Partners in Education Ethiopia

What Partners in Education Ethiopia does

Partners in Education Ethiopia is a Canadian-registered charitable organization, founded in 2014/2015 and operating under a Board of Directors with Gina Cosco as CFO and Yehalem Abebe as Executive Director. The organization was established by David Cosco and Gina Cosco in memory of David Cosco's mother, Frances G. Cosco, a teacher and feminist, and was rebranded from the Frances G. Cosco Foundation to its current name in 2019. It maintains charitable registrations in Alberta (Canada), Ethiopia, and Alaska (United States), with program operations concentrated in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia and a Canadian administration run on a pro bono basis to maximize program-to-overhead efficiency.

The organization delivers a holistic education development model across nine program areas: school construction and furnishing, teacher training, educational interconnectivity (digital hubs), greening and educational gardening, water/sanitation/hygiene (WASH), special needs education, eye health, outcome measurement, and applied research. Cumulative impact metrics disclosed by the organization include 31 schools constructed and furnished, 2,750 teachers trained, 44,000+ students in equipped classrooms, 105,000+ eye assessments conducted, 7 Vision Centres established, 118 latrine and menstrual hygiene blocks built, and 11 digital interconnectivity hubs.

The business model is donation-driven: funding flows from individual donors, foundations (Peter Gilgan Foundation, Operation Eyesight, Barzilai Foundation, Frances G. Cosco Foundation, Rotary Kalamalka, Splash International), and program-specific partners, with all Canadian administrative costs covered pro bono. Programs follow a community-initiated cost-share model where Ethiopian communities contribute 60-80% of project costs and participate in transparent public bidding and co-signed contracts. Distribution is direct: the organization partners with the Amhara Regional Education Bureau, multiple Ethiopian universities (Bahir Dar, Debre Tabor, Debre Markos, Debre Birhan, Wollo, Addis Ababa), and partner hospitals (Felege Hiwot, Tibebe Ghion) to deliver programs on the ground, supported by a Bahir Dar regional office and 13 Ethiopian staff plus Canadian-based volunteer advisors.

Name

Partners in Education Ethiopia

Legal name

Partners in Education Ethiopia

Website

https://partnersinedethiopia.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Partners in Education Ethiopia is a Canadian-registered charity that constructs and furnishes schools, trains teachers, and delivers eye health, WASH, digital learning, and special needs education programs in Ethiopia's Amhara Region. It is funded by donations and foundations, with community cost-sharing of 60-80% on projects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Development & Community Charity Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGABAE

Education Access & Quality (International Development)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/International Development & Poverty Alleviation

SECONDARYEDADALAB

International Development & Donor-Funded Education Programs

Education/Education Administration, Accreditation & Policy/Education Partnerships, Intergovernmental & NGO Programs

SECONDARYEDADALAF

Education Partnerships for Equity, Inclusion & Gender

Education/Education Administration, Accreditation & Policy/Education Partnerships, Intergovernmental & NGO Programs

Keywords

• Educational infrastructure development
• Teacher training programs
• School construction services
• Community development charity
• Rural education support

Headquarters

HQ city

Bahir Dar

HQ country

Ethiopia

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Partners in Education Ethiopia is a registered Canadian charity that relies on donations from individuals, foundations, and organizations to fund its education and health programs in Ethiopia. All administrative costs in Canada are covered pro bono, ensuring donor dollars directly support programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Partners in Education Ethiopia is a registered Canadian charitable organization that improves lives of disadvantaged communities through quality, inclusive education in Ethiopia. It constructs and furnishes schools, trains teachers, delivers water/sanitation/hygiene infrastructure, provides school-based eye health programs, supports special needs education, establishes digital interconnectivity hubs, and conducts educational research. Programs are delivered in partnership with local communities (which contribute 60–80% of project costs), Ethiopian government education offices, universities, and global NGO partners, primarily in the Amhara Region.

