REF FM Foundation

What REF FM Foundation does

REF FM Foundation is a Dutch non-profit foundation (stichting), established in 2019 and headquartered in Den Haag, that helps refugees establish community-based radio stations in refugee camps. Its core product is the REF FM Radio Station network — FM-frequency broadcast operations (88.4 MHz in Kakuma-Kalobeyei, 95.3 MHz in Bidibidi, 102.6 MHz in Kyangwali, 107.3 MHz in Ukerewe) plus an internet-only station (REF FM NL, Den Bosch) — staffed by 120 refugee and host-community crew members producing multilingual programming in 20+ languages covering music, news, health, peacebuilding, and entertainment. As of 2025 the network comprises five operational stations across Kenya, Uganda (two), Tanzania, and Rwanda, reaching over 1 million people.

The foundation operates a franchise model in which partner NGOs — including UNHCR, FilmAid Kenya, Action Africa Help International, HAF-Uganda, and REF FM Rwanda — provide on-the-ground presence, staff, and resources, while REF FM Foundation supplies a 21-step operational manual, technical training, and brand framework. REF FM Foundation's revenue derives from three streams: (1) donation and grant funding from Dutch foundations (Wilde Ganzen, Haella, Janivo, Lerak, Fonds 1999, Brook, Fred) and institutional partners, with a "station adoption" sponsorship product capped at €100,000 per station; (2) station-level advertising sold to local NGOs, SMEs, and humanitarian organizations to reach refugee audiences, with a stated goal of stations becoming self-sustainable within one year; and (3) franchise brand and methodology licensing implicit in the partner-operates-station structure. The customer base spans forcibly displaced persons and host communities as listeners, humanitarian NGOs as partners and advertisers, and Dutch and international funders as donors.

Recent strategic activity has focused on geographic and product-line expansion. Following the 2021 launch of its first station in Kenya, the foundation added stations in Uganda and Tanzania in 2023, Rwanda and a second Uganda station in 2024, and crossed into Western Europe with REF FM NL in 2025. A 2024 first impact study reported stations performing above expectations, with 85% of listeners at REF FM KK reporting influence from health programming and 67% from news programming. Planned expansions include stations in Cameroon, Zimbabwe, and Zambia, supported by two Expansion Coordinators hired in late 2024 with a stated target of at least two new stations per year. The foundation also operates REF Stories, a mobile-first short-form video sub-brand for social media.

Name

REF FM Foundation

Legal name

REF FM Foundation

Website

https://ref-fm.online

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

REF FM Foundation is a Dutch non-profit, founded in 2019, that helps refugees establish community-run FM radio stations in refugee camps across Africa and the Netherlands, serving over one million listeners through multilingual programming and a franchise model with partner NGOs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Radio Broadcasting for Humanitarian Impact

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Local Radio Station Groups (Owned & Operated/Station Chains) (MPABACAC), Refugee & Migrant Integration Enterprises (Livelihoods, Services) (BPAGALAN)

Keywords

• Community radio broadcasting
• Refugee media services
• Humanitarian radio stations
• Community-based radio
• Refugee camp broadcasting

Headquarters

HQ city

Den Haag

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advertising/Sponsorship: Stations generate revenue through selling airtime to advertisers. The goal is for stations to become self-sustainable within one year after launch through advertising revenue. Local businesses, NGOs, and organizations buy airtime to reach refugee audiences.
2. Donations and Grants: REF FM Foundation relies on donations to set up new stations. One-time donations invest in new self-sustainable stations. Organizations can also 'adopt a new station' for a maximum of 100,000 euros.
3. Franchise Model: REF FM Foundation operates a franchise model where partner organizations establish stations under the REF FM brand. Partners handle local operations while REF FM provides the framework, training, and support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

REF FM Foundation helps refugees establish and operate their own community-based FM radio stations in refugee camps and asylum centers. Programming is created by refugees and host communities in their own languages, covering music, entertainment, news, health, peacebuilding, and uplifting talk shows. The foundation provides a franchise model with a 21-step manual, technical expertise, and training to help partner-operated stations become self-sustainable within one year through advertising revenue.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• REF FM KK (Kakuma-Kalobeyei) Community-based radio station on 88.4 MHz in the Kalobeyei Integrated Settlement within Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya. Serving over 200,000 refugees from 20+ nationalities with multilingual programming on news, health, peacebuilding, music, and community issues.
• BIDIBIDI FM Community-based radio station at 95.3 MHz in Bidibidi, the biggest refugee settlement in Uganda. Run by refugees and host community members under UNHCR support, broadcasting in multiple refugee languages.
• REF FM Ukerewe Radio station at 107.3 FM on Ukerewe Island, Tanzania, run by people with albinism and other island inhabitants to encourage acceptance and foster peace.
• REF FM Kyangwali Community radio station at 102.6 MHz in Kyangwali Refugee Settlement, Uganda. Serving over 125,000 potential listeners as the only radio station for miles focusing exclusively on refugees.
• REF FM Mahama Regional radio station in Rwanda, intended to serve Mahama refugee camp and surrounding communities, building bridges between different communities. Run by REF FM Rwanda established by Jean Paul Nduwimana.
• REF FM NL Internet-only radio station covering all asylum centers (AZC) in the Netherlands, based in Den Bosch. First REF FM station outside Africa and first internet-only station, serving asylum seekers primarily from Nigeria, Libya, Yemen, Iraq, and Syria.
• Station Startup Support Service REF FM Foundation service that helps refugees establish their own radio stations by providing technical expertise, a 21-step manual, training, and operational support to help stations become self-sustainable within one year. Includes franchise framework, advertising training, and ongoing technical assistance.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1 million+ people reached by REF FM stations
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 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

