Our Sisters Opportunity-OSO

What Our Sisters Opportunity-OSO does

Our Sisters' Opportunity (OSO) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2019 by Delphine Uwamahoro to provide vocational training and economic empowerment pathways for vulnerable young women in rural Rwanda. The organization operates a one-year accredited vocational training program at the Creative Design Academy, covering ethical fashion production, digital design, entrepreneurship, gender equity, leadership, agribusiness, life skills, and health education. All admitted students receive full scholarships, and students are recruited using vulnerability-based selection criteria in partnership with local leaders and community dialogue sessions. Complementing the academy, OSO runs Entrepreneurship Hubs in Gakenke District and Kigali City that serve as retail and innovation spaces for graduates and aspiring designers to sell locally-designed and locally-made products. The organization also operates a Prevention of Gender-Based Violence Program using community dialogue sessions to engage rights-holders and duty bearers in social-change implementation.

OSO has no proprietary technology platform; its underlying delivery mechanism is in-person vocational instruction combined with retail distribution through physical Entrepreneurship Hubs. The organization is structured around a Founder/Executive Director, an Operations Manager/Accountant, a Project Manager, and approximately nine Creative Design Academy instructors, with a small core team of about 6 staff per firmographic records. Its revenue model is donation- and grant-driven, with financial support from foundations and NGOs including the Segal Family Foundation, Issroff Family Foundation, The Circle Fund, GO Campaign, Embassy of France in Rwanda, and Lemonaid, and strategic/programmatic support from Ecole de Couture du Valais, Livelihood Impact, NEVER-PLAY-ALONE-St.-Pauli-e.V., World Centric, and APEFE Rwanda, alongside a Core partnership with the Rwanda Government. OSO is legally domiciled in the United States (Tax ID: 99-0820702) for fundraising purposes while delivering all programs in Rwanda.

Name

Our Sisters Opportunity-OSO

Legal name

Our Sisters' Opportunity

Website

https://oursistersopportunity.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Our Sisters' Opportunity (OSO) is a US-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2019 that provides scholarship-based one-year vocational training in ethical fashion, digital design, and entrepreneurship to vulnerable young women in rural Rwanda, complemented by Entrepreneurship Hubs and gender-based violence prevention programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Education and Training

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (61151), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Systems & Skills Technical Assistance (BPADAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Study Habits & Homework Systems Workshops (EDAMAIAL), Health, Wellness & Self-Care Skills (Sleep, Nutrition, Habits) (EDAMAIAJ)

Keywords

• Vocational training programs
• Ethical fashion education
• Women empowerment services
• Nonprofit education programs
• Fashion design training

Headquarters

HQ city

Kigali

HQ country

Rwanda

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization registered in the United States (Tax ID: 99-0820702), OSO relies on charitable donations from individuals and organizations. Donations can be made via credit card, debit card, PayPal, check, or wire transfer.
2. Program Fees (Scholarship-Based): OSO provides comprehensive vocational training through a one-year accredited program. All admitted students come from rural Rwanda and receive scholarships, suggesting the program is funded through external support rather than student tuition.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

OSO provides a one-year accredited vocational training program at its Creative Design Academy in Gakenke, Rwanda, delivering holistic instruction in ethical fashion, digital design, entrepreneurship, gender equity, leadership, agribusiness, life skills, and health education to vulnerable young women from rural Rwanda, all on full scholarships. The organization complements this training with Entrepreneurship Hubs in Gakenke and Kigali where graduates and aspiring designers can sell locally-designed and locally-made products, and with a community-based Prevention of Gender-Based Violence Program.

