What Catalyst Foundation does

Catalyst Foundation is a UK-registered charity (Charity No. 1193385) founded in 2021 and headquartered in Bristol, operating with 14 employees across field offices in Harare (Zimbabwe) and Lusaka (Zambia), with additional programme presence claimed in Rwanda and Kenya. The organization's core offering is the S.H.E. (Secure, Hope, Empowered) Programme, a holistic package of educational support (tuition, uniforms, stationery, textbooks), healthcare (medical checkups, sanitary products), psychosocial counselling, food security (monthly food hampers), safe-transport solutions (bicycles), legal documentation processing, and skills development through S.H.E. Clubs (sewing, beadwork, craftwork). Supplementary programmes include the E.A.G.E.R.S. Sports Programme, school feeding programmes, family sustainable projects, and environmental education. The intended beneficiaries are vulnerable girls in rural Zimbabwe and Zambia; 79 are currently supported, with less than half having an individual sponsor.

Catalyst Foundation generates revenue through individual monthly sponsorships (tiered from £11/month for stationery to £80/month for full Zimbabwe sponsorship), corporate partnerships (with a Platinum Sponsor, Catalyst Care Group, and in-kind partners including Rank Zimbabwe, Zambeef, Bakers Inn, Mvura Chaiyo, and Dzidzo Safepad Initiative), annual fundraising events (SHEWalks, Cycle for Girls), school fundraising programs, and endowment funds. Annual event totals disclosed are modest — SHEWalks3 raised £9,402, Cycle for Girls £2,250 — and the organization claims 90% of donations reach beneficiaries directly. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the website (catalystfn.org), JustGiving, and social channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube), supported by on-ground field programme managers who deliver services directly with schools, families, and local authorities. Underlying technology is limited to a donor dashboard; no proprietary software, AI, or platform architecture is described.

Name

Catalyst Foundation

Legal name

Catalyst Foundation

Website

https://catalystfn.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Catalyst Foundation is a UK-registered charity running the S.H.E. Programme, which provides holistic education, healthcare, counselling, and skills support to vulnerable girls in rural Zimbabwe and Zambia, funded through individual monthly sponsorships, corporate partnerships, and fundraising events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Girls' Education Support Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN)

Keywords

• Girls education charity
• Sponsorship programmes
• Community development
• Educational support services
• Donation-based charity

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations and Sponsorships: Monthly recurring donations from individual sponsors who support specific beneficiaries. Sponsors receive personalized profiles, letters, emails, and video updates from their sponsored girl. One-time and regular gift options are also available.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Partnerships with businesses that provide goods and services (stationery, food, sanitary products, bicycles) or financial sponsorship. Platinum sponsor Catalyst Care Group provides core funding and event support.
3. Fundraising Events: Annual events including SHEWalks (walking fundraiser), Cycle for Girls, and community events generate donations from participants and donors. Events take place across UK, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.
4. Endowment Funds: Long-term donations where principal is invested to provide ongoing income for the S.H.E. Programme. Allows planning ahead for the future of beneficiaries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels14 records

Core offering

Catalyst Foundation is a UK-registered charity that runs the S.H.E. (Secure, Hope, Empowered) Programme, providing holistic support to vulnerable girls in rural Zimbabwe and Zambia. The programme covers tuition fees, uniforms, stationery, food hampers, bicycles, healthcare, psychosocial counselling, menstrual hygiene products, and vocational skills training. It is funded through individual monthly sponsorships, corporate partnerships, fundraising events, and endowment funds.

Product overview

Catalyst Foundation operates as a charitable organization with its S.H.E. (Secure, Hope, Empowered) Programme as the central offering—a holistic support system for vulnerable girls in Zimbabwe and Zambia. The organization provides a comprehensive ecosystem of services including: educational support (school fees, uniforms, stationery, textbooks), healthcare (medical assessments, sanitary products), psychosocial support (counselling), livelihood support (bicycles, food hampers, family projects), and skills development (S.H.E. Clubs teaching sewing, crafts, and entrepreneurship). Supplementary offerings include the E.A.G.E.R.S. Sports Programme, school feeding programmes, and individual sponsorship opportunities. Digital services comprise a donor dashboard and various donation mechanisms (single gifts, monthly giving, endowment funds). The organization functions primarily as a charity platform rather than a technology product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• S.H.E. Programme: Secure, Hope, Empowered - A comprehensive programme providing holistic support to vulnerable girls across Africa, including educational support, healthcare, psychosocial counselling, menstrual hygiene support, food security, and skills training through S.H.E. Clubs.

