Forum for African Women Educationalists

What Forum for African Women Educationalists does

The Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) is a pan-African non-governmental organization founded in 1992 and headquartered at FAWE House, Kilimani, Nairobi, Kenya. Its mission is to promote gender-responsive policies, practices and attitudes in education to enhance equal opportunities for African girls and women. FAWE delivers its work through a federation of 34 national chapters across Africa, combining direct programming, capacity building, advocacy and research. Core program areas include scholarships and tertiary access (notably the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, the Second Chance Pathways Phase II program and the Higher Education Access Program in Uganda, HEAP), school-based youth empowerment through Tuseme Clubs, teacher training via Gender Responsive Pedagogy (GRP), inclusive education for refugees and internally displaced persons (GPE KIX Tuseme project), and advocacy campaigns such as the Accelerator for Shifting Gender Norms and Break Free! Alliance.

The organization's underlying technology stack centers on two digital delivery platforms: the Digitized Tuseme Platform (tuseme.fawe.org), which digitizes FAWE's flagship empowerment methodology for use by schools and partners including refugees and IDPs, and the GRP Digital Training portal, which provides online professional development to teachers on gender-inclusive pedagogy. These platforms extend the reach of FAWE's proprietary Tuseme model, GRP toolkit, and the newer Higher Education Access Certificate (HEAC) — a 'fourth pathway' into tertiary education piloted in Uganda and being benchmarked across Africa for non-traditional STEM students.

FAWE's business model is that of a grant-funded non-profit: it does not sell services to beneficiaries (programs are delivered free) and revenue is not publicly disclosed. Funding is anchored by a 12+ year 'transformational' partnership with the Mastercard Foundation covering scholarships, TVET and STEM, and is supplemented by institutional grants from GPE KIX, UNICEF, UNESCO, African Development Bank, African Union and other bilateral/multi-lateral partners, plus individual donations via PayPal. Programs are distributed through national chapters, government partnerships under MoUs, and global coalitions such as the ShiftEd Alliance, with leadership accountability to the FAWE Africa Board and Dr. Martha R. L. Muhwezi as Executive Director.

Name

Forum for African Women Educationalists

Legal name

Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE)

Website

https://fawe.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

FAWE is a pan-African NGO, founded 1992 and headquartered in Nairobi, that promotes gender equality in education through 34 national chapters, delivering scholarships, teacher training, and advocacy programs for marginalized girls and women across Africa, primarily funded by the Mastercard Foundation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Education Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Partnerships for Equity, Inclusion & Gender (EDADALAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment (BPAGABAF), Scholarship, Financial Aid & FAFSA Support Platforms (EDAFAMAF), International Student Funding & Mobility Grants Administration (EDADAHAL)

Keywords

• Gender-responsive education
• Girls education advocacy
• Teacher training programs
• Education scholarships Africa
• Nonprofit education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

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. Foundation Grants: FAWE receives significant funding from the Mastercard Foundation for programs including the Scholars Program and Second Chance Pathways Phase II Program supporting marginalized young women and men across multiple African countries.
2. Institutional Funding: Funding from international organizations such as GPE KIX for education research and advocacy programs, including the GPE KIX Tuseme project for refugee and displaced children.
3. Donations: Individual and organizational donations through PayPal platform for supporting girls' education programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

FAWE is a pan-African non-governmental organization that promotes gender-responsive education for African girls and women through scholarship and access programs, teacher training in Gender-Responsive Pedagogy, the Tuseme youth empowerment methodology, advocacy for gender-equitable education policies, and partnership-based program delivery across 34 national chapters. Its offerings include the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, Higher Education Access Program (HEAP), Second Chance Pathways Phase II, GPE KIX Tuseme for refugees and IDPs, the Higher Education Access Certificate (HEAC), and digital learning platforms.

