What Daktari Project does

Daktari Project vzw is a Belgian non-profit association (vereniging zonder winstoogmerk), registered in 2015 and tracing its origins to 2010, when six medical students from Ghent University first travelled to Uganda as volunteer interns and partnered with Kilembe Mines Hospital in Kasese District, Western Uganda. The organization is headquartered in Ghent (Kerkstraat 148, enterprise number BE 0641 926 501) and operates with a 16-person volunteer board/team supported by more than 100 alumni volunteers since founding. Its mission is to strengthen healthcare capacity at Kilembe Mines Hospital — a community/referral hospital of fewer than 200 beds serving over 2 million people in the Kasese region — through financial, logistical, and educational support.

The operational model is structured around four healthcare programs: Maternity (using the American Academy of Pediatrics' Helping Babies Breathe neonatal resuscitation curriculum), Infection Prevention (locally produced WHO-compliant hand alcohol, hand hygiene training, and sanitary facility upgrades), Orthopedics (osteosynthesis materials, trauma care for road-accident injuries, and calcium sulphate pellet research for osteomyelitis), and Wound Care (antiseptic availability and bedside teaching). Beyond these four verticals, Daktari Project funds discrete infrastructure projects — completed neonatal ward (2024), 30-panel solar installation under 'Light for Kilembe' (Phase 1 and Phase 2), and ongoing children's ward and emergency department construction — plus equipment donations including ultrasound machines, oxygen concentrators, caesarean section and laparotomy sets, and a 100-litre autoclave. No proprietary technology platform underlies this work; the digital footprint is a content website, Mailchimp newsletters, social channels, and payment integrations (PayPal, GoFundMe, King Baudouin Foundation).

Financing flows entirely from donations and community events in Belgium: monetary donations via direct bank transfer, the King Baudouin Foundation (tax-deductible at €40+ giving 30-45% tax reduction), and GoFundMe for international donors; in-kind medical supply donations; and ticket-based fundraisers (Daktari Quiz, Daktari Tour cycling/walking event, spaghetti dinners, brunches, wine sales, cheese and wine evenings, piano concerts). Revenue is not publicly disclosed and the organization has no equity, debt, or institutional investor base. Strategic delivery partners include the African Federation for Emergency Medicine (AFEM, training delivery), American Academy of Pediatrics/Helping Babies Breathe (training curriculum), UZ Gent (laboratory quality-testing of hand alcohol), Ghent University (volunteer pipeline), King Baudouin Foundation (donation intermediation), and Belgian broadcasters VRT Canvas (documentary distribution).

Name

Daktari Project

Legal name

Daktari Project vzw

Website

https://daktariproject.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Belgian non-profit (Daktari Project vzw) supporting Kilembe Mines Hospital in Western Uganda through four healthcare programs — Maternity, Infection Prevention, Orthopedics, Wound Care — funded via community events, donations, and tax-advantaged giving through the King Baudouin Foundation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Global Healthcare Non-Profit Support

NAICS

Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

International & Local Implementing NGOs (HLAJAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health Workforce Development & Capacity-Building (HLAJAKAM), Humanitarian Health & Emergency Medical Relief NGOs (HLAJAKAE), Maternal, Newborn, Child & Adolescent Health (MNCAH) NGOs (HLAJAKAG)

Keywords

• Healthcare non-profit
• Global health support
• Hospital infrastructure
• Medical volunteer programs
• Community fundraising

Headquarters

HQ city

Ghent

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Monetary Donations: Daktari Project relies entirely on monetary donations from individuals, organizations, and community groups. Donations are made via direct bank transfer (BE41 7340 4111 8410), via the King Baudouin Foundation project account (BE10 0000 0000 0404) which offers tax deductibility for donations of €40 or more, or via GoFundMe for international donors. Donations are used exclusively for projects in Uganda and donors receive regular updates via the website and social media.
2. Material Donations: Daktari Project accepts direct donations of medical supplies and equipment (surgical instruments, dental fillings, pencils, colouring books) after approval by the board and in consultation with local hospital officials. The organization also collects knitted baby hats as part of the Helping Babies Breathe program.
3. Shop Sales: A small shop sells fair trade products (tote bags made in Kilembe, lip balm) crafted by local artisans, with proceeds supporting healthcare projects. The shop page notes it is currently unavailable and inquiries should be directed via email.
4. Event Fundraising: Community events (Daktari Quiz, Daktari Tour, spaghetti dinners, brunches, wine sales, cheese & wine evenings, quiz nights, piano concerts) serve as both awareness and fundraising channels. Tickets for events are sold at various price points (e.g., quiz €40/table, spaghetti €12–15/person, brunch €25/person).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Daktari Project vzw is a Belgian non-profit that delivers financial, logistical, and educational support to Kilembe Mines Hospital in Uganda across four healthcare programs: Maternity (Helping Babies Breathe neonatal resuscitation), Infection Prevention (WHO-compliant hand alcohol, hygiene training), Orthopedics (trauma and osteosynthesis materials), and Wound Care (antiseptic optimisation and bedside teaching). It combines on-site volunteer internships, donor-funded medical equipment and infrastructure (solar panels, neonatal ward, children's ward, emergency department), and community fundraising events in Belgium to sustain long-term hospital capacity building.

