Friendship

What Friendship does

Friendship is an international non-governmental social purpose organisation founded in 2002 by Runa Khan and headquartered in Dhaka, Bangladesh, with international fundraising offices in Luxembourg, the Netherlands, the UK, France, and Belgium. The organisation delivers an integrated development model spanning six sectors — healthcare, education, climate adaptation, inclusive citizenship, sustainable economic development, and cultural preservation — to climate-vulnerable communities in Bangladesh's char islands and coastal regions, as well as Rohingya refugees in Cox's Bazar and Bhasan Char camps. Its service platform includes floating hospitals, satellite clinics, and a community health worker network using an in-house mHealth application; 64 learning centres (52 with UNICEF); the Mangrove Afforestation Programme covering 200+ hectares near the Sundarbans with 600,000+ trees planted; the Blue Mangrove Fund carbon-offset vehicle; Mushti microfinance subsidiary; Friendship Colours of the Chars textile enterprise; and the ACTIV Project targeting over one million isolated beneficiaries. The organisation reaches 7.5 million+ people annually with 24 million+ healthcare services delivered.

Friendship's underlying technology stack is modest and operationally focused rather than platform- or AI-driven. The proprietary mHealth application enables Community Medic-aides to track patients, conduct follow-ups, and reach households invisible to formal health systems. Its Community-Initiated Disaster Risk Reduction (CIDRR) model is a participatory methodology rather than a software platform, and its mangrove afforestation programme relies on community-elected caretakers and 12 nurseries producing 926,388 saplings. There is no evidence of AI/ML capabilities, proprietary algorithms, or third-party model dependencies in the disclosed technology footprint.

As a non-profit, Friendship's revenue model is donation- and grant-based rather than commercial. Income is derived from individual donations through its website (accepting BDT, EUR, GBP, USD at preset tiers of 30/50/100 or custom amounts), institutional grants from bilateral and multilateral donors (Agence Française de Développement, UNICEF, UNHCR, DGHS, Luxembourg Ministry of Environment, Conservation International), and emerging corporate partnerships (City Bank). Services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries. The organisation was awarded the Earthshot Prize 2025 in the "Fix Our Climate" category, the Nature Conservation Award 2025, and was named a top-20 Forest Landscape Restoration practice in Asia-Pacific by IUCN/FAO.

Name

Friendship

Legal name

Friendship NGO

Website

https://friendship.ngo

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Friendship is a Bangladesh-founded international NGO, established in 2002, that delivers integrated healthcare, education, climate adaptation, and economic empowerment services to climate-vulnerable communities in Bangladesh's char islands and Rohingya refugee camps, reaching 7.5 million+ people annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian and Development Services

NAICS

Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

International & Local Implementing NGOs (HLAJAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refugee, Crisis & Humanitarian Education Partnerships (EiE) (EDADALAG), Refugee & Migrant Integration Enterprises (Livelihoods, Services) (BPAGALAN), Bilateral Development & Global Health Cooperation Programs (HLAJAOAB)

Keywords

• Humanitarian development services
• Community healthcare delivery
• Climate adaptation programs
• Poverty alleviation initiatives
• Education and training services

Headquarters

HQ city

Dhaka

HQ country

Bangladesh

HQ region

Asia

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Friendship raises funds through individual donations processed through its website in multiple currencies (BDT, EUR, GBP, USD), with preset donation tiers. The organisation also receives support from institutional donors and development partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Friendship is a Bangladesh-based non-profit social purpose organization that delivers integrated humanitarian development services—including healthcare via floating hospital ships, satellite clinics, and community health workers; primary and secondary education through Friendship Schools and learning centres; climate adaptation through mangrove afforestation and disaster risk reduction; microfinance and agricultural collectives; and sports/youth empowerment programmes—to climate-vulnerable, refugee, and marginalized communities across Bangladesh, funded primarily by charitable donations and institutional grants.

