What RefuSHE does

RefuSHE is a nonprofit organization founded in 2008 in Nairobi, Kenya (originally operating as Heshima Kenya), with a dual-governance structure including a US entity based in Chicago (EIN 260239864). It serves separated, orphaned, and unaccompanied refugee girls and young women ages 13-25 who have fled war, persecution, domestic violence, and natural disasters - primarily from the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, Rwanda, and Burundi. The organization operates a holistic model organized around three programmatic pillars: Protection (Safe House, Case Management, Mental Health services including trauma-informed yoga via Yoga Alliance Foundation), Education (Girls Empowerment Program, NITA-accredited vocational training in Fashion & Design, Beauty Nail & Art, and Digital Literacy), and Empowerment (Artisan Collective, Legal Aid, Community Engagement through Women Ambassador Groups in Nairobi's informal settlements).

The organization's technology stack centers on two platforms. The ICT Lab, launched in 2021, provides on-campus digital skills training in transcription, image annotation, data analysis, digital marketing, social media management, and content writing, preparing refugee women for online freelance work; it has committed to training 180 women over two years in partnership with Konexio. SHElearns, launched December 2022, is a mobile-friendly digital learning and wellness platform featuring microlearning videos (3-8 minutes each) in English and Kiswahili covering business education, vocational skills, and mental health, funded by Mastercard Foundation, Seamont, WUSC, UNFCU, and Stanford PACS with pro-bono technical support from Team4Tech. The Artisan Collective operates an e-commerce storefront at shop.refushe.org selling hand-dyed scarves, textiles, and accessories.

RefuSHE provides all services free of charge to beneficiaries. Revenue is generated entirely through philanthropic grants from foundations and corporations (Google.org, Mastercard Foundation, #startsmall/Jack Dorsey $500K, Stanford PACS, Zakat Foundation, Seamont, UNFCU, and others), individual donations (monthly and one-time), and Artisan Collective product sales. Beneficiary acquisition is community-led through referral partnerships with UNHCR and HIAS, with go-to-market also including event-driven engagement (annual Fashion Challenge events, graduation ceremonies, Ramadan food distributions) and direct-to-consumer e-commerce. The organization is led by CEO Helen Altshul (appointed November 2022) and is governed by dual Kenya and US Boards of Directors.

Name

RefuSHE

Legal name

RefuSHE

Website

https://refushe.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

RefuSHE is a Nairobi-based nonprofit founded in 2008 that delivers holistic protection, education, and economic empowerment services - including safe housing, vocational training, mental health support, and digital skills programs - to separated, orphaned, and unaccompanied refugee girls and young women ages 13-25 across East Africa, funded through philanthropic grants and artisan product sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Refugee and Humanitarian Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refugee Reception & Registration (BPADAHAA), Asylum & Refugee Status Determination (RSD) Support (BPADAHAB), Refugee/Migrant Health & Resettlement Health Units (HLAJAAAJ), Newcomer & Refugee Student Support Programs (EDAJAGAH)

Keywords

• Refugee services
• Humanitarian nonprofit
• Vocational training
• Artisan collective
• Mental health support

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Grants: Major grants from foundations and corporations including Google.org, Mastercard Foundation, #startsmall ($500K), Stanford PACS, and others to fund specific programs and operations.
2. Artisan Product Sales: The Artisan Collective generates income through sale of hand-dyed scarves, textiles, bags, and accessories produced by refugee artisans at shop.refushe.org.
3. Individual Donations: Monthly donors and one-time donors contribute to support refugee girls' education, safety, and healing programs.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

RefuSHE provides a holistic continuum of care for orphaned, unaccompanied, and separated refugee girls and young women (ages 13-25) in Nairobi, Kenya, combining safe shelter, case management, trauma-informed mental health services, nationally accredited vocational training in Fashion & Design, Beauty Nail & Art, and Digital Literacy (ICT Lab), legal aid, and economic empowerment through the Artisan Collective hand-dyed textile program. The organization also operates the SHElearns mobile-friendly digital learning platform and the Artisan Collective e-commerce store at shop.refushe.org. All direct services to refugee beneficiaries are provided free of charge.

