Friends Without A Border

What Friends Without A Border does

Friends Without A Border (FWAB) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1995 by Japanese photographer Kenro Izu after witnessing a child die in Cambodia because her family could not afford a $2 medicine. The organization's mission is to provide free, compassionate, high-quality pediatric healthcare to children in underserved regions of Southeast Asia. It is headquartered in New York at 101 Avenue of the Americas (#943) with a sister fundraising office (FWAB Japan) established in Tokyo in 1996, and it operates without any parent company, equity holders, or institutional investors, being funded 100% by private donors and charitable partners across the US, Japan, Canada, the UK, Germany, Australia/New Zealand, and Singapore. A founding board member (Akiko Arai) and the founder both remain active in the organization's leadership.

FWAB's core operating asset is Lao Friends Hospital for Children (LFHC), a 52-bed pediatric teaching hospital in Luang Prabang, Laos that opened on February 11, 2015 and is the only provider of free, high-quality healthcare for children in Northern Laos. The hospital delivers care across 11 departments (Emergency, Pediatric ICU, Neonatal Unit, Surgery, and specialty clinics) and treats approximately 45,000 children annually at no cost to patients, sustained entirely by donations. LFHC has developed specialty expertise in neonatal gastroschisis (55 cases since 2017) and operates Northern Laos' first Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Beyond direct care, the organization runs a Prevention Programme for childhood malnutrition (in collaboration with UNICEF), a District Hospital Support Program training personnel in 12 surrounding district hospitals (in partnership with Child's Dream and the Luang Prabang Provincial Health Department), and recurring international surgical missions (Eye From Zion, Children Action, MyLaoSMILE, ASAP/SEEDS-Seating). FWAB's earlier hospital, Angkor Hospital for Children in Siem Reap, Cambodia, was transferred to local Cambodian management in January 2013 after treating nearly 2 million children; FWAB retains an affiliated relationship with The Lake Clinic serving floating communities on Tonle Sap Lake.

FWAB's revenue model is donation-based, accepting contributions via credit card, PayPal, Venmo, Donor-Advised Funds, retirement account QCDs, stock and securities, cryptocurrency, and real estate, processed through a network of international fiscal sponsors (CW Asia Fund, Maecenata Foundation, NPT Transatlantic, Global Development Group, Give.Asia, FreeWill). The organization markets itself through its website, monthly e-newsletters, social media, annual reports, video content, patient storytelling, and annual fundraising galas in New York and Luang Prabang. With only 23 recorded employees in the firmographic record, the in-country clinical workforce is large and is supplemented by founding-tied board leadership, long-term volunteers, and recurring international mission teams — a deployment model typical of a small-footprint global health nonprofit rather than a conventional employer.

Name

Friends Without A Border

Legal name

Friends Without A Border

Website

https://fwab.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Friends Without A Border is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates Lao Friends Hospital for Children in Luang Prabang, Laos, providing free pediatric healthcare to approximately 45,000 children annually across 11 specialty departments, funded entirely by private donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pediatric Healthcare Services (Nonprofit)

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (624110), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Hospitals (8060), Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s Hospitals & Pediatric Health Systems (HLAFAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bilateral Development & Global Health Cooperation Programs (HLAJAOAB), School-Based & Community Women’s/Children’s Health Clinics (HLAFAJAO)

Keywords

• Pediatric healthcare services
• Free children's hospital
• Nonprofit medical care
• Pediatric teaching hospital
• Child nutrition programs

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Private Donations: Friends Without A Border is 100 percent funded by private donors. The organization accepts donations via credit card, PayPal, Venmo, check, Donor-Advised Funds, retirement account donations, stock and securities, cryptocurrency, and real estate. They also partner with organizations globally to enable tax-deductible donations from various countries including Canada, Germany, UK, Australia/New Zealand, Japan, and Singapore.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Friends Without A Border operates Lao Friends Hospital for Children (LFHC), a 52-bed free pediatric teaching hospital in Luang Prabang, Laos, providing comprehensive medical care to children ages 0–15 across 11 departments (Emergency, ICU, Neonatal Unit, Surgery, Outpatient, and specialty clinics). All services are delivered at no cost to patients and families, with funding sourced entirely from private donors. The organization also runs the District Hospital Support Program training rural healthcare workers, the Prevention Programme addressing child malnutrition, and partners with international surgical missions for specialist care.