Product overview

Friendship is an international social purpose organization (NGO) from Bangladesh founded in 2002, operating across six key sectors: Health, Education, Climate Action, Inclusive Citizenship, Sustainable Economic Development, and Cultural Preservation. The organization offers an integrated, holistic approach combining floating hospitals and clinics for healthcare delivery, Friendship Schools and Learning Centres for education, the ACTIV Project for cross-sectoral development, Mangrove Afforestation Programme for climate adaptation, and the Blue Mangrove Fund for carbon offsetting. Additional services include Mushti microfinance for financial inclusion, Mobile Sports Library and Friendship-KLABU Sports Club for youth empowerment, and Friendship Farmers Clubs for agricultural support. From a single floating hospital, Friendship has grown to serve over 7.5 million people annually with healthcare services, operates 52+ learning centres, and has planted 600,000+ mangroves across 200 hectares. The organization won the prestigious Earthshot Prize 2025 in the 'Fix Our Climate' category.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mushti: Microfinance entity providing financial services to support economic activities and livelihoods of marginalised communities
• Friendship Colours of the Chars
• mHealth
• Blue Mangrove Fund
• Community-Initiated Disaster Risk Reduction (CIDRR)
• ACTIV Project

Products and services

• Healthcare Services (Hospital Ships, Satellite Clinics, Community Health Workers) Three-tier integrated healthcare delivery system combining floating hospital ships, satellite clinics, and door-to-door Community Medic-aides. Targets climate-vulnerable communities and Rohingya refugees in remote char islands and coastal Bangladesh; services are provided free of charge.
• Friendship Schools and Learning Centres Educational institutions providing primary and secondary education to children in remote char islands and Rohingya camps. Includes Friendship Secondary School and 64 learning centres (52 UNICEF-supported, 12 independently run). Targets children in areas with no formal schooling access.
• ACTIV Project Integrated development initiative funded by Agence Française de Développement combining healthcare, education, climate resilience, and inclusive citizenship under a single framework. Targets over one million isolated and vulnerable people across Bangladesh.
• Mangrove Afforestation Programme Large-scale community-based mangrove plantation in the Sundarbans region that protects 125,000+ people against cyclone impacts, restores 60+ km of mangrove forest, acts as a carbon sink, and provides alternative livelihoods for coastal communities.
• Blue Mangrove Fund High impact carbon-offset fund that channels individual and organisational investments into Friendship's mangrove afforestation in the Sundarbans. Targets donors and organisations seeking credible nature-based climate solutions.
• Mushti Microfinance Wholly-owned microfinance subsidiary providing financial services and access to bank refinancing to support economic activities and livelihoods for climate-vulnerable communities in Bangladesh.
• Friendship Hospital Ukhiya 40-bed hospital in Balukhali, Cox's Bazar serving Rohingya refugees and host communities; handles 90% of reproductive healthcare needs in Ukhiya and continues operations even with declining humanitarian aid.
• Mobile Sports Library and Friendship-KLABU Sports Club Sports initiative providing equipment, training, and safe spaces for children in Rohingya camps and host communities. Delivered with KLABU and PSG, enabling football, basketball, cricket, futsal, badminton, and sepak takraw.
• Friendship Farmers Clubs Agricultural collective helping farmers in Chilmari, Kurigram and adjacent char islands test soil, check weather patterns, vaccinate livestock, and receive training; members share knowledge to improve agricultural success in climate-affected regions.
• Friendship Colours of the Chars Vocational textile production centre on the banks of the Brahmaputra producing handcrafted textiles exported to Luxembourg and Europe; supports sustainable economic development and cultural preservation for char island communities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 7.5 million+ people reached annually with direct services
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bangladesh Agricultural University Research System (BAURES)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 June 2026MoU signed for independent evaluations of livelihood interventions implemented by Friendship in climate-vulnerable regions of Bangladesh. BAURES will conduct impact evaluation research on how Friendship's Sustainable Economic Development activities improve resilience, income, and food security of marginalised communities in northern char islands and southern coastal areas.
• City BankcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 October 2025City Bank and Friendship SPO signed an agreement for mangrove afforestation in coastal Bangladesh. The partnership supports reforestation efforts to protect coastal communities from climate impacts.
