Nourish

What Nourish does

Nourish is a South African nonprofit founded in 2011 by Sarah Bergs, operating the Nourish Eco Village model — community-run campuses sited adjacent to major South African wildlife reserves (Kruger National Park, Sabi Sand, Thornybush, Manyeleti). It serves rural communities in Limpopo Province where poverty, food insecurity, and limited education drive vulnerability to wildlife crime. The model integrates early childhood development (RISE Creche), environmental education and after-school programs (Green Kidz), skills training and enterprise incubation (SEDIWA Academy and SEDIWA Incubator), feeding schemes, and permaculture initiatives into centralized physical hubs at three Eco Village locations: Sigagule, Makrepeni, and Metsi (the latter in early development with rollout planned from 2026). Sub-brands such as Ubuntu Girls Club, Wild Style (women's livelihood franchise), and Bushfire (food sauces) extend the program surface into women's empowerment and social enterprise.

The organization operates through three registered legal entities: Nourish NPC (NPO 090-810, PBO 930037455 in South Africa), Nourish USA (501(c)(3), EIN 86-1801401, Colorado), and Nourish Canada (charity in registration). Revenue is generated from four streams: (1) donations — monthly recurring donors ($10–$50/month tiers; target of 1,500 monthly donors), one-time gifts ($25–$500 via PayPal/EFT), Sponsor-a-Child ($35/month for RISE preschool), and legacy/bequest giving; (2) immersive tourism and Shik Shack backpackers accommodation with paid internships from €1,100 for 4–12 week programs; (3) social enterprise sales through the Nourish Village Market (crafts, sewing, coffee/bakery) and the Nourish Online Store; and (4) Travelife and Fair Trade Tourism certified sustainable tourism. Key partners include Veterans For Wildlife (Wild Warriors program since 2016), Dentsu Aegis Network (CSR volunteer pipeline), and certified tourism bodies. Governance is provided by separate boards in each country, with Sarah Bergs serving as CEO of the South African entity.

Name

Nourish

Legal name

Nourish NPC

Website

https://nourishecovillage.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nourish is a South African nonprofit that operates community-run Eco Village campuses adjacent to wildlife reserves, delivering integrated education, nutrition, enterprise, and conservation programs to rural Limpopo communities, funded by donations, immersive tourism, and social enterprise sales across South Africa, the USA, and Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (624210), Community Food Services (62421), Educational Support Services (611710), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Rural Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment (BPAGABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Food Security, Agriculture & Nutrition Aid Programs (BPADABAD), Food Assistance & Safety Nets (In-Kind, Vouchers, Cash Transfers) (BPADAJAA), Nutrition & Food Security (Global Health) NGOs (HLAJAKAH), School Feeding & Child Nutrition Programs (BPADAJAD), School Feeding & Social Protection Partnerships (Conditional Cash Transfers, etc.) (EDADALAL)

Keywords

• Community development
• Sustainable tourism
• Early childhood education
• Food security programs
• Skills training

Headquarters

HQ city

Gauteng

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Sponsorships: Individual donations via secure EFT or PayPal, monthly recurring donor programs, and child sponsorship at R100/USD 35 per month. Donors can choose specific projects to support or provide general operational funding.
2. Immersive Travel and Tourism: Visitors pay for immersive experiences, internships, and accommodations at the Shik Shack backpackers. Pricing starts from €1100 for 4-12 week programs, generating income for local communities and Nourish operations.
3. Social Enterprise Revenue: Village Market crafts, sewing shops, coffee and bakery, craft sales, and franchise businesses (Wild Style women's livelihood, Bushfire food sauces) generate income for local entrepreneurs and the organization.
4. Legacy Giving: Bequests and legacy gifts in Wills, charitable trusts, life insurance beneficiary designations, and property donations provide long-term sustainable funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Nourish is a registered nonprofit organization that addresses education access, food insecurity, and unemployment in South African communities adjacent to wildlife reserves by operating Eco Villages that deliver early childhood education, environmental education, youth skills training, a feeding scheme, a social-enterprise franchise market, and immersive tourism experiences. Revenue from individual donors, sponsorships, social-enterprise operations, and tourism is reinvested into community programs on the same campus.

