International Support and Partnership for Health

What International Support and Partnership for Health does

ISAPH (International Support and Partnership for Health, 特定非営利活動法人ISAPH, also branded as アイサップ) is a Japanese non-profit organization established in July 2004 that delivers community-based international health cooperation programs in rural developing regions. It operates field programs in two countries: Laos, with activities concentrated in Khammouane Province including 65 villages of Saibouton District serving approximately 32,000 residents, and Malawi, with activities in Mzimba District across 10+ villages serving more than 10,000 direct beneficiaries. The organization's programmatic portfolio centers on maternal and child health service utilization, childhood nutrition improvement, and livelihood diversification through community gardens, poultry rearing, and edible-insect farming.

Methodologically, ISAPH applies what it terms "behavioral insights and nudge" interventions — culturally tailored behavioral-economics prompts designed to shift health behaviors such as facility-based delivery, prenatal checkup attendance, and growth-monitoring participation — rather than relying on material handouts. The organization integrates health education with agricultural and food-system interventions to address root causes of malnutrition, and operates a village-health-volunteer model rooted in Japan's community-health traditions. It also supports student internships, study tours, and joint academic research with Japanese universities, and accepts commissioned survey and research work. Documented outcomes include childhood stunting reduction from 37.5% to 25.0% and growth-monitoring participation rates rising from 30-40% to over 80% in Malawi project areas.

ISAPH's revenue model is entirely non-commercial. It is funded through a diversified mix of Japanese government grants — primarily JICA Grassroots Technical Cooperation projects and Japan MOFA's Japan NGO Unfunded Grant Cooperation — alongside private foundation grants (Terumo Life Science Foundation, Kamenori Foundation, Asia Agricultural Cooperation Fund administered by CCIJ, Pfizer Japan), individual donations via online portals, and the i-Cycle PET-bottle-cap recycling program. Emergency-response support has come from partners including ONE by ONE and the UN World Food Programme. ISAPH has no paying customers; beneficiaries receive services free of charge, and institutional counterparties are development agencies, ministries of health in Laos and Malawi, and Japanese academic and medical institutions — most prominently its founding organization, St. Mary's Hospital (聖マリア病院) in Kurume, Fukuoka.

Name

International Support and Partnership for Health

Legal name

特定非営利活動法人ISAPH

Website

https://isaph.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Short description

International Support and Partnership for Health (ISAPH) is a certified Japanese non-profit founded in 2004 delivering community-based maternal and child health, nutrition, and livelihood programs in rural Laos and Malawi, funded primarily through JICA, MOFA, and private foundation grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Health Cooperation Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Social Assistance (624), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPADAIAC

Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (MNCH) Programs

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Global Health & Population Programs

SECONDARYHLAJAKAH

Nutrition & Food Security (Global Health) NGOs

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Public Health, Government & Regulators/Global Health & Development Agencies (NGOs/Multilaterals)

SECONDARYBPAGACAC

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Health & Medical Nonprofits

SECONDARYHLAJAKAG

Maternal, Newborn, Child & Adolescent Health (MNCAH) NGOs

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Public Health, Government & Regulators/Global Health & Development Agencies (NGOs/Multilaterals)

Keywords

• Maternal child health
• Community nutrition programs
• International health cooperation
• Rural development aid
• Edible insect farming

Headquarters

HQ city

Shimbashi

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: ISAPH receives donations from individuals and organizations in Japan who support its international health cooperation activities. Funds are used for project implementation in Laos and Malawi.
2. JICA Grant Funding: ISAPH receives JICA Grassroots Technical Cooperation project funding for maternal and child health projects in both Laos and Malawi, implementing programs in partnership with local governments and St. Mary's Hospital (雪の聖母会).
3. Government Grants (MOFA JapanNGO Unfunded Grant Cooperation): ISAPH receives funding from Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Japan NGO Unfunded Grant Cooperation program for specific development projects.
4. Social Cooperation Fund Grants (Asia Agricultural Cooperation Fund): ISAPH receives grants from the Asia Agricultural Cooperation Fund (アジア生協協力基金) administered by CCIJ for edible insect aquaculture and community livelihood improvement projects.
5. i-Cycle Donation Program: ISAPH operates the i-Cycle program where Japanese supporters donate PET bottle caps, with proceeds used to support health and nutrition activities in Laos.
6. Foundation Grants: ISAPH receives funding from various Japanese foundations including Terumo Life Science Foundation (，营养 improvement), Kamenori Foundation (かめのり財団), Pfizer Program, and others.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ISAPH implements community-based international health cooperation projects in rural Laos (Saibouton District, Khammouane Province, 65 villages, ~32,000 residents) and Malawi (Mzimba District, ~10 villages, 10,000+ beneficiaries). Core offerings include maternal and child health service utilization programs using behavioral insights and nudge methodology, community nutrition improvement initiatives, edible insect farming promotion, community garden and poultry development, and support for at-risk families. Services are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries and funded via JICA, MOFA grants, foundation grants, and individual donations.

