Ghana Internet Safety Foundation

What Ghana Internet Safety Foundation does

Ghana Internet Safety Foundation (GISF) is a private non-governmental organization founded in 2014 and headquartered in Kumasi, Ghana, with a regional office in Accra. The organization operates the Child Online Protection (COP) Initiative as its flagship program and delivers a portfolio of educational, training, and victim-support services aimed at protecting children from online exploitation, abuse, and harmful content. Core programs include Digital Parenting University for caregivers, ePolice Academy and CyberLaw Academy for law enforcement and legal professionals, Cybersafety Ambassadors for youth peer education, ShieldHer for gender-based online violence victims, and a CSAM reporting hotline operated to INHOPE standards. Supporting Online Victims and Recovering from Pornography Addiction round out the service portfolio.

GISF's technology stack is research-based and content-led rather than software-platform-led. Core technology consists of training curricula and educational frameworks, supported by a small set of technology initiatives: the CitizenCopGhana emergency-services app developed in partnership with KOICA, the Kofi Smart awareness mascot, and MindSafe, an externally developed AI-powered prototype for detecting and preventing online grooming, presented at NOSS 2026. The organization has adopted the INHOPE Take Down Notice system for its reporting hotline, giving it international interoperability for illegal content takedowns.

GISF is funded entirely through donations, grants, and partnership contributions, and provides its services free of charge to beneficiaries. Its go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: direct outreach through schools, churches, marketplaces, and conferences; annual convening via the National Online Safety Summit (NOSS); and partnerships with government (Cyber Security Authority, EOCO, Ghana Police Service), multilateral bodies (UNICEF, UNESCO), and corporate/international partners (KOICA, Microsoft, Praesidio Safeguarding, Childnet International, INHOPE, Childlight). The organization has educated over 5,000 stakeholders and formed Cybersafe Clubs with 1,000+ children since inception, and operates with a lean 1-10 staff supported by volunteers.

Name

Ghana Internet Safety Foundation

Legal name

Ghana Internet Safety Foundation

Website

https://gisfoundation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ghana Internet Safety Foundation is a Ghanaian non-profit founded in 2014 that delivers child online protection education, training, and victim support services to children, parents, educators, law enforcement, and policymakers in Ghana.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child Online Protection Services

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Protection, Child Protection & Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Response (BPAGAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Child Safety & Exploitation Prevention Operations (CSAM detection workflows, escalation) (BPAAALAK), Child Protection & Child Rights (BPAGABAG), Safeguarding, Accountability & Compliance (ESG, Gender/GBV, Do No Harm) (BPADAEAM)

Keywords

• Child online protection
• Internet safety education
• Cybersecurity awareness training
• Digital parenting programs
• Online victim support

Headquarters

HQ city

Accra

HQ country

Ghana

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: GISF accepts donations through its website to support operations and programs. The organization operates as a non-governmental organization dependent on external funding.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ghana Internet Safety Foundation (GISF) is a non-profit organization that delivers education, training, awareness, and support services focused on child online protection in Ghana. Its core offerings include the Child Online Protection (COP) initiative, school and community training programs for children, parents, educators, and law enforcement, a confidential CSAM reporting hotline, and victim support services. Programs are provided free of charge and funded through donations, grants, and partnerships.

Product overview

Ghana Internet Safety Foundation (GISF) is a non-profit organization founded in 2014, operating the Child Online Protection (COP) Initiative as its flagship program. The organization offers a portfolio of educational and support services structured as programs and training offerings rather than a unified software platform. Core programs include the Child Online Protection initiative, Digital Parenting University for parent education, ePolice Academy for law enforcement training, CyberLaw Academy for legal professionals, and Cybersafety Ambassadors for youth empowerment. Support services include ShieldHer for gender-based online violence victims and a CSAM Reporting Hotline for anonymous reporting. The organization also runs awareness initiatives including the Kofi Smart mascot, the National Online Safety Summit (NOSS), and community outreach through CyberMums and iLearn2Teach training series. GISF has also supported development of MindSafe, an AI-powered prototype for detecting online grooming. The portfolio emphasizes education, awareness, training, and community engagement over software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Child Online Protection Initiative (COP): The flagship initiative focused on protecting children online from exploitation, abuse, and harmful content.
• Kofi S.M.A.R.T
• ShieldHer
• CyberMums
• National Online Safety Summit (NOSS)

Products and services

• Child Online Protection (COP)
• CyberLaw Academy
• ePolice Academy
• Digital Parenting University
• Cybersafety Ambassadors
• iLearn2Teach Series
• ShieldHer – Empower & Recover
• Supporting Online Victims
• Recovering From Pornography Addiction
• Security Awareness Training
• CSAM Reporting Hotline
• National Online Safety Summit (NOSS)
• MindSafe
• CyberSAFE Programme
• Kofi S.M.A.R.T Mascot
• CitizenCopGhana App