Product overview

Daktari Project is a non-profit organization (vzw) supporting Kilembe Mines Hospital in Uganda through four core healthcare programs: Maternity, Infection Prevention, Orthopedics, and Wound Care. The organization operates as a platform combining on-site medical support with fundraising infrastructure. Its digital presence includes a website for donations, volunteer recruitment, event management, and a shop for fair trade merchandise. The Maternity Project uses the Helping Babies Breathe methodology, the Infection Prevention Project produces WHO-compliant hand alcohol, the Orthopedics Project addresses trauma from traffic accidents, and the Wound Care Project optimizes antiseptic use and provides training materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Maternity Project A maternal and newborn healthcare program that trains midwives and nurses in neonatal resuscitation techniques using the Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) methodology. Includes training for Kilembe Mines Hospital staff and Rwenzori Nursing School students, a knitted baby hats donation initiative, and renovation of maternity facilities.
• Infection Prevention Project Hospital infection control program focusing on nosocomial (hospital-acquired) infections. Includes hand hygiene education, locally-produced hand alcohol according to WHO guidelines (tested at UZ Gent), structural infection prevention guidelines, and construction of new sanitary facilities.
• Orthopedics Project Orthopedic trauma and fracture care program addressing the high rate of traffic accidents in Uganda. Provides osteosynthesis materials, conducts research on calcium sulphate pellets for osteomyelitis treatment, and plans future outreach programs for orthopedic disorders.
• Wound Care Project Wound treatment optimization program that improved antiseptic availability (povidone iodine), provides bedside teaching on wound care techniques, and developed wound care posters for hospital departments.
• Events Annual fundraising events including Daktari Quiz, Daktari Tour cycling events, spaghetti dinners, cheese and wine evenings, movie screenings, and other community gatherings to support hospital projects.
• Volunteer Program Healthcare student internship program sending volunteers to Kilembe Mines Hospital for 3-week rotations, including professional guidance from hospital staff and local accommodation support.
• Donations and Fundraising Monetary donations via King Baudouin Foundation (tax-deductible in Belgium for €40+), direct bank transfer, and GoFundMe for international donors, plus material donations of medical supplies and expertise contributions.
• Shop Fair trade products including tote bags made by local artisans in Kilembe, currently unavailable online but contactable via email for Tote bags and lip balm purchases.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30 solar panels installed providing day and night electricity for oxygen concentrators, monitors, anaesthesia machines, and laboratory operations
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• African Federation for Emergency Medicine (AFEM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFEM provides Ugandan instructors who deliver the 5-day Basic Emergency Care (BEC) Course to all 54 healthcare workers at Kilembe Mines Hospital. Daktari Project deliberately chooses training by local AFEM-affiliated professionals rather than providing training directly, as this approach is more sustainable, ensures follow-up, allows participants to receive official certificates, and creates the potential for participants to become trainers themselves.
• Don Boscocollege ZwijnaardeminorOthersDon Boscocollege Zwijnaarde provided the use of its grounds for Daktari Tour cycling events in 2015, 2016, and 2017.
• GO! Atheneum De Pinte (Primary School De Kleine Prins)minorOthersGO! Atheneum (EDP De Pinte – Primary School De Kleine Prins) hosted the 2018, 2019, and 2020 editions of Daktari Tour at its facilities in De Pinte.
• Kilembe Mines HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKilembe Mines Hospital is the primary operational partner in Uganda. Founded in 1952 as a mining company hospital, it transitioned to a community/referral hospital after mining ceased in 1982. With fewer than 200 beds, it serves as a referral center for over 2 million people. Daktari Project provides financial, logistical, and educational support through annual visits and ongoing fundraising. The hospital's staff (including Dr. Wefula, Dr. Benard Balyana, and various midwives) collaborate closely with Daktari Project volunteers.
• UZ Gent (Ghent University Hospital)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSamples of hand alcohol produced at Kilembe Mines Hospital are brought to Belgium by Daktari Project volunteers at least once a year and tested in the laboratories of UZ Gent to verify composition and raw material quality, allowing adjustments to be made where necessary.
• VRT Canvas / Vranckx en De NomadenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBelgian public broadcaster VRT aired the documentary 'De Hoop Van Een Hospitaal' (The Hope of a Hospital) produced by Seppe Vanden Broeck and Jules Stallaerts for Vranckx en De Nomaden, with support from Fonds Pascal Decroos. This brought significant media exposure to Daktari Project's work in Uganda.
• Rwenzori Nursing School, KaseseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2019, Daktari Project extended its Helping Babies Breathe training to nursing and midwifery students at the Rwenzori Nursing School in Kasese, expanding the educational reach beyond Kilembe Mines Hospital.
• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) / Helping Babies BreatheminorOthersDaktari Project uses the evidence-based Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) educational programme, which is an initiative of the American Academy of Pediatrics in collaboration with WHO and other global health organizations. The program teaches neonatal resuscitation techniques in resource-limited settings.
• Studio Brussel / Music for Life (Warmste Week)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerDaktari Project was selected as a beneficiary cause in Studio Brussel's 'Warmste Week' (Music for Life) campaign for the second time in 2018, enabling supporters to organize fundraisers in support of the organization.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• AMREF Health Africa: Africa's largest health NGO, headquartered in Nairobi, focused on training health workers and strengthening community health systems across the continent. Comparable in emphasis on health workforce capacity building in East Africa, but at materially larger scale and broader geographic reach than Daktari.
• Solidarités International: Large international humanitarian NGO operating across multiple African and Asian geographies with healthcare programming. Comparable in mission (health access in low-resource settings) but operates at materially greater scale and across many geographies, not focused on a single hospital.
• Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières: Global medical humanitarian organization providing emergency medical care in crisis settings. Overlaps with Daktari on emergency medical relief, training of local staff, and support to under-resourced hospitals, but operates at vastly greater scale and across many countries and emergencies.

