Freedom in Creation
Freedom in Creation is a US-based nonprofit, founded in 2007 and headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, that delivers art therapy, clean water programs, and agricultural/livelihoods training to war-affected youth and underserved communities in Northern Uganda, supported by donations, educational partnerships, and fair trade e-commerce.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersFalls Church, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Freedom in Creation does
Freedom in Creation (FIC) is a US-incorporated nonprofit organization founded in January 2007 by Andrew Briggs, headquartered at 3220 Dye Drive, Falls Church, Virginia, with field operations in Koro Abili, Northern Uganda. Its mission is to inspire healthy sustainable community through art, water, and global education. The organization serves war-affected youth in the Acholi region (primarily former child soldiers) and underserved rural communities, with 35 children receiving weekly art-as-therapy classes since 2007, plus broader water well drilling and rehabilitation programs and rural livelihood training.
FIC's underlying program infrastructure is built around four integrated programs: (1) Art as Therapy, delivered via a proprietary curriculum developed with the George Washington University Graduate School of Art Therapy; (2) Water Access, providing clean water through well drilling and hygiene training; (3) Global Village Education, which connects Ugandan programs with international classrooms via lectures, exhibitions, and service learning; and (4) the Center for Sustainability, a 12.5-acre model farm in Koro Abili featuring a 50-person solar-powered wifi classroom, biogas-powered kitchen, 120,000+ liter rainwater harvesting system, tilapia mandala aquaculture, permaculture garden, and integrated livestock (60 goats, 30 pigs, 25 chickens, 9 dairy cows).
FIC operates a hybrid revenue model combining individual/church/foundation donations (including monthly recurring donors), fair trade e-commerce sales of Ugandan-made products (jewelry, t-shirts, dolls priced at $25-$35), and educational services contracts delivered through university and K-12 institutional partnerships. The organization is volunteer-led with a small staff, governed by an active board including Chairman Jason Ackerman (Georgetown University Chief Audit Executive) and Treasurer Andreas Alexandrou (Audit Partner at Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman). Operations are supported by Ugandan field staff and FIC community leaders in Koro, with academic partnerships spanning GWU, Johns Hopkins SAIS, University of Virginia Semester at Sea, EARTH University, University for Peace, and Gulu University.
Freedom in Creation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Freedom in Creation
- Legal name
- Freedom In Creation
- Website
- https://freedomincreation.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Freedom in Creation is a US-based nonprofit, founded in 2007 and headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, that delivers art therapy, clean water programs, and agricultural/livelihoods training to war-affected youth and underserved communities in Northern Uganda, supported by donations, educational partnerships, and fair trade e-commerce.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Freedom in Creation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Community Development Services
- NAICS
- Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Child Protection & Child Rights (BPAGABAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) (BPAGABAC), Education Access & Quality (International Development) (BPAGABAE), Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH)
Keywords
Where Freedom in Creation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Falls Church
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Freedom in Creation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: One-time and monthly donations from individuals, churches, and foundations supporting programs. Community-based and volunteer support enables efficiency.
- Fair Trade Product Sales: E-commerce storefront selling Ugandan-made jewelry, dolls, and t-shirts. Products include seed necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and handmade crafts. Prices range from $25-$35.
- Educational Services Contracts: Global Village Education programs offered to universities, K-12 schools, and institutions through lectures, art exhibitions, video presentations, and Skype collaborations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Jewelry and Accessories |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Fair Trade T-shirts |
| Subscription | Monthly | Donations |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Freedom in Creation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Freedom in Creation is a nonprofit organization that delivers community development programs — Art as Therapy, clean water access, Global Village Education, and a model-farm Center for Sustainability — to war-affected communities in Koro Abili, Northern Uganda. Programs are supported by recurring and one-time charitable donations, the sale of Ugandan-made fair trade jewelry, t-shirts, and dolls, and contracted educational services for universities and K-12 institutions. Operations are volunteer-led with a small staff and a 12.5-acre integrated facility combining permaculture, animal husbandry, biogas energy, solar-powered classrooms, and aquaculture.
