes, women and children's healthcare including fistula repair, and mobility aids for the disabled—delivered through local Ethiopian partner organizations. THAF also produces and distributes the documentary 'The End of Blindness' to support fundraising and awareness.

Product overview

Tropical Health Alliance Foundation (THAF) is a nonprofit charity organization that operates multiple health and humanitarian programs in Ethiopia rather than a unified technology product. The organization's offerings consist of five core programmatic initiatives: a Blindness/Cataract Surgery Program that funds high-volume cataract surgeries through mobile units; a Safe Water Program that protects springs and builds water collection systems; a Podoconiosis (Podo) Treatment Program providing shoes and treatment for those with barefoot exposure to irritant soil; a Women & Children Healthcare Program connecting women with safe birthing facilities and fistula repair; and a Mobility Aids Program providing wheelchairs, crutches, and braces. Additionally, THAF produces 'The End of Blindness,' an award-winning documentary about Dr. Samuel Bora's cataract surgery mission. All programs operate on a 100% donation model where administrative costs are covered separately.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Blindness/Cataract Surgery Program Provides funding and equipment for high-volume cataract surgeries in Ethiopia to restore sight to blind or visually impaired patients who cannot afford medical care. Includes mobile cataract units operated by Dr. Samuel Bora (up to 60 surgeries per day) and partnerships with Gondar University Hospital and the Cure Blindness Project. As of end of 2024, the program has completed 30,000+ cataract surgeries with a goal of exceeding 45,000 by 2030.
• Safe Water Program Works with alliance partners such as Wings of Healing to protect springs and build safe and inexpensive water collection systems in rural Ethiopian villages. Prevents water-borne diseases (including diarrhea, a leading cause of under-five mortality) and reduces the burden on women and children who otherwise walk miles for water. The Sidama-region gravity-fed system serves over 10,500 people across five locations including a village school and health clinic.
• Podoconiosis (Podo) Treatment Program Supports treatment, education, and shoe provision for podoconiosis patients in western Ethiopia, in partnership with APIDO which operates across 70 rural centers. For $50 per patient per year, THAF funds treatment plus custom shoes that prevent ongoing barefoot exposure to irritant soil. Addresses social ostracism faced by patients excluded from church, mosque, school, and community.
• Women & Children Healthcare Program Funds primary care, obstetrical services, gynecology surgery, safe birthing facilities, fistula repair (in partnership with Hamlin Fistula Foundation), sanitary pad distribution, and waiting homes for expectant mothers. Addresses high maternal and infant mortality in Ethiopia and supports rehabilitation and reintegration training for women recovering from fistula repair at Hamlin Hospital.
• Mobility Aids Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 30,000+ cataract surgeries completed by end of 2024
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Gondar University Hospital - Ophthalmology DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2022THAF partnered with Gondar University Hospital's ophthalmology department following Dr. Samuel's mobile cataract unit approach. They conduct eye camps every three weeks throughout the Gondar region and have completed over 1,200 cataract surgeries.
• Wings of HealingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner organization in Ethiopia executing clean water projects. Dr. Feven Tesfay serves as country director. THAF provides funding while Wings of Healing implements projects. Also runs a cancer patient home providing 16 beds for out-of-town patients receiving treatment.
• Cure Blindness ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partnerformerly the Himalayan Cataract Project. Partnership formed in 2024 to expand work to end treatable and preventable blindness in Ethiopia. THAF joined forces with Cure Blindness to work toward the goal of exceeding 45,000 cataract surgeries by 2030.
• The Carter CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with President Carter's foundation committed to eradicating trachoma. Collaboration enables comprehensive eye care including refraction, reading glasses, trachoma surgery, and cataract surgeries.
• Hamlin Fistula FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with foundation where women suffering from devastating birth injuries receive life-restoring surgery and rehabilitation. THAF supports rehabilitation and reintegration training for 30 women recovering from fistula repair.
• APIDOmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization supporting podoconiosis care and prevention in 70 rural centers. THAF provided a new vehicle for APIDO to expand their reach.
• L'ESPERANCEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool and orphanage where THAF is establishing an agricultural program and building 3 new classrooms.
• FARM STEWminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram promoting nutrition, organic farming, hygiene, entrepreneurship, and Bible-based ethics. THAF provided seed funding.
• Dr. Samuel Bora (Abba Philippos Memorial Eye Clinic)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTHAF's renowned ophthalmologist featured in documentary 'The End of Blindness.' Only ophthalmologist for 3 million people in rural Western Ethiopia, performing up to 60 cataract surgeries per day in mobile eye camps.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/thaf/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/THAForg
• Instagraminstagram.com/thaf_org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tropical-health-alliance-foundation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Tropical Health Alliance Foundation