Product overview

FAWE operates as a pan-African NGO offering a portfolio of educational programs and digital platforms focused on gender equality in education. The core offerings include the Digitized Tuseme Platform and GRP Digital Training for technology-enabled learning, alongside programs such as the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, HEAP, Second Chance Pathways, GPE KIX Tuseme, and the Accelerator for Shifting Gender Norms. These programs work through complementary approaches: Tuseme Clubs provide youth empowerment methodology, Gender-Responsive Pedagogy trains teachers, while scholarship and access programs remove barriers to education for marginalized girls and women. The HEAC certification represents an innovative fourth pathway into higher education. Together, these offerings form a comprehensive ecosystem addressing the full spectrum from primary education through tertiary completion and leadership development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Digitized Tuseme Platform An online platform hosting the digitized Tuseme methodology, enabling youth empowerment and voice-building for students including refugees and IDPs across Africa.
• GRP Digital Training A digital training platform for Gender-Responsive Pedagogy (GRP), providing online professional development for teachers on gender-inclusive teaching methods.
• Tuseme Clubs FAWE's flagship empowerment methodology that encourages girls and young people to 'speak out' against injustices affecting their education and well-being, operating in schools across Africa.
• Gender-Responsive Pedagogy (GRP) A pedagogical approach and toolkit that trains teachers to create gender-inclusive learning environments that benefit all learners.
• Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Provides academically talented yet financially disadvantaged young people from Africa with access to quality secondary and university education, including TVET and STEM pathways.
• Higher Education Access Program in Uganda (HEAP) An eight-year program enabling 300 young women and men from economically disadvantaged regions of Uganda to access education and leadership development.
• Second Chance Pathways for Increased Access to Tertiary Education for Marginalized Young Women and Men FAWE/Mastercard Foundation Phase II Program providing alternative pathways to tertiary education for marginalized young women and men.
• GPE KIX Tuseme - A Voice for IDP and Refugee Children Program advancing inclusive education through the Tuseme model specifically designed for internally displaced persons and refugee children in East Africa.
• Accelerator for Shifting Gender Norms Program focused on accelerating progress in shifting gender norms to promote girls' education and women's empowerment across Africa.
• IMARISHA MSICHANA PROGRAM Program aimed at supporting and empowering girls' education in Africa.
• Regional Teacher Initiative in Africa Initiative focused on teacher professional development and capacity building across African education systems.
• Break Free! Alliance Alliance addressing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) to support healthy development of young people through information and facilities.
• Make Way Program supporting educational pathways and opportunities for girls and young women.
• Echidna IV Program supporting girls' education through targeted interventions.
• WELLSPRING PHILANTHROPIC Philanthropic initiative supporting FAWE's educational programs for girls and women.
• Higher Education Access Certificate (HEAC) A 'fourth pathway' into higher education enabling capable young people who would otherwise be excluded to access and succeed at university, particularly in STEM fields. Uganda's innovative model being benchmarked across Africa.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98 million girls out of school in Sub-Saharan Africa represent the addressable population for FAWE's mission
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 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

