Daraja Academy
Daraja Academy is a non-profit boarding secondary school in Nanyuki, Kenya providing full scholarships, the trademarked W.I.S.H. leadership curriculum, and comprehensive care to marginalized Kenyan girls, funded through individual sponsorships, a Vision 2025 capital campaign, and event-based donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersSan Rafael, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Daraja Academy does
Daraja Academy is a non-profit boarding secondary school located in Nanyuki, Laikipia County, Kenya, founded in 2009 by American educators Jason and Jenni Doherty in partnership with Kenyan educator Victoria Gichuhi. The US supporting entity, Daraja Education Fund (501(c)(3), EIN 20-8283551), is headquartered in San Rafael, California. The school provides full secondary education scholarships to marginalized Kenyan girls selected from all 47 counties based on need, academic scores, and leadership potential, with roughly 120 boarding students currently enrolled against a Vision 2025 target of 360. Outcomes are differentiated: 90% of graduates proceed to college or university, and Transition Program alumni earn approximately 3x the national average income and gain employment within three months of completing higher education.
The core product is the four-year boarding school built around the trademarked W.I.S.H. (Women of Integrity, Strength, and Hope) leadership curriculum, supplemented by a Transition Program (4-month post-graduation life-skills training), an Alumni Mentorship Program, and a 60-hour annual community service requirement. The W.I.S.H. curriculum has been extended beyond Daraja's own students to 6+ public high schools in Laikipia County, reaching 690-2,500 girls annually with a 2025 target of 5,000 girls across 10 high schools. Organizational capacity is being scaled through a 38.5-acre permanent campus developed in three construction phases (2021-2025), supported by a Vision 2025 capital campaign covering campus build-out, enrollment expansion, and an endowment fund.
Revenue is generated entirely through philanthropy: recurring individual student sponsorships at $250/month or $3,000/year, multi-year Vision 2025 capital campaign contributions, event-based fundraising (Race 4 Daraja virtual 10K), and donations solicited through the triannual Gazeti newsletter and Daraja Clubs at US and international high schools and universities. The organization has 63 employees, a board including former Daraja Chair Brian Schlaak (now Deputy Director), and has received recognition from UNESCO, the Kenya Ministry of Education, and KICD.
Daraja Academy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Daraja Academy
- Legal name
- Daraja Education Fund
- Website
- https://daraja.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Daraja Academy is a non-profit boarding secondary school in Nanyuki, Kenya providing full scholarships, the trademarked W.I.S.H. leadership curriculum, and comprehensive care to marginalized Kenyan girls, funded through individual sponsorships, a Vision 2025 capital campaign, and event-based donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Daraja Academy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Secondary Education (Girls' Boarding School)
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (61)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Transition Programs (Reentry, Workforce Readiness & Life Skills for At-Risk Youth) (EDAJAEAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Special Education Vocational & Transition Programs (18–22) (EDAKAAAG)
Keywords
Where Daraja Academy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Rafael
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Daraja Academy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Student Sponsorship: Monthly or annual sponsorship covering all academic, health, and welfare needs of students at $250/month or $3,000/year. Includes uniforms, supplies, meals, medical coverage, and counseling services.
- Philanthropic Donations: Vision 2025 campaign raising philanthropic investments for permanent campus, expanded enrollment, W.I.S.H. program expansion, and endowment fund.
- Event Fundraising: Race 4 Daraja virtual 10K event where participants fundraise for girls' education.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Full Student Sponsorship |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Daraja Academy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Daraja Academy operates a free four-year residential secondary school in Nanyuki, Kenya, serving marginalized Kenyan girls selected from all 47 counties based on need, academic scores, and leadership potential. The school provides rigorous academic preparation for the KCSE national exams alongside the proprietary W.I.S.H. leadership curriculum, comprehensive boarding care (meals, medical/dental/vision coverage, uniforms, supplies), and trauma-informed counseling. A complementary Transition Program provides 4 months of post-graduation life-skills and entrepreneurial training, while the Alumni Mentorship Program maintains a lifelong support network for graduates.
Product overview
Daraja Academy is a boarding secondary school that operates as a unified educational offering with multiple integrated programs. The core product is the Daraja Academy boarding school providing secondary education to marginalized Kenyan girls. The W.I.S.H. Leadership Program serves as the foundational character development module woven throughout the four-year curriculum. The Transition Program provides post-graduation life-skills training. The Alumni Mentorship Program maintains engagement with graduates. Supporting offerings include Daraja Clubs for youth activism, Student Sponsorship for funding, Race 4 Daraja for fundraising events, and Gazeti Newsletter for supporter communication.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Daraja Academy Boarding School
- W.I.S.H. (Women of Integrity, Strength, and Hope) Leadership Program
- Transition Program
- Alumni Mentorship Program
- Student Sponsorship Program
- Race 4 Daraja
- Daraja Clubs
- Gazeti Newsletter
Quantifiable outcome
- 90% of Daraja girls go on to college or university
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Daraja Academy
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Daraja Academy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Daraja Academy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- UNESCOcoreUNESCO logo appears on Daraja's partners page. Daraja is recognized for supporting UN sustainable development goals and working toward peace and prosperity.