Product overview

RefuSHE operates a holistic service model for refugee girls and young women in Nairobi, Kenya, combining protection, education, and economic empowerment. The core programs include the Girls Empowerment Program (GEP) providing education and vocational training; the Safe House for emergency shelter; Mental Health Services including counseling and yoga therapy; Case Management for individualized care coordination; Legal Aid for documentation support; and Community Engagement through Women's Ambassador Groups. Vocational training offerings include Fashion & Design, Beauty Nail & Art, and Digital Literacy (ICT Lab), all nationally accredited through NITA. The Artisan Collective provides income-generating opportunities through hand-dyed textile production and sales. Technology platforms include the on-campus ICT Lab (launched 2021) for digital skills training and SHElearns (launched December 2022), a mobile-friendly eLearning and wellness platform with business, vocational, and mental health content modules.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Safe House Emergency shelter providing safe housing, medical care, counseling, and essential supplies for refugee girls and women in crisis situations in Nairobi.
• Girls Empowerment Program (GEP) A comprehensive program providing basic education, vocational training, and life skills to orphaned, unaccompanied, and separated refugee girls and young women in Nairobi.
• Mental Health Services Trauma-informed mental health support including individual and group counseling, trauma psychoeducation, and yoga therapy for refugee women and staff.
• Vocational Training (Fashion & Design, Beauty Nail & Art, Digital Literacy) Nationally accredited vocational courses (6-9 months) in fashion design, beauty services, and digital skills that prepare young refugee women for employment and entrepreneurship, culminating in internships.
• Artisan Collective An economic empowerment program where refugee women produce hand-dyed scarves, textiles, and accessories for sale through an on-campus shop and online at shop.refushe.org, earning steady income while developing leadership and business skills.
• Case Management Individualized assessment, care planning, and ongoing support services connecting refugee girls to appropriate health care, mental health services, legal aid, documentation assistance, and external referrals.
• Legal Aid Legal advice, assistance with identification documents through the Department of Refugee Services, guidance on work permits, and support preparing for resettlement interviews.
• Community Engagement (Women's Ambassador Groups) Community outreach program connecting refugee women to business training, financial inclusion services, and a supportive network through local Women's Ambassador Groups (WAGs) operating across Nairobi's informal settlements.
• ICT Lab On-campus digital skills training hub launched in 2021 providing instruction in transcription, image annotation, data analysis, digital marketing, social media management, and content writing to prepare refugee women for online freelance work.
• SHElearns A mobile-friendly digital learning and wellness platform launched in December 2022 featuring microlearning video content in Business Education, Vocational Skills, and Mental Health categories, designed by refugees for refugees.

Quantifiable outcome

• 35% decrease in stress levels after trauma-informed yoga program participation
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Yoga Alliance FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership to bring trauma-informed yoga to Nairobi campus, helping alleviate psychological distress and provide coping tools for trauma recovery among refugee girls and staff.
• KonexiocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2021Partnership with Konexio to promote inclusion of refugees and disadvantaged populations through digital skills training and job access. Konexio provides expertise in workforce development for refugees.
• 4G CapitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Fintech partnership delivering entrepreneurship training and mentorship to Artisan Collective artisans. Includes eight-week business training, business plan writing course, and mentorship with women entrepreneurs.
• Vital VoicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFour-month accelerator program partner with Google Accelerator and Women Techmakers for Google.org Impact Challenge recipients.
• Vera Beauty CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing beauty and nail care training opportunities for RefuSHE participants through sponsored course enrollment.
• DHLminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternship placement partner providing employment pathways for ICT program graduates.
• Ashesi UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContinuing education pathway partner for ICT graduates to pursue higher education.
• UNHCRcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary referral partner connecting refugee women to RefuSHE services. Works with RefuSHE on resettlement preparation for beneficiaries.
• HIAScoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReferral partner providing initial support to refugees including financial assistance, accommodation, and counseling before referring to RefuSHE programs.
• BuildHERminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing construction and housing skills training for refugee women through practical building skills programs.
• Department of Refugee Services (Kenya)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGovernment partner assisting with legal documentation, registration, and refugee status processes for beneficiaries.
• National Industrial Training Authority (NITA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment body providing curriculum guidance and nationally recognized certification examinations for vocational training programs.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• International Rescue Committee (IRC): IRC is a large established humanitarian organization delivering refugee protection, education, and economic empowerment across many countries including Kenya — broader portfolio but materially overlapping service lines and beneficiary focus with RefuSHE.
• Mercy Corps: Mercy Corps runs youth-focused economic empowerment, livelihoods, and protection programs for refugees and vulnerable populations, including in East Africa — comparable in vocational training and economic inclusion themes.
• UNICEF: UNICEF delivers protection, education, and adolescent empowerment programs for refugee children and youth globally — comparable target population and program pillars to RefuSHE's Girls Empowerment Program.
• UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency): UNHCR is the global UN agency for refugees and RefuSHE's primary referral partner — operates the overarching resettlement and registration ecosystem that RefuSHE plugs into.

Direct peers

• HIAS: HIAS is a core referral partner to RefuSHE and a direct peer: a global Jewish humanitarian organization providing resettlement, legal aid, and integration services to refugees including vulnerable women — closely comparable in mission and beneficiary profile.
• Women's Refugee Commission: WRC advocates for the rights and well-being of refugee women, children, and youth — operating programs and policy work that closely overlap with RefuSHE's protection, mental health, and livelihoods mandate.
• Konexio: Konexio is RefuSHE's strategic partner on the ICT Lab — a nonprofit providing digital skills training and online job access to refugees and disadvantaged populations, making it a directly comparable peer in digital livelihoods training.
• RefugePoint: RefugePoint provides self-reliance and protection programs for refugees in urban settings, including women and girls in East Africa — comparable service mix, beneficiary focus, and operating geography to RefuSHE.
• Asylum Access: Asylum Access provides legal aid and documentation support to refugees — directly comparable to RefuSHE's Legal Aid program and overlapping on refugee rights and resettlement pathways.

Others

• Heshima Kenya (now RefuSHE): RefuSHE itself was previously Heshima Kenya; this is the same entity under its renamed brand.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/refushe
• Xx.com/WeAreRefuSHE
• Facebookfacebook.com/WeAreRefuSHE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wearerefushe

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about RefuSHE