Product overview

Our Sisters' Opportunity (OSO) is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of programs focused on vocational training and economic empowerment for young women in Rwanda. The core offerings include the Creative Design Academy, a one-year accredited vocational training program, and Entrepreneurship Hubs that provide retail and innovation spaces for graduates. These programs are complemented by gender-based violence prevention initiatives. The organization does not offer a technology product but rather educational and support services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Creative Design Academy: OSO's one-year accredited vocational training program that provides comprehensive education in ethical fashion, digital design, entrepreneurship, gender equity, leadership, agribusiness, life skills, and health education for young women in Rwanda.
• Entrepreneurship Hubs

Products and services

• Creative Design Academy A one-year accredited vocational training program at OSO's Creative Design Academy that provides comprehensive education in ethical fashion, digital design, entrepreneurship, gender equity, leadership, agribusiness, life skills, and health education for vulnerable young women in Rwanda. All students receive full scholarships.
• Entrepreneurship Hubs Retail and innovation spaces operated by OSO that provide OSO graduates and aspiring Rwandan designers with spaces to feature, share, and sell their locally-designed and locally-made products. Currently supporting hubs in Gakenke District and Kigali City.
• Prevention of Gender-Based Violence Program A gender-transformative community program using dialogue sessions to engage rights-holders (students and families) and duty bearers (local leaders) to educate and implement social change, including connecting young women to medical and psychosocial support services in Rwanda.

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates start their own businesses, form new cooperatives, or find ethical employment in Rwanda's emerging fashion industry.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ecole de Couture du ValaiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFashion school partnership providing curriculum development support and educational expertise for the Creative Design Academy.
• NEVER-PLAY-ALONE-St.-Pauli-e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial enterprise partner supporting OSO's community development and empowerment initiatives.
• Livelihood ImpactcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization supporting livelihood development programs, partnering with OSO on economic empowerment initiatives.
• World CentricminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization focused on sustainable and ethical practices, partnering with OSO on ethical fashion initiatives.
• APEFE RwandaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization supporting educational and development initiatives in Rwanda, partnering with OSO on training programs.
• Rwanda GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partnership providing institutional support and recognition for OSO's Creative Design Academy and vocational training programs.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CAMFED (Campaign for Female Education): Pan-African nonprofit that supports marginalized girls through education, training, and post-school pathways including entrepreneurship and leadership. Comparable to OSO in its female-targeted, Africa-wide, life-skills-plus-economic-empowerment model that combines schooling with post-graduation support.
• Akilah Institute: Rwanda-based nonprofit that provides market-relevant vocational education and training to young women, with a focus on hospitality, culinary arts, and entrepreneurship. Directly comparable to OSO as a women's-focused vocational training provider operating in Rwanda with pathways to economic empowerment.
• FAWE (Forum for African Women Educationalists): Pan-African NGO promoting girls' and women's education across sub-Saharan Africa through advocacy, curriculum support, and scholarships. Comparable to OSO as a gender-focused education organization working across African countries with grant-funded program delivery.

Broad incumbents

• TechnoServe: Global nonprofit that works with enterprising women and men in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries. Comparable to OSO in its focus on entrepreneurship and economic empowerment pathways in Africa, with overlapping end-beneficiary populations and donor base.
• BRAC: One of the world's largest development NGOs operating across multiple continents with significant Africa presence, including vocational training, women's empowerment, and microenterprise programs. Comparable to OSO as a large-scale vocational training and women's economic empowerment provider, but with vastly broader scope and resources.
• African Women's Development Fund (AWDF): Pan-African grantmaking foundation that funds organizations working on women's rights, empowerment, and economic participation across the continent. Comparable to OSO as a women's empowerment-focused African organization with a similar donor-driven operating model.

Others

• Mercy Corps: Global humanitarian and development organization with significant programming in women's economic empowerment, youth employment, and education across Africa. Touches OSO's space through donor overlap, women's empowerment programming, and Africa-based field operations, but operates at vastly greater scale across multiple sectors.
• VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas): International development organization that works through volunteers to improve education, health, and economic prospects in Africa and Asia. Comparable to OSO as an internationally funded, Africa-focused education and empowerment organization, though VSO operates across multiple sectors and geographies via a volunteer model.

Emerging players

• African Leadership Academy: Pan-African institution that trains and develops emerging African leaders through secondary and post-secondary programs with leadership and entrepreneurship curricula. Comparable to OSO in its leadership development and entrepreneurship focus for young Africans, though serving a more elite, secondary-education population.

Regional players

• Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator: South African nonprofit that bridges the gap between unemployed youth and employment through training, placement, and employer partnerships. Comparable to OSO in its vocational training and economic empowerment model for young people, but serving South Africa rather than Rwanda.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/our-sisters-opportunity-oso

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Our Sisters Opportunity-OSO