Product overview
Freedom in Creation offers a dual product portfolio: a fair trade e-commerce store selling Ugandan-made handcrafted products (jewelry, clothing, and dolls) and four integrated community development programs (Art as Therapy, Water Access, Global Village Education, and Farm Entrepreneurship). The Center for Sustainability serves as the hub connecting all programs on a 12.5-acre model farm. Products are sold through the online shop to fund programs while the programs themselves provide education, water access, and therapeutic support to war-affected communities in Northern Uganda.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Art As Therapy Program Weekly art therapy classes for 35 war-affected children in Northern Uganda, led by Ugandan counselors and licensed art teachers, providing a healthy peer environment for expression and psychosocial recovery from conflict-related trauma.
- Water Access Program Clean drinking water provision for underserved communities in Koro Abili and surrounding areas of Northern Uganda, delivered through drilling new wells, rehabilitating broken wells, and providing hygiene sanitation training and sustainability consulting.
- Global Village Education International education services delivered to universities and K-12 schools, connecting FIC's Ugandan programs with classroom theory through guest lectures, art exhibitions, academic conference presentations, collaborative art projects, video presentations, Skype collaborations, and service-learning opportunities.
- Center for Sustainability A 12.5-acre model farm offering bi-weekly farm-based entrepreneurship education for youth, community training in goat, dairy, piggery, crop growing and plant nursery enterprises, and internships for local and international post-secondary students.
- Farm Youth Entrepreneurship Education Weekly youth entrepreneurship training program connecting therapeutic art-making with business education across dairy, crop production, biogas energy conservation, plant nursery, and animal husbandry on the model farm.
- Fair Trade Jewelry Collection Handcrafted fair trade jewelry including necklaces, bracelets, and earrings made by Ugandan artisans from natural seeds, paper beads, ceramic beads, and glass beads, supporting women cooperatives in Gulu, Uganda.
- Fair Trade T-shirts Fair trade t-shirts made in Uganda featuring designs created by Freedom in Creation children, available in Men and Women varieties with Dove, Hands, or Elephant graphics in Black, White, or Tan, sized Small through Extra-Large.
- Large Dolls Handmade cloth dolls featuring Ugandan life, available as Ugandan Woman or Story Dolls, created by local Ugandan artists.
- Mini Safari Dolls Handmade cloth dolls of tie-dye fabric featuring safari animals such as elephants and giraffes.
Quantifiable outcome
- 35 war-affected children receiving weekly art therapy since January 2007
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Freedom in Creation
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Freedom in Creation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Freedom in Creation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- The Koro Abili Primary SchoolcoreLocal school partnership in Uganda providing education access and collaboration on community programs in the Koro Abili community where FIC operates.
- The Church of Uganda, Koro Abili ParishcoreChurch partnership providing community leadership and psychosocial support infrastructure. FIC leaders include catechists from this parish.
- The Sports Outreach InstituteminorUgandan sports development organization working in the region.
- Concordia Volunteer Abroad ProgramminorVolunteer placement organization facilitating international volunteers for FIC programs in Uganda.
- Gelman, Rosenberg & FreedmanminorCPA firm providing audit services. FIC Treasurer Andreas Alexandrou is an Audit Partner at this firm.
- Caitlin Beidler & Redemption ArtsminorArtist partner who has facilitated collaborative banners and donated thousands of dollars worth of art to support FIC events.
- Crossway BooksminorPublishing partner for educational materials.
- George Washington University Graduate School of Art TherapycoreAcademic partnership for art therapy curriculum development. Dr. Paula Howie (former Art Therapy Association president) and Dr. Elizabeth Warson provide curriculum enhancement. Students complete internships with FIC.
- Gulu UniversitycorePartnership with Gulu University Faculty of Agriculture for training undergraduate interns. Country Director Peter Odoch is Professor of Health Economics with the Faculty of Education.
- American UniversityminorGraduate-level internship partnerships for students to serve and learn at FIC programs.
- EARTH UniversityminorUndergraduate internship program from Costa Rica for students to participate in sustainable agriculture programs.
