What Themba Hope Project does

Themba Hope Project is a Norwegian-registered non-profit foundation (stiftelse, registered in Brønnøysundsregisteret) that delivers aid programs for vulnerable children and families in Zimbabwe. Founded in 2012 and re-registered under its current name in February 2025, it operates through a portfolio of branded programs including Hope-Education (sponsorship of children's schooling), Hope-Orphanage (residential care), Hope-Drop-in (community drop-in services), Hope-Families (microloans), and Hope Student Loan. Program delivery is executed in-country through local partner Midlands Children Hope Trust, which runs operations in the Mkoba / Gweru area with 7 local employees on the ground, supported remotely by Norwegian volunteer founders and board members.

Funding is sourced primarily from individual Norwegian sponsors (~126-153 sponsors in recent annual disclosures), individual donations, occasional institutional grants (notably a 2026 PAF/Karpe grant of 110,000 NOK), and community fundraising events such as the Hope Stars participation in the Norway Cup football tournament. Annual turnover is approximately 1 million NOK (~$95K-$100K). Pro-bono specialist partnerships, including Architects Without Borders Norway (community center design from 2022) and Engineers Without Borders Norway (2026 solar and Starlink site modernization), lower execution cost and underpin infrastructure ambitions.

The organization is currently transitioning into a higher-capex operating model with land purchased in Mkoba in 2022 for a community center now moving to construction, augmented by solar power and Starlink connectivity upgrades. Business model is a classic sponsor-driven charity: recurring donor relationships, periodic foundation grants, and event-based fundraising, with no commercial revenue, no pricing model in the conventional sense, and go-to-market executed through personal donor networks and Norwegian community channels rather than paid marketing.

Name

Themba Hope Project

Legal name

Themba Hope Project

Website

https://hopeproject.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Themba Hope Project is a Norwegian-registered non-profit foundation supporting vulnerable children and families in Zimbabwe through education sponsorship, orphanage care, drop-in services, and microloans, delivered via local partner Midlands Children Hope Trust and funded by Norwegian individual donors and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Aid Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Support Services (611710), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

NGO/Nonprofit Education Programs & Service Delivery (EDADALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB), Volunteer Program Funding, Scholarships & Fundraising Support (EDAIAGAO), Dropout Prevention, Alternative Education & Re-Engagement Nonprofits (BPAGADAL), Humanitarian Health & Emergency Medical Relief NGOs (HLAJAKAE)

Keywords

• Child sponsorship programs
• Orphanage services
• Microloan programs
• Education sponsorship
• Humanitarian aid

Headquarters

HQ city

Nesbyen

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Monthly Sponsorship Program: Individual donors commit to recurring monthly donations of self-selected amounts to support specific children, education, or general operations. Provides predictable income enabling long-term planning.
2. One-time Donations: Single donations for specific purposes such as community center construction, emergency aid, Christmas campaigns, or specific project needs like bricks for innovation center
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of hand-drawn t-shirts created by orphanage children (200-300 NOK), providing income while creating donor engagement
4. Foundation Grants: Grants from foundations such as Patel & Abdelmaguid Foundation (PAF) providing 110,000 NOK for community center perimeter wall construction
5. Norwegian Gaming Authority (Grasrotandelen): Registered as Grasrotmottaker, receiving 7% of players' stakes from Norwegian gamblers who select them as recipient

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Themba Hope Project operates a network of charitable programs supporting vulnerable children and families in Gweru/Mkoba, Zimbabwe, including school-fee sponsorship, university student loans, two residential children's homes, a daily drop-in center for street children, microloan programs for families and street girls, a plastic-recycling initiative, an in-development community innovation hub, and a professional-volunteer exchange program. The Norwegian foundation funds and directs these programs, with all donations going directly to projects in Zimbabwe while separate sponsors cover administrative costs.

Product overview

Themba Hope Project operates a network of interconnected programs designed to support vulnerable children and families in Zimbabwe through a comprehensive 'help to self-help' approach. The core portfolio includes Hope-Education and Hope-Student Loan for educational support, Hope-Orphanage and Hope-Drop-in for residential care, Hope-Class and Hope-Medical for community services, Hope-Families and Hope-Girls for microloan programs, Hope-Recycling for environmental sustainability, and Hope-Center for the planned community innovation hub. Supporting programs like Hope-Entrepreneur, Hope-Intern (Professional Exchange), and Hope-Stars provide additional pathways for development. All programs are designed to be sustainable and self-sufficient, with the goal of helping individuals stand on their own feet without depending on external donations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hope-Education School fee sponsorship program that pays for education, uniforms, and supplies for children at the orphanage and from the local community in Zimbabwe. Supported 153 children in 2024.
• Hope-Student Loan University and vocational training loan program providing 50% financial support for students who fundraise the remaining 50%, with 5% interest repaid over 5 years after graduation.
• Hope-Orphanage Two residential children's homes in Mkoba township housing up to 20 children and two house mothers, with solar power, solar water heating, vegetable garden, and community facilities. 93 children have grown up at the orphanage since 1996.
• Hope-Drop-in Daily hot meals, education, guidance, and support services for street children in Gweru, providing a safe meeting place and rehabilitation support.
• Hope-Class Weekly interactive classes with professional teachers from local and international volunteers, providing motivational knowledge and skills to 65 children in the community.
• Hope-Medical Monthly medical support fund providing USD 100 for critical medical needs at the orphanage plus a USD 400 emergency fund.
• Hope-Families Microloan program providing USD 100 start-up loans to vulnerable families to create income-generating projects, with training in entrepreneurship and business skills. Includes a circular repayment model via plastic recycling.
• Hope-Girls Microloan program for street girls providing USD 50 start-up loans to help them establish businesses and create better futures for themselves and their children.
• Hope-Recycling Environmental project turning waste into value through recycling, teaching how plastic and trash can be recycled into new products like water buckets and chairs.
• Hope-Center (Community Center) Innovation hub planned for Mkoba township featuring business center, classrooms, health station for girls, restaurant area, community garden, seedbank, rainwater collection, and recycling station.
• Hope-Entrepreneur Startup network supporting families with bigger business plans through professional network connections, creating local workplaces and economic growth across 60 Hope-businesses.
• Hope-Intern (Professional Exchange) Professional exchange program sending qualified professionals to Zimbabwe to share knowledge with orphanage children, local community, and the Themba network. Participants pay only for travel and accommodation.
• Hope-Stars Youth football team from the orphanage that participated in Norway Cup 2023, providing international exchange and sporting opportunities for street children.