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• GPE KIX (Global Partnership for Education Knowledge and Innovation Exchange)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2026Partnership for the GPE KIX Tuseme Project providing a voice for internally displaced and refugee children. Project includes extensive research publications, policy briefs, and scaling initiatives across Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda focusing on gender-responsive education for displaced populations.
• UNICEFsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting girls' education programs including menstrual health initiatives and school nutrition gardens. FAWENA (Namibia) engaged with UNICEF and Office of the First Spouse for inclusive education campaigns.
• UNESCOsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAWE contributes to UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report publications and participates in international education policy discussions.
• African Development Bank (AfDB)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAWE participated in AfDB Annual Meetings 2026 in Brazzaville, bringing girls' education to the forefront of development financing conversations.
• Embassy of Belgium (Burkina Faso)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic meeting to explore collaboration for expanding education and empowerment opportunities for girls in Burkina Faso. Engagement focused on resource mobilization and program alignment with Belgian development cooperation priorities.
• Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (Gambia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormalized collaboration through signed MoU for advancing inclusive education. Partnership includes review of government subvention, secondment of staff, and collaborative programming.
• Nutrition InternationalsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic discussion to explore integrated approaches connecting education, health, nutrition, and youth empowerment. Potential collaboration beyond Senegal.
• CLE ProgrammesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing collaboration across Senegal, Togo, Benin, Rwanda, and Guinea on girls' leadership, Gender Responsive Pedagogy (GRP), Tuseme, and inclusive education approaches.
• African UnionsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAWE participates in AU Day of School Feeding and contributes to continental education frameworks aligned with Agenda 2063.
• ShiftEd AlliancesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal alliance convening to transform education systems to serve girls. FAWE contributes African feminist leadership and expertise to global education transformation efforts including narrative shaping, teacher training evidence, stakeholder mapping, and assessment design.
• 34 National Chapters (FAWE Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAWE operates through a network of national chapters including FAWE Rwanda, FAWE Uganda, FAWE Ethiopia, FAWE Kenya, FAWE Zambia, FAWE Nigeria, FAWE Benin, FAWE Ghana, FAWE Sierra Leone, FAWE Tanzania, FAWE Mali, FAWE Burkina Faso, FAWE Gambia, FAWENA, FAWEZI, FAWEMA, FAWE Senegal, and others. Each chapter implements programs aligned with FAWE's strategic objectives.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Plan International: Plan International is a large multinational NGO with extensive girls' education and gender equality programs across Africa and globally. It is a broad incumbent peer to FAWE — it shares the gender-equity-in-education mission and African country presence, but operates at much larger scale and across many additional program areas beyond education.
• BRAC International: BRAC International is one of the largest development NGOs in the world, operating education, gender, and youth empowerment programs across multiple African countries. It is a broad incumbent peer to FAWE in its gender-equity, education access, and Africa-focused NGO model, though at substantially larger operational scale and broader programmatic scope.
• UNICEF Education Section: UNICEF is the UN's lead agency on children's education and rights, with substantial gender-equity and girls' education programming in every African country. It is a broad incumbent peer — FAWE is explicitly a UNICEF implementing partner, and the two organizations co-deliver programs, share policy advocacy platforms, and co-fund country-level education interventions.

Direct peers

• Room to Read: Room to Read operates literacy and girls' education programs across Africa and Asia with a strong gender-equity component. It is a direct peer to FAWE in its mission to advance girls' education and gender-responsive teaching, with similar teacher training and school-level interventions delivered through country offices.
• CAMFED (Campaign for Female Education): CAMFED is a pan-African NGO focused on girls' education and young women's leadership across sub-Saharan Africa. It is a direct peer to FAWE — both organizations are non-profits delivering scholarships, mentorship, and leadership pathways for marginalized African girls through country-level operations, with similar Mastercard Foundation and bilateral donor partnerships.
• UNGEI (UN Girls' Education Initiative): UNGEI is a multi-stakeholder partnership hosted by UNICEF dedicated to gender equality in education. It is a direct peer to FAWE in its singular focus on girls' and gender-responsive education, and the two organizations frequently collaborate on policy advocacy, research, and joint programming in African countries.
• Malala Fund: Malala Fund advocates for and invests in girls' secondary education globally with substantial Africa programming. It is a direct peer to FAWE in its girls' education mission, advocacy focus, and grant-making model, and they share major foundation donors and policy influence networks.
• Graça Machel Trust: Graça Machel Trust is a pan-African advocacy and grantmaking organization advancing women's and children's rights and leadership across the continent. It is a direct peer to FAWE in its African women's empowerment mission, advocacy-led model, and continental convening power with AU and UN engagement.

Others

• VVOB – Education for Development: VVOB is an international NGO focused on improving education quality through teacher professional development and education partnerships, with active programming across African countries. It is an adjacent peer to FAWE — both organizations work on teacher training, gender-responsive pedagogy, and government partnerships in African education systems, and they are likely to overlap in funding pools and beneficiary schools.

Emerging players

• African Leadership University: ALU is a pan-African network of tertiary education institutions focused on developing African leaders, with a meaningful scholarship and access mandate for disadvantaged youth. It is an emerging peer to FAWE in its higher-education-access mission and STEM pathway development for underrepresented African students, though its for-profit, university-based model differs from FAWE's NGO implementation model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FAWEAfrica
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@FAWEAfrica
• Facebookfacebook.com/Forum.for.African.Women.Educationalists
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forum-for-african-women-educationalists-mozambique-chapter-fawemo
• Instagraminstagram.com/fawe_africa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Forum for African Women Educationalists