AFEW International
AFEW International is a Dutch non-governmental organization that delivers HIV, harm reduction, and human rights programs for underserved populations across Eastern Europe and Central Asia through a network of local civil society and community-based partners, funded primarily by the European Union and the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersAmsterdam, Netherlands
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What AFEW International does
AFEW International is a Dutch-registered non-governmental organization (Stichting AFEW International), headquartered in Amsterdam, that operates a network of public health and human rights programs targeting underserved populations across Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA). Founded originally as AIDS Foundation East West in the 1990s and re-established in its current form in 2001, the organization focuses on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, hepatitis, COVID-19, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and harm reduction for people who use drugs. Its core beneficiaries — people living with HIV, people who use drugs, LGBT communities, sex workers, prisoners, migrants, and Ukrainian refugees — are reached through partnerships with local civil society organizations (CSOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) across approximately 16 countries, including Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Georgia, Belarus, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Uzbekistan, and the Baltic states.
The organization's product portfolio combines grantmaking mechanisms, knowledge platforms, and program initiatives rather than commercial software. Core offerings include the Emergency Support Fund for Key Populations (small grants to CBOs facing emergencies), the EU COVID-19 Solidarity Programme (regional pandemic response), the SafeSpot.online digital health platform, the EECA INTERACT linking-and-learning platform, the Combating Stigma to End HIV/AIDS in EECA global visibility project, and a Knowledge Center of publications and resources. Distribution occurs through a channel-partner network: AFEW itself is small (17 employees), and program delivery is executed by local partner NGOs such as ISHONCH VA HAYOT in Uzbekistan, with consortium partners (People in Need, Netherlands Helsinki Committee) for multi-country EU-funded programs.
AFEW's business model is that of a grant-funded foundation with no commercial revenue. Funding flows from a concentrated base of institutional donors — primarily the European Union, the Elton John AIDS Foundation, and Aidsfonds — channeled into multi-year restricted grants for specific country or thematic programs. Programs are not sold; rather, AFEW competes for grants based on its convening role, regional track record, and CBO network. The organization has no equity ownership, no parent entity, and no commercial pricing model, consistent with its non-profit foundation status.
AFEW International firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AFEW International
- Legal name
- Stichting AFEW International
- Website
- https://afew.org
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- AFEW International is a Dutch non-governmental organization that delivers HIV, harm reduction, and human rights programs for underserved populations across Eastern Europe and Central Asia through a network of local civil society and community-based partners, funded primarily by the European Union and the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
AFEW International industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Health Services for Underserved Populations
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Human Rights Organizations (813311)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- International & Global Public Health Aid Administration (Government Donors) (HLAJALAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Global Health Financing Mechanisms & Pooled Funds (HLAJAOAC), Infectious Disease & Immunization Program Funding (HLAJALAH), Community Health & Prevention Program Funding (HLAJALAF), Global Health Financing Mechanisms (HLAJAKAC), Workforce Development & Training Grants (Public Health) (HLAJALAM), Behavioral Health & Substance Use Program Funding (Public Health) (HLAJALAI), Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN)
Keywords
Where AFEW International is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Amsterdam
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
AFEW International business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Foundation and Institutional Grants: AFEW International is funded through grants from institutional donors including the European Union, Elton John AIDS Foundation, and Aidsfonds. The organization does not generate commercial revenue but operates as a non-profit focused on public health interventions.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
AFEW International product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AFEW International channels institutional donor funding into health and human rights programs for underserved populations in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. It delivers these services by providing small grants, capacity-building training, and consortium project management to local civil society and community-based organizations working on HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis, COVID-19, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and harm reduction for people who use drugs, sex workers, LGBT people, prisoners, migrants, and people living with HIV.
Product overview
AFEW International is a non-governmental organization (NGO) focused on public health and human rights in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA). Rather than a commercial product company, AFEW operates a portfolio of health programs and initiatives including: Combating stigma to end HIV/AIDS in EECA (global visibility project), SafeSpot.online (digital platform), EECA INTERACT (knowledge platform for linking and learning), the Emergency Support Fund for Key Populations (grant program for civil society organizations), and the EU COVID-19 Solidarity Programme (regional response initiative). The organization also maintains a Knowledge Center with publications and resources. All programs focus on underserved populations affected by HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis, and COVID-19, with emphasis on key populations including people who use drugs, sex workers, LGBT people, and prisoners.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Combating stigma to end HIV/AIDS in EECA
Quantifiable outcome
- 85 emergency support applications funded across 9 countries in 2020
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use AFEW International
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles3 records
AFEW International technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AFEW International partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ISHONCH VA HAYOTcoreISHONCH VA HAYOT is a local partner NGO in Uzbekistan, a community-based membership organization uniting people living with HIV and key populations. AFEW partners with them for HIV services expansion and civil society strengthening projects.
- SAZ (Collaboration of Dutch Regional Hospitals)minorSAZ, a collaboration of 29 Dutch regional hospitals, joined forces to collect and deliver medicines and medical devices to Ukraine during the 2022 war. AFEW helped coordinate information on medical supply needs.
- People in Need (PIN)corePeople in Need is part of the consortium for the EU COVID-19 Solidarity Programme for Eastern Partnership, working with AFEW International and Netherlands Helsinki Committee to mitigate COVID-19 impact on vulnerable groups.