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Action Africa Help International (AAH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020First partner organization that started REF FM KK station in Kakuma/Kalobeyei refugee camp in Kenya. An Africa-led and Africa-focused international organization that provides on-the-ground presence for station operations.
• FilmAid KenyacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperational partner that runs REF FM KK station in Kakuma-Kalobeyei. FilmAid Kenya manages the daily operations of the radio station which serves over 250,000 refugees.
• HAF-UgandacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in Uganda working with REF FM Foundation to establish and operate radio stations in refugee camps.
• UNHCRcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Nations High Commissioner for Refugees supports REF FM stations. BIDIBIDI FM is run by UNHCR. UNHCR has supported establishment of multiple stations and is a key institutional partner.
• Kenya Red CrossminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHumanitarian organization working in Kakuma area that partners with REF FM for community outreach and mental health programming.
• Danish Refugee Council (DRC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational NGO working with refugees that partners with REF FM stations for programming and outreach.
• Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJesuit organization providing service to refugees that collaborates with REF FM stations.
• Center for Victims of Torture (CVT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization supporting torture survivors that partners with REF FM for mental health and peace programming.
• SNVminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational development organization working in refugee contexts that partners with REF FM.
• Plan InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChild-centered organization working in Kakuma that partners with REF FM for youth programming.
• Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHumanitarian organization supporting refugees that collaborates with REF FM stations.
• Terre des HommesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChildren's rights organization that partners with REF FM for community programming.
• WFPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld Food Programme collaborates with REF FM stations for food security messaging and community mobilization.
• Peace Journalism Foundation of East AfricaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLed by Gloria Laker Aciro, provides peace journalism training to REF FM station crews to enhance broadcasting capabilities.
• Straight TalkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization working in Kenya that partners with REF FM for community engagement.
• REF FM RwandacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal organization established by singer and social entrepreneur Jean Paul Nduwimana that runs REF FM Mahama station in Rwanda.
• RAIminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational broadcasting organization listed as partner of REF FM Foundation.
• Stem van AfrikaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDutch organization supporting African media initiatives that partners with REF FM.
• COA (Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDutch government agency that facilitates REF FM NL operations. Station manager Emanuel Mchimbwa works for COA.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• DW Akademie: Deutsche Welle's media development organization supporting freedom of expression and independent media in developing and transition countries. Comparable to REF FM in training journalists and building local media capacity, but as part of a major German international broadcaster rather than a community-rooted foundation.
• BBC Media Action: BBC's international development charity using media and communication to reduce poverty and support people living in crisis-affected countries. Overlaps with REF FM in using broadcast media for development, public health and peacebuilding outcomes in refugee and fragile contexts, but operates as part of a much larger global broadcaster.

Direct peers

• International Media Support (IMS): Denmark-based NGO that supports local media in countries affected by conflict, crisis or political instability. Directly comparable to REF FM's focus on building media capacity in refugee and conflict-affected settings, though IMS works more broadly across media types and countries.
• FilmAid International: Humanitarian organization using film, video and media to empower displaced and host communities. Directly comparable — and an actual operational partner of REF FM Foundation via FilmAid Kenya, which runs REF FM KK in Kakuma — using media-based programming for refugee populations in camps.
• Free Press Unlimited: Dutch-based NGO that supports independent journalism and press freedom worldwide, including in restrictive and conflict-affected environments. Directly comparable to REF FM in mission (independent media for marginalized populations) and Dutch NGO funding ecosystem.
• Search for Common Ground: International conflict transformation NGO that uses media — including radio and storytelling — to build peace in fragile and conflict-affected states. Closely comparable to REF FM in using radio for peace and reconciliation outcomes (58% of REF FM listeners gained knowledge from Peace & Conflict programming), with overlapping methodology and beneficiary profile.
• Internews: International NGO that supports independent media and information access in crisis-affected and developing-country contexts. Directly comparable to REF FM in mission (humanitarian media support) and beneficiary profile (populations in fragile contexts), though operates at much larger scale and across more geographies.
• Fondation Hirondelle: Swiss-based NGO that supports independent media in countries in crisis or post-crisis situations, operating stations such as Radio Okapi in DRC and Radio Ndeke Luka in CAR. Directly comparable to REF FM in operating community radio stations in fragile contexts as a humanitarian-media hybrid model.

Regional players

• Radio Okapi: UN-operated radio network broadcasting across the Democratic Republic of the Congo, jointly run by MONUSCO and Fondation Hirondelle. Comparable to REF FM as a humanitarian/community radio model serving populations in conflict-affected African settings, but at vastly larger geographic scale.

Others

• Community Radio Stations under UNESCO/UNDP community media programs: UNESCO, UNDP and related UN agencies actively support community radio as a development tool in refugee and rural contexts. While not a single peer company, the ecosystem of UN-supported community radio initiatives (e.g. UNDP's community media grants) represents the closest thematic adjacent to REF FM's franchise model and community-radio-for-development thesis.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/reffmradio
• Facebookfacebook.com/REFFMRadio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/reffm-radio

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about REF FM Foundation