Katswe Sistahood

What Katswe Sistahood does

Katswe Sistahood is a Zimbabwe-headquartered feminist non-governmental organization that designs and delivers sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and gender-based violence (GBV) programs across Southern Africa. Founded on the principle 'I am my sister's keeper,' the organization creates women-only 'Pachoto' safe spaces (Shona for 'the fireplace') where women and adolescent girls discuss sexuality, bodily autonomy, and gender-based violence, and develops advocacy campaigns on issues including safe abortion, date rape, menstrual hygiene, revenge pornography, and sex worker rights. Its programmatic portfolio spans the SASA! Project (community mobilization in partnership with UN Women, implemented in Mbire district, Mashonaland Central), SASA! Faith (religious-leader engagement in Epworth and Kwekwe), Simba Utano (SRHR knowledge transfer in Mazowe and Goromonzi), the Feminist on Campus program, and the Pepeta Malawi regional expansion including National Advocacy Convenings and the Revitalize FemFest.

The underlying operational methodology combines community activist training, door-to-door engagement, peer education, arts-based adult literacy tools, and grassroots safe-space convening, rather than proprietary technology. The SASA! community mobilization framework, adapted from an evidence-based GBV prevention model, is delivered in partnership with UN Women Zimbabwe, which provides funding and technical guidance. The organization does not sell products or services; programs are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries.

The business model is grant-funded philanthropy. Revenue flows from international development organizations and bilateral/multilateral donors (notably UN Women), supplemented by partnership-driven co-implementation arrangements with entities such as FPAM, Yoneco, and Ukani Malawi. Customers in the traditional sense are the grant-providing institutions; the 21-person staff and network of trained community activists serve a beneficiary base spanning young women aged 15-24, rural women in hard-to-reach districts, university students, and sex workers across Zimbabwe and Malawi. No revenue figures, donor concentration metrics, or financial statements are publicly disclosed.

Name

Katswe Sistahood

Legal name

Katswe Sistahood

Website

https://katswesistahood.net

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Katswe Sistahood is a Zimbabwe-based feminist nonprofit that runs Pachoto safe spaces, community mobilization programs, and advocacy campaigns on sexual and reproductive health and rights for young women, rural women, students, and sex workers across Zimbabwe and Malawi.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Women's Rights Nonprofit Advocacy

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPADAGAF

Gender Equality & Women’s Rights

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Human Rights, Democracy & Governance

SECONDARYBPAGAFAD

Gender Equality & Women’s Rights Advocacy

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Civil Rights, Advocacy & Public Policy Organizations

SECONDARYBPAGAAAG

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

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Humanitarian Aid & Disaster Relief

SECONDARYBPAGAFAB

Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Civil Rights, Advocacy & Public Policy Organizations

SECONDARYBPADABAK

Gender Equality, Inclusion & Social Protection Programs

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Bilateral Development Agencies & Aid Programs

Keywords

• Feminist advocacy services
• Gender-based violence prevention
• Sexual reproductive health rights
• Community mobilization programs
• Women empowerment initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Harare

HQ country

Zimbabwe

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding and Donations: Katswe Sistahood operates as a nonprofit feminist organization, funded primarily through grants from international development organizations and donors. The organization implements projects in partnership with entities such as UN Women Zimbabwe.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Katswe Sistahood is a feminist nonprofit organization that delivers free community-based advocacy programs and safe-space services for women and adolescent girls in Zimbabwe and Malawi. Its core offerings include Pachoto safe-space meetings, SASA! and SASA! Faith community mobilization for gender-based violence prevention, the Feminist on Campus program with FK Exchange mentorship, the Pepeta Malawi regional initiative, the Simba Utano SRHR empowerment project, and issue-specific campaigns on menstrual hygiene (Happy Flow), date rape, sex workers' rights, safe abortion, and revenge pornography. Programs are delivered through community organizers, peer educators, and trained community activists, with grant-funded support from partners such as UN Women Zimbabwe.

Product overview

Katswe Sistahood is a Zimbabwe-based feminist organization offering advocacy programs, campaigns, and safe space initiatives focused on women's sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). The portfolio includes community mobilization programs (SASA! Project, SASA! Faith), safe space meetings (Pachoto), campus engagement (Feminist on Campus), and thematic campaigns on menstrual hygiene (Happy Flow), date rape, sex workers' rights, safe abortion, and revenge pornography. The organization also operates the Pepeta Malawi initiative for feminist movement building in Malawi and the Simba Utano SRHR empowerment project.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pachoto: Safe space meetings for women, meaning 'the fireplace' in Shona - the pillar of movement building work
• SASA! Project
• SASA! Faith
• Feminist on Campus (FOC)
• Pepeta Malawi
• Happy Flow
• Simba Utano