- Penal Reform International (PRI)minorPRI partnered with Prison Reform Trust to publish a guide on mental health and well-being for women in prison. AFEW hosts this resource in its Knowledge Centre.
- ECOM (Eurasian Coalition on Male Health)minorECOM participates in the Advisory Board to the Emergency Support Fund for Key Populations, providing expertise on MSM and LGBTQ health programming in EECA.
- AidsfondscoreAidsfonds co-administers the Emergency Support Fund for Key Populations with AFEW International. Both organizations share expertise in grant-making and CBO capacity building in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
- Netherlands Helsinki Committee (NHC)coreNHC is part of the consortium for the EU COVID-19 Solidarity Programme, working with AFEW International and People in Need to support CBOs responding to COVID-19 in Eastern Partnership countries.
- Eurasian Harm Reduction Association (EHRA)minorEHRA participates in the Advisory Board to the Emergency Support Fund, providing expertise on harm reduction and people who use drugs programming.
- ECUO (Eastern Europe and Central Asian Network of PLWHIV)minorECUO participates in the Advisory Board to the Emergency Support Fund, representing people living with HIV in the EECA region.
- Prison Reform Trust (PRT)minorPRT partnered with Penal Reform International to develop guidelines for prison staff on mental health of women in prison. The resource is hosted by AFEW.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
AFEW International competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Harm Reduction International: London-based international NGO focused on harm-reduction policy, advocacy, and capacity building for PWID. Overlaps with AFEW's harm-reduction programming and has comparable donor base and EECA engagement.
- Eurasian Coalition on Male Health (ECOM): EECA-based coalition of MSM and LGBT community organizations, working on HIV prevention, advocacy, and grantmaking. AFEW's Advisory Board partner and the most direct peer on the LGBT/MHIV intersection in the same geography.
- AIDSfonds: Amsterdam-based Dutch foundation funding HIV/AIDS and key-population work, co-administers the Emergency Support Fund for Key Populations with AFEW International. Closest direct peer: same country, same funding model, overlapping EECA network and CBO grantmaking.
- Eurasian Harm Reduction Association (EHRA): Regional harm-reduction network for people who use drugs across EECA, providing grants and capacity building to drug-user-led CBOs. AFEW Advisory Board member and the most direct comparator in the harm-reduction/HIV vertical.
- Eastern Europe and Central Asian Network of PLWHIV (ECUO): Regional network representing people living with HIV in EECA, providing grantmaking and capacity support to PLHIV-led organizations. Advisory Board partner of AFEW's Emergency Support Fund and a directly comparable regional intermediary.
- Frontline AIDS: Global network of 60+ partners working on HIV/AIDS, human rights, and key populations, with an established EECA presence and a similar intermediary/grantmaking model targeting community-led organizations. Directly comparable mission and operating model to AFEW's network role.
- GNP+ (Global Network of People Living with HIV): Worldwide network of PLHIV organizations with strong EECA representation, focused on advocacy, capacity building, and grantmaking to PLHIV-led groups. Same target populations and grant-pass-through model as AFEW.
Broad incumbents
- Elton John AIDS Foundation: Major global HIV funder whose three-year Emergency Support Fund Manager grant to AFEW is the anchor case study. Larger incumbent with broader programmatic scope that both funds AFEW and operates parallel grantmaking in EECA.
Emerging players
- People in Need (PIN): Czech humanitarian NGO consortium partner of AFEW on the EU COVID-19 Solidarity Programme for Eastern Partnership countries. Comparable as a humanitarian/EECA implementer, though with a broader development portfolio rather than HIV-specific focus.
- Netherlands Helsinki Committee (NHC): Dutch human-rights NGO and AFEW's consortium partner on the EU COVID-19 Solidarity Programme. Overlaps with AFEW on rights-based work for vulnerable groups in EECA but with a wider human-rights mandate.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
AFEW International social profiles
Digital presenceAFEW International financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AFEW International leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
AFEW International funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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AFEW International M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about AFEW International
What does AFEW International do?
AFEW International channels institutional donor funding into health and human rights programs for underserved populations in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. It delivers these services by providing small grants, capacity-building training, and consortium project management to local civil society and community-based organizations working on HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis, COVID-19, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and harm reduction for people who use drugs, sex workers, LGBT people, prisoners, migrants, and people living with HIV.
Is AFEW International a public or private company?
AFEW International is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was AFEW International founded?
AFEW International was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is AFEW International based?
AFEW International is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does AFEW International make money?
One revenue line is on record: foundation and Institutional Grants.
Who are AFEW International's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Harm Reduction International, Eurasian Coalition on Male Health (ECOM), AIDSfonds, Eurasian Harm Reduction Association (EHRA), Eastern Europe and Central Asian Network of PLWHIV (ECUO), Frontline AIDS and GNP+ (Global Network of People Living with HIV). Elton John AIDS Foundation is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are People in Need (PIN) and Netherlands Helsinki Committee (NHC).
Does AFEW International have an API?
No public API is recorded for AFEW International.
What industry is AFEW International in?
AFEW International's product category is Public Health Services for Underserved Populations. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAJALAO, International & Global Public Health Aid Administration (Government Donors), with a secondary code of HLAJAOAC, Global Health Financing Mechanisms & Pooled Funds. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8300.