What Star for Life does

Star for Life is a non-profit organization founded in 2005 by Swedish IT entrepreneur Dan Olofsson and his wife Christin Olofsson at Siphosabadletshe High School in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Its core offering is the School & Health Programme, a coach-based school intervention that delivers interactive workshops, targeted health campaigns, and counseling to promote student self-esteem, health literacy (with an original focus on HIV/AIDS prevention), and academic outcomes. The program is delivered within existing public school systems in South Africa, Namibia, and Tanzania, supported by a suite of add-on modules: Mobile Health Units (health screenings and psychosocial counseling), Girls Clubs (Daughters of Africa) and Boys Clubs, Music and Culture Programme, Computer Projects, Veggie Garden Projects, and — in newer geographies — Tech Labs (Ukraine) and Sigma Labs/Job Hub (Jerusalem). The organization reports having coached more than 540,000 learners over 20 years, reaching 50,000 students annually across 86 schools, and operates a federation of legally independent country foundations coordinated by an umbrella body, SfL International, headquartered in Stockholm.

The business model is donation-funded, not commercial. Revenue streams include (1) base support from Svenska Postkodlotteriet (7 million SEK annually since 2012), (2) corporate partnerships structured in tiers (Main Partners, Operating Partners of 6+ years, School Partners, and program-specific sponsorships for Girls/Boys Clubs, Mobile Health Clinics), (3) individual giving via Swish/Vipps/bank transfer and monthly donor programs, and (4) merchandise sales through a Shopify storefront (bracelets, Dignity Packs) where each bracelet funds one year of student participation. Pricing for corporate engagement is fixed annual fees (e.g., 250,000 SEK per school partnership in Norway, 25,000 SEK per class sponsorship, 50,000 SEK per entrepreneurship group). The organization is governed by a board chaired by founder Dan Olofsson, with members including former IKEA CEO Anders Dahlvig, former Swedish Minister Alf Svensson, and public health expert Viveca Urwitz; operations are led by Secretary General Jessica Grundström Ahldin.

Name

Star for Life

Legal name

Star for Life Insamlingsstiftelse

Website

https://starforlife.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Star for Life is a non-profit organization founded in 2005 that delivers school-based self-esteem, health, and life-skills education to disadvantaged youth across 9 countries, reaching 50,000+ students annually through coached programs in 86 schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Education and Health Non-Profit Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health Promotion, Prevention & Wellness Education (EDALAFAF), Growth Mindset, Motivation & Goal-Setting Programs (EDAMAIAE), School Success & Academic Habits Coaching (Motivation, Goal-Setting, Mindset) (EDANADAJ)

Keywords

• Youth education programs
• School health initiatives
• Life skills coaching
• Corporate social responsibility partnerships
• Non-profit humanitarian services

Headquarters

HQ city

Stockholm

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individual supporters, processed through Swish (Sweden), Vipps (Norway), and bank transfers. Donors can choose general donations or earmark funds for specific countries/projects.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Companies partner with Star for Life through various tiers: Main Partners (Huvudpartners), Operating Partners (6+ years of support), School Partners (specific schools), Daughters of Africa supporters, Boys Club supporters, Mobile Health Clinic supporters, and Shared Partnerships. Partners provide annual financial support in exchange for CSR alignment and school connections.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of handmade bracelets with glass beads and Dignity Packs containing hygiene products. Each bracelet enables one year of program participation for a student in South Africa. Dignity Packs include soap, towel, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, and menstrual products.
4. Postkodlotteriet Base Support: Since 2012, the Swedish Postkodlotteriet provides an annual base support of 7 million SEK to Star for Life Sweden. This provides stable foundational funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Star for Life delivers a coach-based school programme that promotes students' self-esteem, health, and life skills through interactive educational workshops, targeted health campaigns, and counseling within schools in South Africa, Namibia, Tanzania, Ukraine, Jerusalem and Sweden. The core offering is complemented by specialized modules including Mobile Health Units, Girls Clubs, Boys Clubs, Music and Culture programmes, Computer Projects, Veggie Gardens, Tech Labs, and Sigma Labs, plus a Motivationslyftet sub-brand for Swedish schools and athletes.

Product overview

Star for Life is a non-profit organization offering a unified school-based programme centered on the School & Health Programme, complemented by specialized add-on modules and initiatives. The core offering provides coach-based support, interactive workshops, and health campaigns in schools across multiple countries. Supporting modules include Mobile Health Units for health screenings, Girls Clubs and Boys Clubs for gender-specific empowerment, Music and Culture Programme for creative expression, and technical skills programmes including Computer Projects, Veggie Garden agricultural education, Tech Labs, and Sigma Labs. The organization also operates a Motivationslyftet sub-brand in Sweden. Merchandise products (bracelets, Dignity Packs) are sold through a Shopify store to support fundraising. The programme is delivered through country-specific operations in South Africa, Namibia, Tanzania, Sweden, Ukraine, Jerusalem, Germany, and Norway, coordinated by SfL International.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Daughters of Africa: Girls Clubs program focusing on self-esteem, consent, women's health, gender equality and entrepreneurship for girls in Southern Africa
• Boys Clubs
• Mobile Health Units
• Sigma Labs
• Tech Labs
• Veggie Garden Project
• Computer Projects
• SfL Education
• Education Digest
• Dream Challenge

