River of Hope - a non-profit organisation

What River of Hope - a non-profit organisation does

River of Hope is a Swiss-registered charitable association (Verein) founded in 2010 by Claudia Doron-Zahner and headquartered in Buchs/SG, Canton of St. Gallen. It operates the Tala Mosika center in Selo, outside Kinshasa, DR Congo — a state-approved day/boarding school serving more than 500 students from grades 1 through 12, combined with a U12-U18 football school, an on-site health center, a tailor studio, agricultural programs, and (as of March 2025) a Village Bank microcredit program for women in surrounding villages. The campus covers 4 hectares with 8 buildings constructed from handmade on-site bricks, operates on solar power (the nearest electrical outlet is 17 km away), and is supported by long-standing local leadership under Christoph Mbedi, the Local Project Coordinator since day one. The center also hosts the first 'Peace Pitch' football field on the African Continent, established with the Children's Football Alliance.

The organization's revenue model is entirely donation- and fundraising-driven. Funds are accepted via Swiss bank transfer (Raiffeisenbank Werdenberg), TWINT, and PayPal, and are tax-deductible in Switzerland under its charitable status. Supplementary income is generated through an online shop ('2 x schenken') selling handmade cards, calendars, bracelets, books, and African-fabric notebook covers produced by the in-Congo tailor studio; an annual charity run (Eglisauer Osterlauf) raising CHF 12,100-15,400 per event; corporate CSR partnerships in education, water, health, construction, sports, and agriculture; and decentralized 'Money in a Bottle' campaigns. All 15 Switzerland-based staff are unpaid volunteers, with administration funded by a Liechtenstein-based foundation; the organization aligns all activities with the UN Agenda 2030's 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Recent strategic activity includes a UN presentation on March 25, 2025, a 15th-anniversary CHF 55,000 well-and-water-kiosk campaign in partnership with the University of Geneva and the University of Kinshasa, and a forthcoming commemorative book scheduled for Spring 2026. The organization is governed independently, has no parent entity, and is not part of any investment or ownership structure; its founder is inspired by the legacy of the late Dr. Nathaniel Doron (former UN/FAO diplomat, deceased 2019).

Name

River of Hope - a non-profit organisation

Legal name

River of Hope (RoH)

Website

https://ariverofhope.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

River of Hope is a Swiss charitable non-profit founded in 2010 that operates the state-approved Tala Mosika day/boarding school and football program in Selo, DR Congo, serving 500+ students in grades 1-12, alongside women's microcredit, health, and agricultural programs funded entirely by donations and volunteer effort.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-profit Humanitarian and Community Development Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Educational Support Services (611710), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Education & Teaching Volunteer Programs (EDAIAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) (BPAGABAC), Disaster Relief & Humanitarian Aid Volunteering (EDAIAGAF), WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene) Organizations (HLAJAKAI), Health, Population & WASH Aid Programs (BPADABAC), Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) Solutions (BPAGALAI)

Keywords

• Humanitarian aid
• Educational charity
• Community development programs
• Youth football school
• Women microcredit programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Buchs/SG

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Primary revenue source. Individual donations collected via bank transfer (Raiffeisenbank Werdenberg), TWINT, and PayPal. Fundraising campaigns target anniversaries and specific projects (e.g., CHF 55,000 well project for 15th anniversary). All donations in Switzerland are tax-deductible as the organization is tax-exempt.
2. Merchandise Sales: Shop '2 x schenken' sells double cards, birthday calendars, bracelets, cards with envelopes, and 'Kids write for kids' books. Products are made in Congo or sponsored by partners. Revenue supports education and healthcare at Tala Mosika.
3. Women Empowerment Products: Tailor Studio produces African fabric notebook covers under fair trade contracts. Women receive wages plus school vouchers and health insurance for producing 10 covers. Products shipped to Switzerland for sale.
4. Corporate Partnerships: Companies become partners in specific areas: education, water projects, health, construction, sports, agriculture, and solar bakery. Partners receive presentations, documentary films, books, and blog recognition.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

River of Hope is a non-profit association that delivers humanitarian and educational programs through the Tala Mosika center in Selo outside Kinshasa, DR Congo. Offerings include a state-approved primary and secondary school for 500+ students, a football school for ages U12-U18 (with the first Peace Pitch on the African Continent), an on-site health center, nutrition services, agricultural training, water access projects, vocational training via a Tailor Studio, and the Village Bank microcredit program for women. Operations in Switzerland are volunteer-run and funded by tax-deductible donations, fundraising campaigns, merchandise sales, and corporate CSR partnerships.