- University for Peace (U.N.)minorGraduate-level internship partnerships. Founded by Andrew Briggs' alma mater.
- Peace CorpsminorPartnership for volunteer support and program collaboration mentioned in 2016 updates.
- Madeira SchoolminorK-12 school partnership for global education programs and student exchanges.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Freedom in Creation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- WaterAid: Large international NGO focused on WASH (water, sanitation, hygiene) access. Comparable to FIC's Water Access Program which drills and rehabilitates wells and provides hygiene training in underserved Northern Uganda communities.
- Mercy Corps: Large international humanitarian organization operating in conflict-affected and developing regions worldwide. Comparable in mission space to FIC's integrated community development work in post-conflict Northern Uganda, though at much larger scale.
Regional players
- Caritas Uganda: Uganda-based Catholic social justice and development organization running health, education, and livelihoods programs. Comparable to FIC's Uganda-based community development model anchored in church partnerships, though FIC is faith-agnostic and smaller in scale.
Direct peers
- BuildOn: Nonprofit that builds schools and delivers literacy programs in developing countries, engaging US students in service learning. Comparable to FIC's Global Village Education model connecting Western classrooms with Ugandan programs through service learning.
- Sseko Designs: Fair trade jewelry and apparel brand manufactured in Uganda that employs women to provide educational and economic opportunity. Closely comparable to FIC's fair trade e-commerce storefront selling Ugandan-made jewelry, t-shirts, and crafts.
- Heifer International: Nonprofit that provides livestock and agricultural training to smallholder farmers in developing countries. Directly comparable to FIC's livestock loan program, model farm, and farm-based entrepreneurship training at the Center for Sustainability.
- War Child: International NGO focused on supporting war-affected children through psychosocial care, education, and protection programs. Closely comparable to FIC's Art as Therapy model for former child soldiers in Northern Uganda.
- Peace Direct: International NGO that funds and partners with local peacebuilders in conflict zones. Comparable to FIC's community-led development approach rooted in local Acholi leadership and church partners in Northern Uganda.
- Barefoot College: International NGO that trains rural villagers (including grandmothers) in solar energy, water, and sustainable agriculture using hands-on methods. Comparable to FIC's Center for Sustainability, which delivers similar experiential training in biogas, solar, and permaculture.
- BeadforLife (now Threading Change): Ugandan-origin fair trade organization making jewelry from recycled paper beads that empowers women artisans. Highly comparable to FIC's Ugandan artisan-made jewelry product line and women's economic empowerment mission.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Freedom in Creation social profiles
Digital presenceFreedom in Creation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Freedom in Creation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
Freedom in Creation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Freedom in Creation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Freedom in Creation
What does Freedom in Creation do?
Freedom in Creation is a nonprofit organization that delivers community development programs — Art as Therapy, clean water access, Global Village Education, and a model-farm Center for Sustainability — to war-affected communities in Koro Abili, Northern Uganda. Programs are supported by recurring and one-time charitable donations, the sale of Ugandan-made fair trade jewelry, t-shirts, and dolls, and contracted educational services for universities and K-12 institutions. Operations are volunteer-led with a small staff and a 12.5-acre integrated facility combining permaculture, animal husbandry, biogas energy, solar-powered classrooms, and aquaculture.
Is Freedom in Creation a public or private company?
Freedom in Creation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Freedom in Creation founded?
Freedom in Creation was founded in 2007. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Freedom in Creation based?
Freedom in Creation is headquartered in Falls Church, United States, in the North America region.
How does Freedom in Creation make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are fair Trade Product Sales and educational Services Contracts.
Who are Freedom in Creation's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are WaterAid and Mercy Corps. Caritas Uganda is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are BuildOn, Sseko Designs, Heifer International, War Child, Peace Direct, Barefoot College and BeadforLife (now Threading Change).
Does Freedom in Creation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Freedom in Creation.
What industry is Freedom in Creation in?
Freedom in Creation's product category is Nonprofit Community Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGABAG, Child Protection & Child Rights, with a secondary code of BPAGABAC, Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH). Its NAICS code is 813312 and its SIC code is 8200.