Product overview

Partners in Education Ethiopia is a charitable organization focused on educational development in Ethiopia, not a technology product company. Their work encompasses school construction, teacher training programs, digital interconnectivity initiatives, greening and educational gardening, water/sanitation/hygiene (WASH) programs, special needs education, eye health services, outcome measurement, and educational research. They do not offer technology products, software platforms, or SaaS offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• School Construction & Furnishing Construction and furnishing of schools (pre-primary, primary, and high schools) for rural communities in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia, with communities co-funding 60–80% of project costs.
• Teacher Training Comprehensive teacher training programs delivered in partnership with Ethiopian universities and the Regional Education Department (Amhara), including coaching, mentoring, and workshops focused on pedagogy such as the Temari Translanguaging Project.
• Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) Program WISE (WASH in Schools for Everyone) program across schools delivering clean water stations, sanitation and latrine facilities, menstrual hygiene blocks, hygiene education, and reusable sanitary pad production training.
• Special Needs Education Program Specialized classrooms and individualized support for students with visual, hearing, or intellectual disabilities across 11 centres, providing life and vocational skills training and inclusive education resources.
• School-Based Eye Health Program Comprehensive eye health program including eye assessments, eyeglass distribution, cataract surgeries, and treatment for eye conditions delivered through 7 Vision Centres in partnership with Operation Eyesight and Bahir Dar University.
• Interconnectivity (Digital Learning) Digital learning initiative establishing 11 interconnectivity hubs in schools, customizing eLearning (ELMS) and Student Information Management (SIMS) systems with Bahir Dar University and the ANRS Bureau of Education to bridge the digital divide.
• Greening and Educational Gardening Educational gardening program providing seeds, equipment, water tanks, irrigation systems, and technical expertise to schools, supporting environmental education and student nutrition.
• Outcome Measurement & Research Outcome measurement studies and academic research collaborations evaluating program impact, including the Temari Translanguaging Project with University of London/Birkbeck and the 5S-Foundation Ethiopia project with Brighton and Sussex Medical School on stigmatizing skin diseases.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students 5.1 times more likely to achieve passing grades through translanguaging teaching methods
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Operation Eyesight Canada Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on school-based eye health programs, eye screenings, eyeglass distribution, and cataract surgeries. Partners provides funding and program implementation while Operation Eyesight provides expertise and additional resources for eye health interventions.
• Bahir Dar University (BDU) - College of Medicine and Health SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for eye health programs, research collaboration, and student involvement in screenings and assessments.
• Splash InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree-year WASH project across 54 schools, installing clean water stations, running hygiene and sanitation training, and leading menstrual health workshops. The WISE (WASH in Schools for Everyone) project.
• CAWST (Calgary-based NGO)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerWASH education partner providing hygiene workshops and training curriculum for students and teachers.
• Internet SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport for digital learning initiative and interconnectivity hubs to bridge the digital divide in Ethiopian schools.
• ICS Addis Ababa (International Community School)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeacher training collaboration, volunteer exchanges, special education training, and best-practice sharing. Teachers travel to ICS to observe classroom practices and return to mentor peers.
• ISEE-urk (Netherlands)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport for greening and educational gardening program, providing seeds, equipment, water tanks, irrigation systems, and technical expertise.
• Compassionate Eye FoundationsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport for digital learning initiatives and greening programs, providing funding and resources for school improvements.
• Professor Karen Wells (University of London, Birkbeck)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research collaboration on Temari Translanguaging Project, exploring multilingual teaching methods to improve learning outcomes.
• Professor Getnet Tadele (Addis Ababa University)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration on Temari Translanguaging Project and advisor on research and resource mobilization. Also provides expertise on podoconiosis and health interventions.
• Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport for 5S-Foundation Ethiopia project on stigmatizing skin diseases, providing research expertise and funding.
• OSSREA (Organization for Social Science Research in Eastern and Southern Africa)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner in Ethiopia for 5S-Foundation project on podoconiosis and scabies education and treatment.
• Bahir Dar University Textile CampussecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for reusable sanitary pad production training, providing expertise in textile manufacturing for gender club leaders.
• ANRS Bureau of Education (BoE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partnership for digital learning initiative, customizing eLearning systems aligned with national learning goals.
• Regional Education Department (Amhara)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment collaboration for teacher training workshops, school oversight, and education program coordination.
• Debre Tabor UniversitysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership providing books, teaching materials, science kits, and resources for school greening and gardening initiatives.
• Debre Markos UniversitysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for teacher training programs and educational workshops.
• Debre Birhan UniversitysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for teacher training programs and educational workshops.
• Wollo UniversitysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for teacher training programs and educational workshops.
• Sarah Arebu Tahir Foundation (SATF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Sarah Arebu Tahir Primary School construction, with SATF funding and PiEE implementation support.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Operation Eyesight Universal: Operation Eyesight Universal delivers eye health programs in developing countries including school-based vision screening. Direct partner of PiEE on the 105,000+ eye assessments and Vision Centres program, making it a tightly comparable peer in school-based eye health.
• Room to Read: Room to Read operates literacy and education programs in low-income countries across Africa and Asia, with parallel teacher training and school support activities. Directly comparable international education development nonprofit.
• Right To Play: Right To Play uses sport and play to deliver education and development outcomes for children in low-income countries. Similar international nonprofit model focused on child development and learning outcomes in Africa and beyond.
• Splash International: Splash runs WASH-in-schools programs in developing countries. Direct WASH partner of PiEE (the WISE project across 54 schools), making it a tightly comparable peer in the water and sanitation-in-schools segment.
• BuildOn: BuildOn constructs schools in developing countries with community involvement and partnership models. Directly comparable school construction and education access mission in low-income African contexts with similar community contribution structures.
• Pencils of Promise: Pencils of Promise builds schools and develops education programs in developing countries, with similar school-construction-and-teacher-training bundles. Operates a comparable nonprofit model focused on expanding access to quality education.
• CODE: CODE (formerly Canadian Organization for Development through Education) is a Canadian charity focused on literacy and education programming in developing countries. Directly comparable Canadian-headquartered education-focused international development nonprofit.

Broad incumbents

• Plan International Canada: Plan International Canada operates a broad children's rights and education portfolio across multiple regions. Comparable Canadian-registered international development charity with overlapping education and inclusion themes but a wider programmatic footprint.
• Save the Children Canada: Save the Children Canada delivers education, health, and child protection programs globally. Comparable Canadian-registered international development organization with overlapping education infrastructure, WASH, and teacher training activities but at much larger scale.

Regional players

• Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE): FAWE is an Africa-focused nonprofit promoting girls' and women's education across the continent. Regionally comparable peer addressing education access and gender inclusion in African contexts with similar partnership-driven delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PartnersEthiopia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/partners-in-education-ethiopia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 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 Partners in Education Ethiopia