Product overview

River of Hope is a non-profit charitable organization, not a technology company. It does not offer technology products or services. The organization operates humanitarian projects including the Tala Mosika educational center (state-approved day/boarding school), football/sports programs, water projects, solar energy initiatives, literacy programs, a tailor studio, and agricultural programs in DR Congo. It does not have a platform, software product, or technology offering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tala Mosika Educational Program (Primary and Secondary School) State-approved day/boarding primary and secondary school (grades 1-12) serving 500+ students from poor and neglected communities outside Kinshasa, DRC. Provides primary school in the morning (7:30am-12:30pm) and secondary school in the afternoon (12:30-5:30pm), with students sitting state exams (Matura/Abitur). Includes boarding, meals, and healthcare on campus.
• Football School (U12-U18) Football training program for children and youth aged U12 to U18 at Tala Mosika, combined with fairplay workshops and medical check-ups. Includes the first Peace Pitch on the African Continent, established with the Children's Football Alliance.
• Village Bank Microcredit Program Microcredit program providing literacy programs, business skills training, and financial literacy before granting microloans to women in villages around Tala Mosika to break the cycle of poverty.
• Corporate CSR Partnership Program Structured corporate partnership program in which companies become partners in specific areas: education, water projects, health, construction, sports, agriculture, and solar bakery. Partners receive presentations, documentary films, books, and blog recognition as appreciation.
• Shop '2 x schenken' Merchandise Online shop selling merchandise to support the Tala Mosika project: Memory Double Cards (CHF 20), Birthday Calendar in German & English (CHF 20, sponsored by Kiwanis Werdenberg), Silicone Bracelets in 100% recycled material (CHF 4), Cards with Envelope (CHF 3), and 'Kids write for Kids' books (CHF 15, NEW EDITION 2018). All products are made in Congo or sponsored by partners.
• Women Empowerment Tailor Studio Products African fabric notebook covers produced by local women at the Tala Mosika Tailor Studio under fair trade contracts. Women receive wages plus school vouchers and health insurance for producing 10 covers each. Products are shipped to Switzerland and sold to support education and healthcare (CHF 18 plus shipping).
• Workshops and Presentations Bookable presentations and workshops about the River of Hope project for groups, schools, and corporate audiences. Topics include communication, cultural understanding, and empowering local partners in developing countries. Free workshops are offered to corporate partners.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ children receiving education from grades 1-12
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ministry of Gender & Family (Kinshasa)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Government ministry recognizing women for their efforts in Congo. Claudia Doron and women from Tala Mosika were honored at the ministry.
• Cuisine sans frontièresminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Donated kitchen facilities for the Tala Mosika center. Blog documentation of kitchen construction available.
• MASAE (Grabs)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2019Created African edition keychains and bracelets for the shop. Products sold to support the project.
• Lions ClubminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Vocational training/apprenticeship program support in Congo. Lion's Club Multi-District 102 supported the project.
• One World FutbolminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Provided indestructible footballs for the football program in Congo.
• University of GenevacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on water project for well installation and water kiosk in village Selo. University provides technical expertise for sustainable water solutions.
• University of KinshasacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on water project for well installation and water kiosk in Selo village. Local academic partnership for sustainable development solutions.
• Children's Football AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational football organization supporting the Peace Field project. First Peace Pitch on the African Continent established at Tala Mosika.
• Hotelschool César Ritz, SwitzerlandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured Claudia Doron as graduate story, providing publicity and credibility for the organization's founder.
• Kiwanis WerdenbergminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsored birthday calendar production for the shop merchandise program.
• Black Label / Black LineminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate client for the women empowerment program. Ordered African fabric notebook covers from the Tala Mosika Tailor Studio.
• International School St. Georges (Lake Geneva)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonated white blouses and shirts for students at Tala Mosika.
• Ministry of Rural Development (DR Congo)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partnership for rural development initiatives. Center is state-approved and aligned with government educational standards.
• UN Radio Okapi (Kinshasa)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerInterviewed Claudia Doron on October 1, 2020 about challenges at Tala Mosika school. Provides media platform for awareness.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Right To Play: Global organization using sport (especially football) for child development, education and peace. Closely matches River of Hope's U12-U18 football school, fairplay workshops, and 'first Peace Pitch on the African Continent' positioning.
• SOS Children's Villages: International NGO operating residential schools, family strengthening and youth programs for vulnerable children in DRC and across Africa. Highly comparable to River of Hope's boarding school, youth development and community-empowerment model centered on children outside Kinshasa.
• Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation: Largest Swiss development NGO working on water, education, agriculture and rural development in Africa and Asia. Comparable Swiss-domiciled NGO with rural WASH (well) projects and vocational training analogous to Tala Mosika and the planned well.
• Terre des Hommes Switzerland: Swiss children's rights and development NGO funding programs for children in West/Central Africa. Comparable Swiss-registered non-profit working through local partners on child welfare, education and health in similar geographies.
• WaterAid: International WASH-focused NGO building wells, sanitation and hygiene in low-income communities. Directly comparable to River of Hope's CHF 55,000 well + water kiosk project with University of Geneva / Kinshasa.
• Save the Children Switzerland: Swiss affiliate of Save the Children focusing on child protection, education and health in fragile contexts including DRC. Comparable child-centered education and humanitarian program delivery, with established institutional donor access River of Hope currently lacks.
• Plan International Switzerland: Swiss arm of Plan International focusing on children's rights, education and gender equality in developing countries. Overlaps with River of Hope's girls' education, child sponsorship-like donation model, and village-based community development.

Broad incumbents

• Swiss Solidarity (Glückskette): Swiss umbrella for solidarity fundraising, with member NGOs running education and humanitarian projects. Comparable as a Switzerland-based donation mobilization channel that River of Hope could leverage or partner with for fundraising scale.
• Caritas Switzerland: Large Swiss humanitarian and development NGO with programs in education, WASH, agriculture and women empowerment across Africa. Comparable Swiss-registered entity, but operates at much greater scale and as a confederation rather than single-site.
• UNICEF Switzerland: Swiss National Committee for UNICEF, a large incumbent in child education, WASH and humanitarian response in DRC. Overlaps thematically with River of Hope's mission and is a natural institutional partner/donor given the 2025 UN presentation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/founder-of-non-profit-association-river-of-hope-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 River of Hope - a non-profit organisation