Products and services

• SASA! Project Community mobilization initiative implemented in partnership with UN Women to reduce gender-based violence in Mbire district (Mashonaland Central), using community dialogues, training of community activists, and engagement with men and boys to challenge inequitable gender norms. Targeted at women, men, and young people in hard-to-reach rural wards 2 and 3 of Mbire.
• SASA! Faith Faith-based community mobilization initiative engaging religious leaders, members, and allies to prevent violence against women and HIV, implemented in Epworth and Kwekwe communities.
• Pachoto Safe Space Meetings Women-only safe-space gatherings using the Shona concept of 'the fireplace' where women discuss women's bodies, sexual health, reproductive rights, and gender-based violence and create strategies for action. Began as study circles and expanded to formal meeting series in urban townships and rural communities.
• Feminist on Campus (FOC) Program working with students on college campuses to address threats to their lived realities, including mentorship through the FK Exchange programme sending young women on annual exchange visits to Norway and South Africa.
• Happy Flow Campaign Campaign addressing menstrual hygiene management and advocating for free sanitary wear in schools and workplaces to prevent girls from dropping out of school due to lack of sanitary products.
• Date Rape Campaign Campaign addressing date rape, its connection to HIV, teenage pregnancies, child and forced marriage, and securing justice for survivors through safe spaces and support.
• Sex Workers' Rights Campaign Campaign building and strengthening a movement of sex workers who can articulate their sexual rights and advocate for decriminalization of sex work and protection from violations.
• Safe Abortion Campaign Campaign demystifying abortion, challenging stereotypes, advocating for full liberalization of abortion laws, and tackling procedural barriers to contraceptive access for young women.
• Revenge Pornography Campaign Campaign addressing the distribution of intimate images without consent, seeking to criminalize such distribution through lobbying, media campaigns, and raising awareness on rights to privacy and dignity.
• Pepeta Malawi Malawi-based feminist movement building initiative focused on young women's SRHR, including National Advocacy Convenings, the Revitalize! FemFest festival, and the Feminist on Campus network for tertiary education students.
• Simba Utano Collaborative project addressing lack of knowledge and challenges in accessing SRHR services faced by young women and girls through awareness cascading, community champions, and Pachoto group dialogues in Mazowe and Goromonzi districts.
• Sexual Gender-Based Violence Program Comprehensive GBV prevention program including SASA! methodology implementation, community dialogues, peer education, and empowerment activities for young girls in hard-to-reach areas.

Quantifiable outcome

• Six drama groups, four music and dance groups, and sixteen netball and football teams created in Mbire wards 2 and 3
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Government of Malawi (Ministry of Gender)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 December 2021Pepeta Malawi initiative works with the Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare Hon. Patricia Kaliati and members of parliament to advance feminist movement building and SRHR advocacy in Malawi. The National Advocacy Convening brought together young feminists and stakeholders with government officials present.
• UN Women ZimbabwecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKatswe Sistahood partners with UN Women Zimbabwe to implement the SASA! Project aimed at reducing gender-based violence in Mbire district, Mashonaland Central Province. The project focuses on supporting communities to scale up prevention efforts, tackling social norms that fuel GBV, and ensuring provision of care and support services for GBV survivors. UN Women provides funding, technical guidance, and programmatic support for the initiative.
• FK Exchange Program Partners (Norway and South Africa)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe FK Exchange (Feminist Knowledge Exchange) program sends 2 young women from Katswe Sistahood annually to Norway and South Africa for a learning and exchange program alongside 4 other participants. This is an annual mentorship and support initiative for young feminist activists.
• Simba Utano ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative project addressing lack of knowledge and challenges on access to SRHR services faced by young women and girls through fostering informed conversations about bodily autonomy and comprehensive SRHR. The goal is to extend structures that help women seeking sexual health services.
• FPAM (Family Planning Association of Malawi)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFPAM identified as an SRHR service provider partner for the Feminist on Campus program in Malawi to provide services on campus.
• YonecominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYoneco identified as an SRHR service provider partner for the Feminist on Campus program in Malawi.
• Ukani MalawiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal NGO partner focused on girl empowerment and gender equality in Malawi's three regions, particularly their Breaking Red Project which trains girls in menstrual health hygiene management and distribution of reusable pads.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Musasa Project: Zimbabwean women's rights NGO focused on gender-based violence prevention and survivor support. Direct peer given shared Zimbabwe focus, GBV mandate, and similar community mobilization approach across urban and rural districts.
• Family Planning Association of Malawi (FPAM): Malawi's IPPF-affiliated SRHR organization providing contraceptive and reproductive health services. Direct peer given confirmed partnership on Feminist on Campus in Malawi and overlapping AGYW/SRHR mandate across the same geographies.
• Family Planning Association of Zimbabwe (FPAZ): Zimbabwe's leading SRHR service provider offering contraceptive access and reproductive health programming. Direct peer given overlapping SRHR focus, Zimbabwe operations, and complementary role as service delivery partner for advocacy organizations like Katswe.
• Ukani Malawi: Malawian NGO focused on girl empowerment and gender equality, including menstrual health management and reusable pad distribution. Direct peer given confirmed partnership on Pepeta Malawi and shared girl-focused SRHR programming.

Broad incumbents

• ActionAid Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe office of global ActionAid federation focused on women's rights, economic empowerment, and GBV. Broad incumbent given larger scale, broader thematic mandate, and parallel women's movement building work across Zimbabwe.

Peers

• African Women's Development Fund (AWDF):

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PachotoTribe
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCoM1QxglvBNA-2m40CoKgEg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/katswe-sistahood
• Instagraminstagram.com/katswe_sistahood

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Katswe Sistahood