Product overview

Friends Without A Border operates a network of healthcare facilities and programs focused on providing free pediatric care in Southeast Asia. The core offering is Lao Friends Hospital for Children (LFHC), a 52-bed teaching hospital in Luang Prabang, Laos that treats approximately 45,000 children annually at no cost. Previously, FWAB operated Angkor Hospital for Children in Cambodia (now locally managed since 2013). The organization also supports The Lake Clinic serving floating communities in Cambodia's Tonle Sap. LFHC provides comprehensive pediatric services through 11 departments including Emergency, ICU, Neonatal Unit, and specialty clinics covering burns care, endocrinology (Type 1 Diabetes), ophthalmology, and adaptive seating for disabilities. FWAB Japan serves as the sister fundraising office in Tokyo. Programs extend beyond direct care to include the District Hospital Support Program training rural healthcare workers and the Prevention Programme addressing childhood malnutrition through community outreach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lao Friends Hospital for Children (LFHC) 52-bed pediatric teaching hospital in Luang Prabang, Laos providing completely free, high-quality healthcare to children of northern Laos. Operates 11 departments including Emergency, ICU, Neonatal Unit, Surgical Theater, and specialty clinics. Treats approximately 45,000 children annually at no cost to families.
• District Hospital Support Program 3-year training program for medical and nursing personnel in 12 surrounding district hospitals covering triage, diagnosis, and treatment of common childhood illnesses. Designed to reduce patient overflow to LFHC by building rural capacity.
• Prevention Programme Community health program addressing childhood malnutrition through growth monitoring, MUAC screening, and nutrition training. Prevention teams travel to villages and communities, collaborate with UNICEF, and provide health education including distribution of MUAC tapes to mothers.
• Neonatal Unit and Surgical Theater Neonatal Unit provides specialized care for newborns (including the gastroschisis program); Surgical Theater provides general and specialist pediatric surgeries for children in northern Laos.
• Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) Northern Laos' first dedicated Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, providing critical care including ventilation, intubation, and monitoring for critically ill children. Established by Dr. Pom Sodaluck.
• Neonatal Gastroschisis Care Program Specialized treatment for gastroschisis, a rare congenital condition. LFHC is the only hospital in Northern Laos equipped to treat it, having admitted 55 neonates with gastroschisis since 2017 with protocols developed through international volunteer support.
• Endocrine Clinic (Type 1 Diabetes Program) Specialized clinic providing ongoing care for children with Type 1 Diabetes. Provides free insulin medication, blood monitoring test kits, regular outpatient checkups, and continuous education from diagnosis through adulthood.
• Pediatric Burns Care Program Comprehensive burn treatment and rehabilitation services for children, including wound care, pain management, nutritional support, surgeries for scar contractures, and rehabilitation. Partners with Children Action for specialist surgical missions.
• Pediatric Ophthalmology Services Eye surgery services for children including corrective procedures for congenital conditions and complex abnormalities. Partners with Eye From Zion (Israel) for surgical missions and Hikarikanata Foundation (Japan) for follow-up care.
• Adaptive Seating Program Provides custom adaptive chairs for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities such as cerebral palsy. Partnership with ASAP and SEEDS-Seating from Japan includes local staff training in adaptive seating construction.