Product overview

Nourish operates the Nourish Eco Village model, a community-driven nonprofit platform providing integrated programs across education, enterprise, and sustainable tourism. The core offerings include RISE Creche (early childhood development), Green Kidz (environmental education and after-school programs), and SEDIWA Academy/Incubator (skills training and business development), complemented by the Nourish Village Market franchise system and Immersive Tourism Experiences that enable visitors to participate in programs while generating income for communities. Supporting programs include feeding schemes, permaculture gardens, and community outreach projects. The Eco Villages serve as centralized hubs connecting conservation with community priorities, delivering programs from cradle-to-career for children, youth, and families in wildlife-adjacent communities near South Africa's Kruger National Park and surrounding reserves.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RISE Creche: Early childhood development program providing preschool education, meals, and developmental support for children from preschool age
• Green Kidz
• SEDIWA Academy
• Shik Shack
• SEDIWA Incubator
• Ubuntu Girls Club
• Wild Style
• Bushfire

Products and services

• RISE Creche Early childhood development and education program delivered at the Eco Village to children from surrounding South African communities.
• Green Kidz Environmental and conservation education program for school-age children, leveraging the Eco Village's proximity to wildlife reserves.
• SEDIWA Academy Vocational and life-skills training academy for out-of-school youth at the Nourish Eco Village.
• SEDIWA Incubator Business incubation program supporting community entrepreneurs with mentorship and starter infrastructure after completing SEDIWA Academy.
• Nourish Village Market Franchise-style social-enterprise market providing retail channels for community-owned micro-businesses incubated through SEDIWA.
• Shik Shack Immersive Tourism Experience Bookable immersive tourism experience at the Hoedspruit Eco Village for conscious travelers, with proceeds funding Nourish's education and feeding programs.
• Feeding Scheme Daily meal program addressing food insecurity for children and families in communities served by the Eco Village.
• Sponsor a Child Recurring individual-sponsorship donation program connecting donors to specific children in Nourish's education and feeding programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 19 schools with environmental and learning support
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Veterans For WildlifecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Partnership to address the root causes of poaching by combining Veterans For Wildlife's ranger training and anti-poaching support with Nourish's community development programs. The Wild Warriors program works alongside Nourish to create resilient communities less vulnerable to poaching gang recruitment.
• TravelifeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTravelife sustainability certification for tourism operations, ensuring tourism impact is meaningful and beneficial to people and environment.
• Fair Trade TourismminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFair Trade Tourism certification ensuring ethical and fair tourism practices that benefit local communities.
• Dentsu Aegis NetworkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate social responsibility partnership where Dentsu Aegis Network employees (like volunteer Jadwinia Jadziewicz) use employee award funds to volunteer at Nourish, creating international awareness and support.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• African Parks: NPO managing protected areas across Africa with community development components. Operates at a larger scale but shares the same anti-poaching conservation-community nexus and target donor pool.
• Peace Parks Foundation: Cross-border conservation organization headquartered in Southern Africa, working on transfrontier conservation areas including Kruger-adjacent regions. Comparable focus on linking conservation outcomes with community development in South Africa.
• African Wildlife Foundation: Large pan-African conservation NGO with significant community enterprise and habitat programs across multiple countries. Less site-specific than Nourish but operates in the same anti-poaching-through-community space and competes for the same donor dollars.
• Tusk Trust: UK-based conservation nonprofit supporting community-led wildlife programs across Africa. Comparable fundraising model targeting international donors and similar anti-poaching community development mission.
• World Wildlife Fund (WWF) South Africa: Large international conservation organization with active South African programs addressing habitat protection and community livelihoods. Competes for the same donor pool and operates in the same geographic region.

Regional players

• Singita: Conservation-focused luxury lodge operator adjacent to Kruger National Park with community development programs. Operates in the same Limpopo region and pairs tourism revenue with conservation and community work.
• Great Plains Conservation: Conservation-focused safari operator and nonprofit working in Kenya and Botswana with community and anti-poaching programs. Comparable tourism-conservation integration model, though focused on different geographies.
• &Beyond: Luxury safari and conservation company operating in South Africa (including near Kruger) with established community and conservation programs. Comparable model of integrating high-end tourism revenue with conservation and community impact.

Direct peers

• Conservation South Luangwa: Zambia-based nonprofit combining community-led conservation with anti-poaching and rural livelihood programs adjacent to a major national park. Comparable operating model of integrating community development, education, and conservation in wildlife-adjacent rural communities.
• Wild Tomorrow Fund: US-registered 501(c)(3) raising funds in North America to support community-based conservation in Southern Africa. Comparable three-entity structure (US fundraising + SA operations) and donor demographic overlap with Nourish USA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nourishnpo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Nourish