Products and services

• S.H.E. (Secure, Hope, Empowered) Programme
• S.H.E. Clubs
• School Feeding Programmes
• E.A.G.E.R.S. Sports Programme
• Girl Sponsorship Programme
• Endowment Fund
• Donor Dashboard
• School Infrastructural Development
• Family Sustainable Projects
• Climate Change and Environmental Education

Quantifiable outcome

• SHEWalks3 fundraiser raised £9,402.00 / US$11,851.00 with 84 participants walking 1,500km / 932 miles
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and platinum sponsor.

• Dzidzo: Safepad InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 May 2023Official S.H.E. Programme period poverty partner, addressing menstrual hygiene needs of beneficiaries to enable school attendance without interruption.
• Rank ZimbabwecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 May 2023Official S.H.E. Programme (Zimbabwe) stationery partner and largest stationery manufacturer/distributor in Zimbabwe. Provides stationery supplies to all 40 Zimbabwean beneficiaries every school term, including pens, pencils, rulers, books, and maths sets under MERIT, KIAN, and LOTUS brands.
• Catalyst Care Groupplatinum sponsorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlatinum sponsor of Catalyst Foundation, providing core funding and operational support. Employees participate in fundraising events including Cycle for Girls and SHEWalks. Sponsored vibrant orange shirts for SHEWalks3 event.
• ZambeefcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributes essential food items to regular food hampers, directly addressing food insecurity for beneficiaries. Partnership ensures consistent access to nutritious meals allowing girls to focus on studies.
• Bakers Inn and Mr Chingwa (E.A.G.E.R.S. Sports)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership ensures the E.A.G.E.R.S. Sports Programme is well-nourished, providing energy and sustenance needed for young athletes to train and compete.
• Mvura ChaiyocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClean water initiative bringing safe water directly to beneficiary schools and homes. Dramatically reduces time girls spend fetching water (giving hours back for study) and protects from waterborne illnesses.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Theirworld: Global charity dedicated to unlocking education for children and young people, with a strong focus on girls and on African geographies. Comparable mission in removing barriers to schooling and combining advocacy with direct programme delivery.
• CAMFED (Campaign for Female Education): International charity specifically focused on supporting girls' education and young women's economic empowerment in sub-Saharan Africa (Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Ghana, Malawi). Operates a child-sponsorship-style model and addresses multiple barriers to education, making it a close functional analogue to Catalyst's S.H.E. Programme.
• AGE Africa (African Girls' Education Foundation): Organisation focused on supporting marginalised girls to complete secondary school in sub-Saharan Africa, combining tuition support, mentoring and life-skills training. Directly comparable barrier-removal and skills-development model to Catalyst's S.H.E. Programme and S.H.E. Clubs.
• Womankind Worldwide: UK-headquartered international women's rights charity working with partners in Africa and Asia to advance gender equality, including education access. Comparable UK-base / Africa-delivery model and focus on vulnerable women and girls.

Broad incumbents

• Save the Children UK: Major UK-registered children's rights and education charity with significant programming across sub-Saharan Africa. Overlaps with Catalyst's education access, child safeguarding, and nutrition focus, but at vastly greater scale and breadth.
• Plan International UK: A large UK-registered international development NGO running extensive girls' education and gender equality programmes across Africa and globally. Comparable mission and beneficiary focus, though materially larger in scale and scope than Catalyst Foundation.
• Room to Read: Large international nonprofit operating literacy and girls' education programmes across multiple African and Asian countries. Comparable holistic girls' education focus and field-delivery model, though at materially greater scale.
• UNICEF UK: UN children's agency running large-scale girls' education, health and child protection programmes in Zimbabwe, Zambia and globally. Comparable thematic focus and operating geographies, with much broader mandate and donor base.
• VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas): UK-rooted international development organisation with extensive education and youth empowerment programmes in Africa. Comparable UK-base / Africa-delivery model and overall development remit, though VSO operates on a volunteer-deployment model rather than direct sponsorship.

Emerging players

• Global Fund for Children: UK/US-based grantmaker and partner-builder supporting community-led organisations working on children and youth, including girls' education in Africa. Comparable grassroots-delivery ethos and Africa focus, though primarily a funder/partner rather than direct implementer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/catalystfdn
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCYvplArkpGWKvHLoF4kzWtA
• Facebookfacebook.com/catalystfnglobal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/catalystfn
• Instagraminstagram.com/catalystfdn

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 Catalyst Foundation