Quantifiable outcome

• 45,000 children treated annually at no cost
• +3 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Angkor Hospital for ChildrenminorOthersAngkor Hospital for Children (AHC) in Siem Reap, Cambodia was the first hospital built by Friends Without A Border in 1999. In 2013, FWAB transferred administration of AHC to local Cambodian management, realizing the founding vision of a locally-run independent organization. AHC treated nearly 2 million children and was deemed one of only three essential healthcare institutions in Cambodia.
• The Lake ClinicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Lake Clinic was founded in 2007 by Jon Morgan, former executive director of Angkor Hospital for Children. It provides basic healthcare, disease surveillance, and medical referrals to underserved floating communities on the Tonle Sap lake in Cambodia. TLC USA was established as a charitable organization in the United States.
• FWAB JapancoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFriends Without A Border's sister office in Tokyo, Japan opened in 1996. Friends Japan raised millions of dollars for Angkor Hospital for Children and currently collaborates in fundraising efforts to support Lao Friends Hospital for Children. Located at Yamada Building 6F, 1-14-11 Higashi Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo.
• UNICEFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNICEF invited LFHC's Prevention Team to southern Laos to support implementation of Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) and Prevention activities. UNICEF collaborates with LFHC on child nutrition guidelines for Laos.
• Eye From ZioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEye From Zion is a nonprofit organization from Israel that sent a team of medical volunteers to perform the first eye surgical mission at LFHC. They performed 25 transformative procedures and have confirmed their return in February 2026 for additional surgeries and follow-up assessments.
• Children ActioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChildren Action sends specialist surgical teams to help children with burn injuries, scarring, and contractures. Their 4th mission to LFHC in December 2025 operated on 15 patients. They also provide training and hands-on guidance to strengthen long-term burn care and recovery. Partnership began in 2023.
• MyLaoSMILEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMyLaoSMILE is a team of Singapore surgeons who have returned multiple times to LFHC to perform cleft lip and palate and burns surgery missions, transforming the lives of children in Laos.
• ASAP and SEEDS-SeatingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAsian Seating Assistance Project (ASAP) and SEEDS-Seating, both organizations from Japan, collaborate with LFHC to provide adaptive seating for children with disabilities. Eight children in Laos received their first adaptive chairs in August 2025 through this partnership.
• Luang Prabang Provincial Health DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLFHC's District Hospital Support Program was established in 2022 in collaboration with the Luang Prabang Provincial Health Department. LFHC signed a new Memorandum of Understanding with the Lao Government on June 4, 2025.
• CW Asia FundminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCW Asia Fund is a registered Canadian charity funding projects that advance education and alleviate poverty in Southeast Asia. Canadian residents can make tax-deductible donations to LFHC or Angkor Hospital for Children through this fund.
• Maecenata FoundationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMaecenata Foundation is a German non-profit association facilitating transnational giving. German residents can make tax-deductible donations to LFHC via the Maecenata program. They keep maximum 5% of donation amounts, with at least 95% going directly to LFHC.
• NPT TransatlanticminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFriends Without A Border has a designated fund at NPT Transatlantic to receive contributions from UK supporters who may receive UK tax receipts.
• Global Development GroupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAustralian and New Zealand residents can make tax-deductible donations to LFHC through Global Development Group's project J946N which supports salaries of 5 doctors at the hospital.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Angkor Hospital for Children: The original FWAB hospital in Siem Reap, Cambodia, transferred to local management in 2013 but continues as a free pediatric teaching hospital under Cambodian administration. It is the most direct peer — same founder, same model, same patient population (Southeast Asian children), now operating independently.
• Sihanouk Hospital Center of Hope: Free hospital in Phnom Penh, Cambodia providing adult and pediatric care to underserved populations. Comparable as a foreign-supported charitable hospital serving impoverished Cambodian patients with a similar mission-driven, donor-funded model.
• Burma Children Medical Fund: Provides free medical treatment to children in Burma/Myanmar through referral and sponsorship, including complex surgeries. Comparable as a Southeast Asia-focused pediatric charity that funds care for children who cannot afford treatment.
• Child's Dream: Mekong-region nonprofit supporting health and education initiatives for children; specifically funds FWAB's District Hospital Support Program. Comparable in geography, mission, target population, and partnership-driven operating model.
• The Lake Clinic: Cambodia-based floating-clinic nonprofit serving Tonle Sap lake communities; founded by a former FWAB/AHC executive director and currently listed as a partner project on FWAB's website. Direct organizational linkage and similar charitable health-delivery model for underserved Southeast Asian populations.

Emerging players

• Bali Kids Project: Indonesia-based nonprofit providing healthcare, education and safe housing for disadvantaged children in Bali. Comparable in mission (children's health access in Southeast Asia) and operating model (donor-funded, programmatic, prevention-focused).

Broad incumbents

• Smile Train: Global nonprofit focused on cleft lip and palate surgery in developing countries. Comparable as a charity that funds pediatric surgical missions (an area where LFHC also partners with MyLaoSMILE), but operating at much larger scale.
• Operation Smile: Global nonprofit providing free surgeries to children with cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities in developing countries. Comparable mission and surgical-mission delivery model to LFHC's partnership with MyLaoSMILE.
• Partners In Health: Global health nonprofit operating hospitals and clinics in resource-poor settings worldwide. Comparable as a charity running free healthcare facilities for impoverished populations, though at vastly larger scale and broader geographic scope.
• Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders): International medical humanitarian organization delivering emergency and pediatric care in conflict and low-resource settings. Comparable in mission (free healthcare for underserved children globally), though operating at vastly greater scale and with a different funding model. Note: FWAB explicitly states it is not affiliated with MSF.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Friends Without A Border