• South Asian Football Federation (SAFF)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 January 2024Donated 50 footballs to Friendship to promote sports, health, and community engagement among youth in Cox's Bazar.
• Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019MoU to operate comprehensive maternity centre at Friendship's basic clinic in Rohingya Camp 7, Ukhiya, Cox's Bazar. UNHCR constructed the facility.
• United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Constructed comprehensive maternity centre facility in Rohingya camp, handed over to Friendship for operation with DGHS collaboration.
• Action Contre la Faim (ACF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImplementing partner in the ACTIV Project, bringing together healthcare, education, climate resilience, and inclusive citizenship under a single framework.
• RAWcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImplementing partner in the ACTIV Project focusing on empowering isolated or vulnerable communities in Bangladesh.
• IHE (Institut Bioforce)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImplementing partner in the ACTIV Project for community empowerment and development in Bangladesh.
• UNICEFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for 52 learning centres in Rohingya camps providing education to refugee children.
• KLABUcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for sports club centres providing children from Rohingya camps and host communities access to sports facilities, football, basketball, cricket, and other activities.
• Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through KLABU for sports facilities in Rohingya camps, with PSG star Kylian Mbappé involved in jersey launches and community engagement.
• Conservation InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Mountains to Mangroves Initiative (formerly Great People's Forest of Eastern Himalayas), one of South Asia's largest reforestation initiatives, spanning from Himalayas to mangroves.
• Balipara FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead organisation of Mountains to Mangroves Initiative, partnering with Friendship for implementation of mangrove restoration components.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• BRAC: Bangladesh-headquartered international development organization operating integrated programs across health, education, microfinance, and climate resilience. Most directly comparable peer given shared Bangladeshi origin, holistic integrated development approach, and similar target beneficiaries.
• Action Against Hunger: International humanitarian organization focused on tackling root causes of hunger through integrated water, sanitation, health, and food security programs. ACF is also an ACTIV Project implementing partner with Friendship, evidencing direct operational overlap.
• Concern Worldwide: Ireland-based international humanitarian organization working across health, education, and livelihoods in extreme poverty and climate-vulnerable contexts. Comparable in its integrated multi-sector programming and emergency response model for hard-to-reach populations.
• Wetlands International: Global NGO specializing in wetland conservation and mangrove restoration, particularly in South and Southeast Asia. Highly comparable to Friendship's mangrove afforestation program near the Sundarbans and nature-based climate adaptation work.
• Practical Action: UK-headquartered international development charity using technology and innovation to tackle poverty in developing countries, including Bangladesh. Comparable through its focus on climate-vulnerable communities, livelihoods, and disaster resilience.
• Grameen Trust: Bangladesh-based microfinance and social enterprise organization supporting community development through financial inclusion. Comparable to Friendship's Mushti microfinance subsidiary and community-driven poverty alleviation model.

Broad incumbents

• Mercy Corps: Large US-headquartered global humanitarian organization with overlapping programs in climate adaptation, food security, health, and economic recovery. Broader geographic scope than Friendship but operates with comparable integrated program architecture.
• CARE International: Major international humanitarian confederation operating in 100+ countries with programs in women's empowerment, health, education, and climate justice. Comparable in advocacy-driven, rights-based approach to vulnerable communities.
• Islamic Relief Worldwide: Global faith-inspired humanitarian organization with extensive programming in Bangladesh, including Rohingya refugee response. Comparable through its emergency relief, healthcare, education, and livelihood programs for climate-vulnerable populations.

Emerging players

• Conservation International: US-based environmental NGO partnering with Friendship on the Mountains to Mangroves Initiative. Comparable through overlapping scope in blue carbon, mangrove restoration, and corporate/government partnerships for nature-based solutions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/friendship_ngo
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@NGOFRIENDSHIP
• Facebookfacebook.com/friendshipngo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/friendshipngo
• Instagraminstagram.com/friendshipngo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Friendship