Quantifiable outcome

• 93 children have grown up at the orphanage since 1996
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Norway CupflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023World's largest youth football tournament hosted Hope Stars from Zimbabwe in 2023. Provided free accommodation at Skullerud school, meals, transport, and tickets to amusement park. Made dream of Zimbabwean street children playing in Norway Cup possible.
• Arkitekter Uten Grenser (Architects Without Borders)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2022Collaborating on designing the community center/innovation hub in Mkoba. Working to ensure the center is environmentally friendly, cost-efficient, and sustainable, incorporating local building techniques with modern sustainable design principles.
• Ingeniører Uten Grenser Norge (Engineers Without Borders Norway)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2014Provides engineering expertise for sustainable infrastructure including solar photovoltaic systems, solar geysers, borehole drilling, and community center design. Multiple missions since 2014 have enabled the orphanage to achieve energy independence.
• Sand SkuleminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2014Middle school in Suldal that has supported the organization since 2014 through solidarity campaigns. Students and staff have contributed fundraising and created cross-cultural connections.
• Nesbyen Community (Nesbyen Gir Tilbake)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2013Annual rubber duck race and concert event in Nesbyen, Norway. Local community has raised 895,957 NOK since 2013. Includes Nesbyen sports clubs, local businesses, and residents who volunteer and donate.
• Sauda ILminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2013Local sports club that hosted Hope Stars during Norway Cup 2023 tour. Provided accommodation, meals, activities, and football matches, demonstrating community-to-community support.
• Midlands Children Hope TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Zimbabwean trust entity employing 7 local staff members. Provides formal structure for local operations and employment, ensuring sustainable local job creation alongside project delivery.
• Midlands Children Hope Centre (MCHC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Local Zimbabwean organization led by Question and Happiness Ndou, operating the orphanage and drop-in center since 1996. MCHC is the operational partner on the ground in Zimbabwe, managing daily activities and staff. Themba Hope Project provides funding, strategic direction, and Norwegian volunteer support.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Norwegian Refugee Council: Major Norwegian humanitarian NGO providing assistance to displaced populations. Comparable on emergency relief, education-in-crisis (Hope-Drop-in for street children), and operations in fragile contexts including parts of Africa.
• Digni: Norwegian umbrella for faith-based development organizations supporting education and livelihoods in developing countries. Comparable in program mix (education + microenterprise) and Norwegian donor base.
• Plan International Norway: Norwegian arm of Plan International, focused on children's rights, girls' equality, and education in developing countries. Compares on child sponsorship model and education programming similar to Hope-Education.
• Norsk Folkehjelp (Norwegian People's Aid): Norwegian solidarity and humanitarian organization active in development aid and emergency relief. Overlaps with Themba's community-development and livelihood components (Hope-Families).
• Engineers Without Borders Norway: Active partner of Themba since 2014 for solar PV, borehole, and infrastructure projects. Comparable as a Norwegian NGO with technical volunteer-exchange model, though engineering-focused rather than direct child welfare.
• Save the Children Norway: Large Norwegian NGO focused on children's rights, education, and emergency relief in developing countries. Overlaps with Themba's education sponsorship and child protection work, particularly in African contexts.
• SOS Children's Villages Norway: Major Norwegian child welfare NGO operating orphanages and family-strengthening programs globally, including in Southern Africa. Comparable as a child-welfare nonprofit with similar sponsor-driven funding model, though at vastly larger scale.
• Norwegian Red Cross: Norwegian humanitarian organization with extensive African operations. Compares on humanitarian aid delivery, community health programming (Hope-Medical), and Norwegian grassroots fundraising.

Emerging players

• Architects Without Borders Norway: Active partner on the Mkoba community center design. Comparable as a Norwegian volunteer-based NGO delivering infrastructure expertise to developing-country community projects.

Direct peers

• Strømme Foundation: Norwegian development NGO supporting education and livelihood programs in Africa and Asia through local partner organizations. Closely comparable in size, sponsor-driven Norwegian model, and 'help to self-help' philosophy similar to Hope-Families.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HallingdalLyd
• Instagraminstagram.com/thembahopeproject
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hopeproject

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Themba Hope Project