HANDS INTERNATIONAL
HANDS International is a UK-registered charity (CIO, established 2014) that runs integrated humanitarian and community-development programmes — healthcare, education, WASH, disaster relief, shelter, and livelihood support — across nine countries, delivered through 6,300+ CBO partners and reaching millions of beneficiaries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What HANDS INTERNATIONAL does
HANDS International is a UK-registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation (Charity No. 1156471), headquartered at 483 Green Lanes, London N13 4BS, that functions as the international fundraising and coordination arm of the broader HANDS network, which originated with HANDS Pakistan in 1979. HANDS International UK was established in January 2014 and operates without a parent company, employing 48 staff in the UK to support a network of 6,300+ community-based organisation (CBO) partners across nine countries.
The organisation delivers integrated humanitarian and community-development programmes spanning healthcare (including a documented Ghana cataract-surgery camp delivered with Ashanti Development), education, water/sanitation (WASH), disaster management, shelter, and livelihood support. Documented reach includes 122,000+ shelter beneficiaries and 1.29 million livelihoods beneficiaries, with operational responses in displacement and conflict contexts including the Rohingya/Burma crisis and a 2025 Gaza emergency programme. Programme delivery is conducted through local CBO partners rather than large in-country staff, with the London HQ providing coordination, fundraising, and technical oversight.
Revenue (which is more accurately characterised as gross charitable income) is generated through institutional grants from donors including UKAID, Medico International, and Qatar Charity, foundation and corporate support including MCEC, and a substantial long tail of individual donations augmented by community-fundraising events tied to mosque networks and diaspora giving. Pricing/contract mechanics are donor-driven rather than commercial — institutional grants are project-funded, while individual giving is voluntary. The principal customer base is therefore donor and grant-maker constituencies rather than programme beneficiaries, who are the recipients rather than payers of services.
HANDS INTERNATIONAL firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- HANDS INTERNATIONAL
- Legal name
- Health And Nutrition Development Society International
- Website
- https://handsinternational.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- HANDS International is a UK-registered charity (CIO, established 2014) that runs integrated humanitarian and community-development programmes — healthcare, education, WASH, disaster relief, shelter, and livelihood support — across nine countries, delivered through 6,300+ CBO partners and reaching millions of beneficiaries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
HANDS INTERNATIONAL industry classification
Industry- Product category
- International Humanitarian Aid and Community Development
- NAICS
- Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219), Community Food Services (624210)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cash & Voucher Assistance (CVA) and Emergency Livelihood Support (BPAGAAAJ), Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming (BPADAEAK), Emergency Shelter, NFIs & Winterization for Displaced Populations (BPADAHAG)
Keywords
Where HANDS INTERNATIONAL is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
HANDS INTERNATIONAL business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Charitable Donations (Individual): Individual donors contribute funds through online donation platforms (NowDonate, PayPal, TotalGiving), bank transfers, and cheque donations. The charity advertises a 100% donation policy and accepts Zakat and Sadaqah contributions. One-off food baskets (£40), tube wells (£270), and general fund donations are offered.
- Institutional Grants and Corporate/Foundation Funding: Grants from institutional donors including UK Aid (UKAID), UN Muslim Welfare, Life USA, Baitul Maal USA, Children In Need, Al Khair Foundation, and Medico International (€20,000 donated for Nepal earthquake). HANDS International also receives support from mosque congregations and community organisations.
- Fundraising Events: Community fundraising events such as the Gaza Food Fair (raised £12,000+) and volunteer-led soup kitchens. The charity also facilitates corporate-matched giving and volunteer-driven campaigns.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Ramadan Food Basket — £40 per family |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Tube Well — £270 per installation |
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Cataract Surgery — free to patients |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Temporary Learning Centre (TLC) — $1,500 per unit |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Vaccination — approximately £10 per person |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Iftari Meal — £0.80 per person |
| Unit Pricing | Monthly | Household Vegetable Support — approximately £10 per month |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
HANDS INTERNATIONAL product offering
Product offeringCore offering
HANDS International is a UK-registered humanitarian charity that delivers integrated community development programs across Healthcare, Education, WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), Disaster Management, and Shelter & Livelihood, serving refugees, internally displaced people and under-served communities. Programs are implemented directly and through a network of more than 6,300 grassroots CBO partner organisations across nine countries/regions, funded primarily through individual donations, grants and sponsorships.