Products and services

• School & Health Programme A coach-based school programme promoting students' self-esteem and health through interactive educational workshops, targeted health campaigns, and counseling to help young people make informed life decisions. Implemented across 86+ schools in South Africa, Namibia and Tanzania.
• Mobile Health Unit Mobile health clinics providing students in Namibia and South Africa with health screenings, psychosocial counseling, and education on puberty, sexuality, consent, hygiene, and nutrition.
• Girls Clubs (Daughters of Africa) Girls Clubs focusing on self-esteem, consent, women's health, gender equality, and entrepreneurship to foster a new generation of strong and independent women in southern Africa.
• Boys Clubs (Sons of Africa) Boys Clubs offering pathways away from streets, drugs and gangs toward school, knowledge and self-worth, focusing on consent, gender equality, and entrepreneurship.
• Music and Culture Programme Music production and cultural programmes led by professional producers Ken Wennerholm and Göran Rudbo (Triple & Touch), using music as a powerful tool to reach youth through concerts and classroom activities.
• Computer Project Digital skills project equipping South African schools with approximately 40 computers pre-installed with Microsoft software, providing practical IT education and digital competencies.
• Veggie Garden Project Agricultural education project teaching students and families sustainable gardening, food security, and nutrition through hands-on workshops at schools in South Africa.
• Tech Labs Specially equipped spaces in Ukrainian schools for offline-based programming lessons, technology exploration, and peer collaboration under local teacher guidance.
• Sigma Labs (Jerusalem) High-tech ecosystem initiative in East Jerusalem combining education and skills development with direct employment opportunities in the tech sector.
• Job Hub (Jerusalem) Programme connecting young job seekers with employers, creating progressively better-paying jobs across various sectors in East Jerusalem.
• AIDS-free Campaign HIV/AIDS prevention campaign in Namibia combining education, testing, and awareness activities at 19 schools, launched to address funding gaps from international donors.
• SfL Education Digest (Ukraine) Free educational programmes for Ukrainian children aged 10-17 offering courses in programming, freelancing, leadership, creative areas, and special programmes for girls.
• Motivationslyftet (Sweden) Swedish programme supporting students in schools and young athletes with five educational modules based on neuroscience, psychology, pedagogy, and motivation research.
• Dignity Pack Hygiene product packs containing soap, towel, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, and menstrual protection for students in southern Africa.
• Bracelet Handmade bracelets with glass beads sold to support Star for Life's work, with each bracelet funding one year of programme participation for a student.

Quantifiable outcome

• 78.2-91.1% of students qualified for continued studies (vs 75.7-85.2% national average) in South Africa 2021-2023
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers8 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

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• DeloitteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperating partner (6+ years of support) providing professional services and expertise.
• Hand in HandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrevious project partner for Girls Clubs started with support from Postkodlotteriet.
• DandelionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Dandelion organization providing monthly food packages and self-help support through garden cultivation for most vulnerable students.
• Triple & TouchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusic producers Ken Wennerholm and Göran Rudbo lead Star for Life's music program, creating powerful tool for reaching audiences and engaging students.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• BRAC: One of the largest development NGOs in the world, operating school-based education, health, and youth empowerment programs across multiple developing countries. Comparable multi-country structure, though operating at vastly greater scale.
• UNICEF: UN agency delivering child and youth services across education, health, and protection globally. Overlaps with Star for Life's child/youth service, health-education, and Ukraine/conflict-zone footprint, but at vastly larger scale and with institutional funding.
• Plan International: Large international NGO focused on children's rights, gender equality, and youth empowerment across dozens of countries. Comparable donor base, governance structure, and youth-development mission, but operates at much greater scale and geographic breadth.
• SOS Children's Villages: International nonprofit providing child welfare, family strengthening, and youth education services across 130+ countries. Comparable youth-development mandate and multi-country foundation structure.

Direct peers

• Room to Read: Global nonprofit operating school-based literacy and life-skills programs for youth (notably girls) in low-income countries. Comparable in its school-embedded model, focus on measurable academic outcomes, and country-footprint expansion approach.
• Right To Play: International NGO that uses sport and play-based methodologies to teach health, life skills, and self-esteem to youth in disadvantaged communities across Africa and the Global South. Closely matches Star for Life's coach-based, school-delivered, sport/culture-adjacent development model.
• Grassroot Soccer: Uses sport/coaching to deliver HIV prevention and life-skills education to adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa. Nearly identical methodology to Star for Life (originally an HIV-prevention sport-based program in South Africa that evolved into broader youth development).
• War Child: International NGO delivering education and psychosocial support to children affected by conflict, including a significant Ukraine program. Directly comparable to Star for Life's Tech Labs and Education Digest operations in Ukraine.

Emerging players

• Clinton Health Access Initiative: Implements health-service-delivery programs (including HIV) in sub-Saharan Africa. Comparable to Star for Life's Mobile Health Unit and AIDS-free Campaign work in South Africa and Namibia.
• Education Cannot Wait: Global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises. Compares to Star for Life's Ukraine education programming and Jerusalem operations, and represents a potential institutional funding partner or competitor for similar donor dollars.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCtHuxhtbDNZoR-vYRIh57HA
• Facebookfacebook.com/starforlifeofficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/star-for-life
• Instagraminstagram.com/starforlifefoundation
• Xx.com/starforlife_sa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Subsidiaries9 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 Star for Life