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 5,000 students, educators, parents, and professionals educated since founding in 2014
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Praesidio SafeguardingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026UK-based child safeguarding organization and key partner in organizing the National Online Safety Summit (NOSS) 2026. Collaborated with GISF to pay courtesy call on Cyber Security Authority and provide logistical support for Child Online Protection activities.
• Cyber Security Authority (CSA) GhanacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Ghana's national authority for cybersecurity and child online protection. GISF participates in validation workshops for COP Guidelines, stakeholder meetings, and coordinates on national child protection efforts.
• Digital Aid InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Collaboration on CyberMums Edition of Digital Parenting and market activation programs. Partners bring digital safety directly into communities.
• National Council of Parent Teacher AssociationsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Partner in CyberMums Initiative to bring digital parenting education to caregivers and parents across Ghana.
• Childlight - Global Child Safety InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026International partner represented at NOSS 2026, sharing expertise on collaboration and innovative use of technology in protecting children online.
• INHOPEcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2026GISF has adopted the INHOPE Take Down Notice (TDN) system for its hotline, ensuring international standards for reporting and removing illegal content.
• Ghana Police ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Collaboration on law enforcement training through ePolice Academy and ongoing stakeholder meetings on child online protection.
• EOCO (Economic and Organized Crime Office)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Signed MoU to strengthen collaboration on economic and organized crime issues related to online exploitation and child protection in Ghana.
• OAfricaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaboration on child protection training. GISF Spearheads Crucial Child Protection Training with OAfrica and E-Ananse Library on topics including online bullying, sexual abuse, and child labor.
• KNUST Peer CounselorsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaboration on cyber trauma and online safety training for university peer counselors, addressing digital well-being and mental health protection.
• Microsoft VolunteerscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Microsoft Corporation volunteers supported the CyberSAFE Programme for selected schools in Ghana, providing educational presentations and workshops on social media skills and internet safety.
• WiCyS West Africa (Women in Cybersecurity)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023MoU signed to boost collaboration on intensifying online safety and cybersecurity efforts. Both organizations share the vision of eliminating dangers of exposing children to the negative aspects of the internet.
• Cyber Bells FoundationminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Industry partner joining GISF in donating educational resources to the Cybersecurity Authority for Child Online Protection awareness campaign.
• UNICEF GhanacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership on COP Guidelines validation workshop organized by Cyber Security Authority, focusing on practical strategies for making online world safer for children.
• South Korean Government (KOICA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Korea International Cooperation Agency partnered with GISF to deliver ICT training through 16 ICT Volunteers skilled in Mobile App and Website Development. The partnership resulted in the CitizenCopGhana App.
• UK Safer Internet Centre / Childnet InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Courtesy call marking first step in international outreach efforts. GISF seeks global approach to tackling Internet Safety challenges in Ghana and West Africa.
• UNESCO GhanacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partner involved in Ghana's Child Online Protection Framework development.
• YMCA GhanaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization hosting GISF head office and collaborating on various child protection initiatives.
• Christian Council of GhanaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization visible in GISF's partner logos, supporting child online protection efforts.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Childnet International: UK-based charity that runs the UK Safer Internet Centre and focuses on children's internet safety. Direct peer: GISF has held formal courtesy calls with Childnet/UK Safer Internet Centre as part of international outreach, and both deliver school-based digital safety programs.
• INHOPE: Global network of internet hotlines for reporting Child Sexual Abuse Material. Direct peer: GISF has adopted INHOPE's Take Down Notice standard and operates a CSAM reporting hotline within INHOPE's international framework.
• Praesidio Safeguarding: UK-based child safeguarding organization. Direct peer: named core strategic partner of GISF, co-organizer of NOSS 2026, and collaborator on Ghana Child Online Protection activities with the Cyber Security Authority.
• Childlight – Global Child Safety Institute: International research and policy institute focused on child safety, including online child exploitation. Direct peer: a current strategic partner of GISF and co-participant in NOSS 2026, operating in overlapping thematic territory on child online protection research and advocacy.

Broad incumbents

• Thorn: US-based non-profit that builds technology to defend children from sexual abuse online. Broad incumbent: shares GISF's interest in technology-enabled detection (cf. MindSafe) and child safety policy, but operates with substantially larger funding and engineering capacity.
• Plan International: Global non-profit advancing children's rights and equality. Broad incumbent: comparable child rights and protection mission including online safety programming, with global footprint and substantially larger donor base than a single-country NGO.
• ECPAT International: Global network of organizations working to end the sexual exploitation of children. Broad incumbent: operates at the international policy level on child protection frameworks comparable to GISF's COP initiative, but with global reach and established institutional funding.
• National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC): US-based non-profit operating the CyberTipline and leading child exploitation prevention efforts. Broad incumbent: comparable scope on online child exploitation response and policy advocacy, but at vastly greater scale and resourcing.
• Internet Watch Foundation (IWF): UK-based reporting hotline for child sexual abuse imagery online. Broad incumbent: comparable mission to GISF's CSAM reporting hotline, but operates at significantly larger scale with an established international reputation.

Emerging players

• Cyber Peace Foundation: India-based non-profit working on cyber safety, child online protection, and digital literacy. Emerging peer: comparable NGO profile delivering child online safety awareness, helplines, and capacity building in a single national/regional market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/gisf
• Facebookfacebook.com/gisfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gisfgh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Ghana Internet Safety Foundation