- HALIminorHALI (logo shown on partners page) appears to be a partner organization supporting Daraja's mission.
- Ol-PejetaminorOl-Pejeta Conservancy partnership providing additional support and opportunities for Daraja students.
- Rotary InternationalminorRotary International logo shown as partner supporting Daraja's educational mission.
- SoroptimistminorSoroptimist International partnership supporting women's education and empowerment programs.
- Girl GuidesminorGirl Guides partnership supporting girls' leadership development.
- TeenseedminorTeenseed partnership supporting youth empowerment and education.
- Flow GirlminorFlow Girl partnership supporting girls' programs.
- SimamaminorSimama partnership supporting Daraja's educational initiatives.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves12 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Daraja Academy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Free The Children / WE Charity: International youth-empowerment nonprofit with school-building and leadership-development programming, comparable youth-activism channel (analogous to Daraja Clubs) and girls' education focus.
- Room to Read: Large global nonprofit focused on literacy and girls' education across Asia and Africa, with broader geographic scope and significantly larger budget but overlapping mission around girls' secondary education and life skills.
- Malala Fund: Global girls' education advocacy and grantmaking organization led by Malala Yousafzai, with overlapping SDG-aligned girls' secondary education focus but primarily an advocacy/funder rather than direct school operator.
Emerging players
- Because International: Smaller US-based nonprofit focused on girls' empowerment and education in marginalized communities, with overlapping donor-supported empowerment model but smaller operating scale.
Direct peers
- African Leadership Academy: Pan-African boarding secondary school in South Africa developing African youth leaders, with comparable cohort selection, leadership curriculum, and college placement outcomes.
- Camfed: Multinational nonprofit supporting marginalized girls through secondary and post-secondary education across sub-Saharan Africa, with comparable sponsorship model and alumni network.
- African Schools Foundation: US- and Africa-based nonprofit building and supporting secondary schools in underserved African communities, with comparable donor-supported education model.
- Asante Africa Foundation: East Africa-focused education nonprofit with leadership and life-skills programming for adolescent girls in Kenya and Tanzania, comparable target population and curriculum-extension model.
- PEAS (Promoting Equality in African Schools): UK-headquartered nonprofit operating a network of low-fee secondary schools in Uganda and Zambia serving disadvantaged youth, comparable boarding-school delivery and at-risk student focus.
- Kakenya's Dream: Kenya-based nonprofit operating a boarding secondary school for at-risk Maasai girls, with leadership curriculum and college-readmission focus. Highly comparable in mission, geography, delivery model, and student sponsorship mechanics.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Daraja Academy social profiles
Digital presenceDaraja Academy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Daraja Academy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Daraja Academy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Daraja Academy 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 Daraja Academy
What does Daraja Academy do?
Daraja Academy operates a free four-year residential secondary school in Nanyuki, Kenya, serving marginalized Kenyan girls selected from all 47 counties based on need, academic scores, and leadership potential. The school provides rigorous academic preparation for the KCSE national exams alongside the proprietary W.I.S.H. leadership curriculum, comprehensive boarding care (meals, medical/dental/vision coverage, uniforms, supplies), and trauma-informed counseling. A complementary Transition Program provides 4 months of post-graduation life-skills and entrepreneurial training, while the Alumni Mentorship Program maintains a lifelong support network for graduates.
Is Daraja Academy a public or private company?
Daraja Academy is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Daraja Academy founded?
Daraja Academy was founded in 2009. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Daraja Academy based?
Daraja Academy is headquartered in San Rafael, United States, in the North America region.
How does Daraja Academy make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Student Sponsorship is the primary driver. The others are philanthropic Donations and event Fundraising.
Who are Daraja Academy's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Free The Children / WE Charity, Room to Read and Malala Fund. Because International is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are African Leadership Academy, Camfed, African Schools Foundation, Asante Africa Foundation, PEAS (Promoting Equality in African Schools) and Kakenya's Dream.
Does Daraja Academy have an API?
No public API is recorded for Daraja Academy.
What industry is Daraja Academy in?
Daraja Academy's product category is Secondary Education (Girls' Boarding School). Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAEAF, Transition Programs (Reentry, Workforce Readiness & Life Skills for At-Risk Youth), with a secondary code of EDAKAAAG, Special Education Vocational & Transition Programs (18–22). Its NAICS code is 6111 and its SIC code is 8200.