Direct peers

• Partners in Health: US-based NGO providing direct hospital support, staff training, and infrastructure in resource-limited settings (Haiti, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Malawi). Closely comparable long-term, hospital-anchored, training-focused model, though at much larger scale.
• Memisa: Belgian medical NGO supporting district hospitals in DR Congo with infrastructure, equipment, and training. Comparable in size, Belgian-headquartered structure, donor-funded model, and focus on building local healthcare capacity through long-term hospital partnerships.
• The Kambia Appeal: UK-based charity supporting Kambia District Hospital in Sierra Leone through volunteer medical placements, equipment, and infrastructure projects. Closely mirrors Daktari's model of a diaspora-based NGO focused on a single referral hospital in West Africa.
• Artsen Zonder Vakantie / Médecins Sans Vacances: Belgian NGO that supports hospitals in Sub-Saharan Africa through medical professional volunteer placements, equipment donation, and training programs. Operates with a very similar Belgian-diaspora-funded, volunteer-rotating, single-hospital-support model focused on capacity building rather than direct service delivery.
• Damien Foundation / Action Damien: Belgian NGO focused on leprosy and tuberculosis control in Africa and Asia, supporting hospital infrastructure and training local healthcare workers. Comparable Belgian non-profit model with long-term hospital partnerships and capacity-building programs.

Emerging players

• Global Health Corps: NGO placing early-career professionals in year-long fellowships at health organizations across Africa and the US. Comparable in leveraging young healthcare talent as the volunteer base, but focuses on placement and professional development rather than direct hospital infrastructure support.

Regional players

• Wave of Hope: Belgian NGO supporting healthcare and education projects in Uganda. Comparable regional fit (Belgian funder, Uganda-based delivery) and similar small-scale community fundraising model, though focused on broader community development rather than a single hospital.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/DaktariProject
• Instagraminstagram.com/daktariproject

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 Daktari Project