Product overview

ISAPH (International Support and Partnership for Health) is a certified nonprofit organization (認定特定非営利活動法人) established in 2004, dedicated to international health cooperation in developing countries. The organization implements various programs focused on maternal and child health services, food and nutrition improvement, edible insect farming technology promotion, community garden and poultry development, and support for at-risk families. ISAPH operates primarily in Laos (Khamouane Province, Saibouton District and other areas) and Malawi, working to strengthen community health systems and improve nutritional outcomes through community-driven approaches.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Maternal and Child Health Service Programs (母子保健サービス利用) Community-based programs aimed at improving utilization of prenatal checkups, facility-based delivery, postpartum care, and immunization services for pregnant women and mothers in rural Laos (Saibouton District, all 65 villages, ~32,000 residents) and Malawi (Mzimba District, ~10 villages, 10,000+ beneficiaries). Uses behavioral insights and nudge interventions tailored to local cultural contexts. Services delivered free of charge through village health volunteers, health center partnerships, and direct field staff outreach.
• Food and Nutrition Improvement Programs (食と栄養に関する活動) Community nutrition programs addressing childhood stunting, maternal dietary diversity, and child growth monitoring in rural Malawi (Mzimba District) and Laos. Activities include growth monitoring, cooking demonstrations, nutrition education, and supplementary feeding programs. Delivered through village health volunteers and mother groups in collaboration with local health facilities.
• Edible Insect Farming Promotion Programs (食用昆虫の養殖技術の普及) Edible insect farming and aquaculture initiative in Laos that trains farming households to produce market-ready edible insects, addressing nutrition and household income. Supported by the Asia Agricultural Cooperation Fund (CCIJ). 96 farming households have developed into producers capable of selling to markets through this program.
• Community Garden and Poultry Programs (コミュニティ菜園・養鶏の普及) Community-based agricultural development programs establishing community gardens and small-scale poultry operations to diversify household diets, improve nutrition, and generate income for vulnerable families in rural Laos and Malawi. Integrated with broader maternal and child health activities.
• i-Cycle Donation Program (iサイクル)

Quantifiable outcome

• Growth monitoring participation rates improved from 30-40% to over 80% in Malawi project areas
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered secondary, minor and core.

• Saint Maria Hospital (久留米市聖マリア病院) — Staff SecondmentsecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2025Saint Maria Hospital in Kurume has an innovative staff secondment arrangement where public health nurses are officially 'dispatched' (出向) to work with ISAPH in Laos, contributing to international cooperation while later applying the experience to hospital internationalization upon return.
• Fukuoka NGO Network (FUNN)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2022ISAPH participates in the Fukuoka NGO Network which facilitates coordination among NGOs in the region and connects ISAPH with diverse community support opportunities in Fukuoka Prefecture.
• United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)secondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 December 2021WFP collaborated with ISAPH Malawi on emergency nutrition support, providing supplementary feeding program supplies and technical guidance for acute malnutrition treatment programs.
• Malawi Ministry of Health / District Health OfficescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2018ISAPH works with Malawi's Ministry of Health and district health offices in Mzimba District for community nutrition improvement projects, including joint monitoring and evaluation activities.
• Nagoya Public Health Research Institute (名古屋公衆医学研究所)secondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 November 2014Co-organized a parasite seminar in Laos with ISAPH, providing technical training on parasite egg examination methods (Kato method) for provincial health staff and laboratory technicians.
• Laos Ministry of Health / Department of HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2005ISAPH signed an MOU with the Laos government in May 2005 for NPO registration and again for project implementation in Khammouane Province. Works with provincial and district health offices on maternal and child health projects.
• St. Mary's Hospital (雪の聖母会聖マリア病院)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2004St. Mary's Hospital in Kurume, Fukuoka is ISAPH's founding organization and primary institutional partner. Provides joint project proposals to JICA, staff secondment, and shares medical and nursing expertise for international health cooperation. ISAPH directors (小早川隆敏) serve at both organizations.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Nutrition International: Global nutrition NGO focused on micronutrient supplementation and maternal/child nutrition in LMICs. Highly relevant thematically; ISAPH's community nutrition work in Malawi parallels its programming.
• UNICEF: UN agency focused on child survival, MNCH, and nutrition globally. A much larger incumbent working in the same thematic area; ISAPH often interfaces with UNICEF-funded national health systems in Laos and Malawi.
• UNFPA: UN agency focused on sexual and reproductive health and maternal health. Comparable mission in maternal health service utilization, though at global-policy scale rather than community-implementation scale.
• World Food Programme (WFP): UN food-assistance agency that has directly partnered with ISAPH Malawi on emergency nutrition support. Comparable as a nutrition-focused organization with field presence in Malawi and Laos.

Direct peers

• Save the Children Japan: Japan affiliate of Save the Children implementing MNCH, nutrition, and education programs in Asia and Africa. Directly comparable in scope, funding mix, and country footprint.
• CARE International Japan: Japan office of CARE International, working on women's empowerment, health, and nutrition in LMICs. Comparable funding structure and community-based delivery model.
• JOCS (Japan Overseas Christian Medical Service): Japan-based Christian medical NGO sending health workers to underserved countries. Comparable as a small, faith/values-aligned NPO delivering health cooperation with Japanese institutional backing.
• Plan International Japan: Japan office of Plan International, focused on children's rights, gender equality, and community health. Similar nonprofit model with JICA/MOFA grants and individual donor base.
• AMDA (Association of Medical Doctors of Asia): Japan-based medical NGO delivering health services and capacity-building in Asia and Africa. Closely comparable as a Japanese NPO using medical expertise for international health cooperation.
• World Vision Japan: Japan-based INGO focused on child welfare, maternal and child health, and community development in LMICs. Highly comparable in mission, donor model (Japanese individual donors + institutional grants), and field methodology.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/isaph_npo
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCTbfhyz8dXwCAd20gZ844EQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/npo.isaph
• Instagraminstagram.com/npo_isaph/?hl=ja

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Support and Partnership for Health