Product overview
HANDS International is a humanitarian charity organization offering an integrated development model comprising five core service areas: Healthcare, Education, WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene), Disaster Management, and Shelter & Livelihood. These services are delivered through grassroots partnerships with 6,300 organizations globally. The organization also runs specific project programs including HANDS 4 Rohingya refugee support, Gaza relief, Yemen Hope & Relief, UK-based homeless outreach, and education in emergencies initiatives in Nepal.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- HANDS 4 Rohingya (#H4R): A project of HANDS International focused on providing aid to Rohingya refugees, including education, water access (tube wells), fire emergency response, orphan support, and livelihood programs.
- Yemen Hope & Relief
- Support 4 Gaza
Products and services
- Healthcare programme Healthcare programs delivered to refugees, internally displaced persons and under-served communities across 9 countries/regions, delivered directly and through 6,300+ CBO partners.
- Education programme Education in emergencies and longer-term schooling delivered through Temporary Learning Centres and partner schools for displaced and refugee children across 9 countries/regions.
- WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) programme Provision of clean water, sanitation and hygiene services to communities in need through household filters (PAUL), community hand pumps and reverse osmosis plants across 9 countries/regions.
- Disaster Management programme Emergency disaster response operations delivering modular aid kits — food packs, hygiene kits, tarpaulins, tents and shelter materials — to affected populations.
- Shelter & Livelihood programme Shelter construction and livelihood support for refugees, internally displaced persons and under-served communities, combining emergency shelter with longer-term income-generation activities.
Quantifiable outcome
- 122,953 low-cost flood-resistant shelters built; 6,887 villages/settlements rebuilt; livelihood programmes benefiting 1.29 million people
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use HANDS INTERNATIONAL
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
HANDS INTERNATIONAL technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
HANDS INTERNATIONAL partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- MCEC (Muslim Community & Education Centre)coreMCEC (Palmers Green Mosque) is HANDS International's longest-standing and most significant strategic partner. MCEC co-funds and co-delivers projects across multiple countries including Calais vaccination clinics, Gaza food basket distributions, Greece refugee support, and UK homeless feeding programmes. MCEC trustees and congregation members provide volunteers, funding, and community reach.
- Hands Pakistan (Health And Nutrition Development Society)coreHANDS Pakistan, founded in 1979, is the sister organisation and predecessor of HANDS International. It brings 45+ years of development experience and a network of local expertise. HANDS International builds on the 45-year experience of HANDS Pakistan. The two organisations collaborate on disaster responses (e.g., Nepal earthquake medical team sent by HANDS Pakistan under HANDS International coordination).
- Ashanti DevelopmentmajorPartnership for free cataract surgery camp in Gyetiase, Ghana. Ashanti Development collaborated with HANDS International and MCEC to provide 501 free cataract surgeries, providing local community connections and operational support for the medical camp.
- ECCA (Environmental Conservation and Adaptation — Nepal)majorECCA is the Nepalese implementing partner for HANDS International's education in emergencies response to the 2015 Nepal earthquake. Signed MoU with District Education Department Sindhupalchowk to establish 15 TLCs for 600 earthquake-affected children. ECCA receives TLC-related technical skills and training modules from HANDS International.
- Kathmandu Teaching Hospital / Rehabilitation Response / Ministry of Health (Nepal)majorLocal Nepalese government and institutional partners coordinating HANDS International's medical response team (including orthopaedic surgeons, doctors, anaesthetists, and paramedics) for the 2015 Nepal earthquake emergency surgical camps.
- ACS Egham International School (UK)minorUK school partnered with HANDS International Nepal in 2016 on Project Nepal to address malnutrition in the Jana Bhawana community, providing funding for Nepalese staff, solar lamps, and winterisation kits for students.
- LSE (London School of Economics) — GIVE SocietymajorLSE student Islamic society 'GIVE' partnered with HANDS International and MCEC to run soup kitchens for London's homeless, reaching 150+ beneficiaries per session. This partnership won the FOSIS Best Community Outreach Initiative Award 2018-19.
- Homeless Action in Barnet (HAB)minorUK charity receiving donations of hundreds of good quality clothes from HANDS International. HAB provides day centre services, tenancy support, and health services to homeless individuals in Barnet.
- HART (Hazardous Area Response Team) — London Ambulance Service, IsleworthminorFour paramedics from HART volunteered with HANDS International for a humanitarian mission to Thessaloniki, Greece (January 2022), providing first aid training, safeguarding awareness, and major incident training to charity workers in refugee camps.
- Yemen Hope and Relief (YHR)majorYHR, founded by Ahmad Algohbary, is HANDS International's key partner for Yemen operations. YHR provides deep local knowledge and on-ground presence for identifying the most vulnerable families and distributing food baskets and winter blankets in Hajjah governorate, Yemen.
- Rohingya Christian Community in IndiaminorPartnership with Rohingya Christian community in India to bring education to Rohingya children in a remote area of Rakhine State, Burma. Jointly constructed and operated the Taung Chaung Literacy Centre (TCLC) serving 65 students in 2022.
- Palmers Green MosquecoreCo-organiser with HANDS International of the Gaza Food Fair which raised £12,000+ from the local community. Provides venue, volunteer network, and fundraising infrastructure for UK-based humanitarian campaigns.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
HANDS INTERNATIONAL competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Islamic Relief Worldwide: UK-headquartered Muslim humanitarian charity operating across emergency relief, WASH, healthcare, and livelihood programmes globally. Directly comparable in donor base, faith-based positioning, Zakat/Sadaqah focus, and multi-country operating model.
- Al-Khair Foundation: UK-based Muslim charity providing humanitarian relief, food aid, education, and healthcare internationally. Closely comparable faith-based positioning and UK Muslim donor base; also a listed financial partner of HANDS International.
- HANDS Pakistan: Sister organisation and predecessor of HANDS International, founded in 1979. Operates the same integrated community development model (healthcare, education, WASH, disaster management, shelter/livelihood) at much larger scale in Pakistan.
- Human Appeal: UK-based Muslim humanitarian charity with programmes in food security, WASH, healthcare, and emergency response across the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Closely comparable in faith-based positioning, integrated service model, and country footprint.
- Penny Appeal: UK-headquartered Muslim charity delivering emergency relief, water projects, orphan sponsorship, and livelihood programmes. Comparable in small-ticket UK Muslim donor base, Zakat-driven fundraising, and emphasis on tangible unit-cost interventions (e.g., water wells, food packs).
- Muslim Aid: UK-registered Muslim humanitarian NGO delivering emergency relief, food security, and development programmes in crisis-affected countries. Overlaps directly with HANDS on donor base, charity positioning, refugee/displaced persons support, and UK Muslim community fundraising.
Broad incumbents
- Save the Children UK: UK-registered humanitarian NGO focused on children's rights, education in emergencies, healthcare, and disaster response. Comparable on Nepal EiE/Temporary Learning Centres work and on refugee/displaced children programming, though at significantly larger institutional scale.
- Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF): Global medical humanitarian organisation delivering emergency healthcare in conflict and disaster zones. Comparable in healthcare delivery to refugees and crisis-affected populations (e.g., Calais vaccination work), though at vastly larger scale and without faith-based positioning.
- Oxfam GB: Major UK-registered humanitarian and development NGO operating integrated programmes in WASH, livelihoods, education, and emergency response. Comparable integrated service model but at much larger scale and with a secular, mainstream donor base.
- UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency): Mandated UN agency for refugee protection and assistance worldwide. Overlaps with HANDS on Rohingya, Gaza, Yemen, and Greek refugee operations; serves as both a potential coordination partner and a much larger incumbent in the same aid category.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
HANDS INTERNATIONAL social profiles
Digital presenceHANDS INTERNATIONAL compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
HANDS INTERNATIONAL financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
HANDS INTERNATIONAL leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
HANDS INTERNATIONAL funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
HANDS INTERNATIONAL 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 HANDS INTERNATIONAL
What does HANDS INTERNATIONAL do?
HANDS International is a UK-registered humanitarian charity that delivers integrated community development programs across Healthcare, Education, WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), Disaster Management, and Shelter & Livelihood, serving refugees, internally displaced people and under-served communities. Programs are implemented directly and through a network of more than 6,300 grassroots CBO partner organisations across nine countries/regions, funded primarily through individual donations, grants and sponsorships.
Is HANDS INTERNATIONAL a public or private company?
HANDS INTERNATIONAL is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was HANDS INTERNATIONAL founded?
HANDS INTERNATIONAL was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is HANDS INTERNATIONAL based?
HANDS INTERNATIONAL is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does HANDS INTERNATIONAL make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Charitable Donations (Individual) is the primary driver. The others are institutional Grants and Corporate/Foundation Funding and fundraising Events.
Who are HANDS INTERNATIONAL's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Islamic Relief Worldwide, Al-Khair Foundation, HANDS Pakistan, Human Appeal, Penny Appeal and Muslim Aid. Broad incumbents are Save the Children UK, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Oxfam GB and UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency).
Does HANDS INTERNATIONAL have an API?
No public API is recorded for HANDS INTERNATIONAL.
What industry is HANDS INTERNATIONAL in?
HANDS INTERNATIONAL's product category is International Humanitarian Aid and Community Development. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAAAH, Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance, with a secondary code of BPAGAAAJ, Cash & Voucher Assistance (CVA) and Emergency Livelihood Support. Its NAICS code is 813410 and its SIC code is 8300.