Sawiyan

What Sawiyan does

Sawiyan is an independent, refugee-led non-profit organization headquartered in Amman, Jordan, that delivers community-led education, advocacy, and social inclusion programs for marginalized African-origin refugees — primarily Sudanese, Somali, and Yemeni populations — alongside impoverished Jordanian community members. Founded in December 2015 as a grassroots volunteer group in response to the deportation of Sudanese refugees from Jordan, the initiative formalized as a non-profit in 2017 under co-founders Dina Baslan and Aaron Williams; co-founder Williams departed in 2021, with leadership subsequently held by Somali community organizer Hassan Abdullahi and Sudanese community leader Mubarak Adam.

The organization's core product is a Community-Led English Language Program built on a proprietary Transformational Anti-Racist Pedagogy developed with refugee community teachers and incorporating the lived experiences, cultural forms, and social justice histories of Sudanese, Somali, and African diaspora communities. Co-created study books serve beginner, elementary, and pre-intermediate learners, delivered in-person across Amman neighborhoods (Jabal Amman, Jabal Weibdeh, Ashrafiyah, Jabal Natheef) via partner locations and online via Zoom. Complementing the English program, Sawiyan runs the House of Hope theatre production (in partnership with Seenaryo), a skateboarding and social inclusion program with 7Hills Skatepark, a Decolonizing Research program training community researchers, and anti-racism advocacy and awareness sessions.

Sawiyan's business model is donation- and grant-funded: it accepts individual donations via PayPal and project-based institutional grants from entities such as the British Council, Canadian Government's CFLI program, and Open Society Foundations. Services are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries. Strategic operations are coordinated through an extensive partnership network — including the World Food Programme, UN OCHA, Norwegian Refugee Council, IRAP, British Council, Mixed Migration Center, and the One Refugee Approach Working Group (which Sawiyan co-led) — and the organization has engaged at the multilateral policy level via the 2023 Global Refugee Forum through the R-SEAT network.

Name

Sawiyan

Legal name

Sawiyan

Website

https://sawiyan.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sawiyan is a Jordan-based, refugee-led non-profit that delivers community-led English language education, advocacy, applied theatre, and social inclusion programs for marginalized Sudanese, Somali, Yemeni, and other African-origin refugees in Amman.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Refugee Advocacy and Community Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Educational Services (611), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Immigrant & Refugee Community Education (Integration/Navigation) (EDAAAFAH), Immigrant & Refugee Workforce Integration Programs (EDAAAOAJ), Integration & Inclusion Services (Housing, Education, Employment) (BPADAHAI), Family & School System Navigation (Parent Engagement, Youth Services) (EDAAADAH)

Keywords

• Refugee advocacy services
• Community-led education
• Humanitarian nonprofit
• Anti-racism programs
• Refugee resettlement support

Headquarters

HQ city

Amman

HQ country

Jordan

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Sawiyan operates as a nonprofit organization that relies on donations from individuals and institutional grants from governments, foundations, and humanitarian organizations to fund its operations and programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sawiyan is a non-profit organization that supports marginalized African-origin refugees in Jordan through community-led programs. It provides English language education with an original anti-racist pedagogy, advocacy at policy-making forums, decolonizing community research, theatre productions, skateboarding-based social inclusion programs, and resettlement/legal rights support. Services are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries by refugee community teachers, trained community researchers, and volunteers operating in Amman neighborhoods and online via Zoom.

Product overview

Sawiyan is a non-profit organization focused on supporting marginalized refugees in Jordan. The organization offers a portfolio of community-led programs including an English Language Program with its own original anti-racist pedagogy, the House of Hope theatre production for women's empowerment, skateboarding and social inclusion initiatives with 7Hills Skatepark, and decolonizing research initiatives. These programs work together to provide education, advocacy, community development, and support services for Sudanese, Somali, Yemeni, and other minority refugees in Jordan.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community-Led English Language Program
• House of Hope Theatre Production
• Skateboarding and Social Inclusion Program with 7Hills Skatepark

Quantifiable outcome

• 202 students from 8 nationalities enrolled in English classes since January 2022
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

31 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• R-SEAT (Refugee-led Research, Evidence, Advocacy, and Thinking)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2023R-SEAT is a network of refugee leaders. Sawiyan's Mubarak Adam participated in the 2023 Global Refugee Forum as part of R-SEAT's delegation of eleven refugee leaders who shared recommendations based on their experience working for displaced communities.
• SeenaryocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2020Sawiyan partnered with Seenaryo on the 'House of Hope' theater production, bringing together 22 women from Sudan, Jordan, Yemen, and Somalia through applied theatre and democratic collaboration to create a devised theatre piece and short film.
• 7Hills SkateparkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeekly skateboarding program for Sudanese youth at 7Hills Skatepark, creating safe spaces for community building. Featured in Al Jazeera English video coverage. The 'Ban Ban' film was co-created at this location.
• War Child CanadamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership provided parenting skills training for members of Sudanese and Jordanian communities. Sawiyan worked with War Child to deliver interactive training on parenting challenges.
• United Nations OCHAmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide awareness sessions and trainings for Sudanese refugee and Jordanian host community members on various topics.
• Un Ponte PermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Un Ponte Per to provide awareness sessions and trainings for members of the Sudanese refugee and Jordanian host community.
• ARDD/Legal AidmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to educate Sudanese, Somali, and Yemeni refugees on their rights and access to legal protection in Jordan.
• IRAP (International Refugee Assistance Project)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough longstanding partnership with IRAP, Sawiyan helped refugees understand every step of the resettlement process, from status determination to travel.
• British CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSawiyan signed a contract with British Council in 2020 to enable delivery of a 60-hour course on language and pedagogy for English teachers to 20 community teachers.
• HelpAge InternationalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for English language classes at HelpAge International's Jabal Weibdeh location. Teachers from Sawiyan provided classes at partner organization premises.
• House of Hope (Jabal Amman)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with House of Hope in Jabal Amman neighborhood to hold community English language classes.
• World Food Programme (WFP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSawiyan assisted and advised WFP on its Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Assessment 2018-2019, the first to include Sudanese, Somali, and Yemeni refugees. Sawiyan was invited to speak at the report's launch event.
• Norwegian Refugee CouncilmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on the report 'Realizing the Rights of Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Jordan from Countries Other than Syria' led by co-founder Dina Baslan.
• Mixed Migration CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on research report 'Social Networks in Refugee Response: What We Can Learn from Sudanese and Yemeni in Jordan' examining how humanitarian actors should engage with refugee social networks.
• University of BathmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in 2021 for child protection and child neglect research, providing research training and producing insight for practitioners and service providers.
• Ahel (أهل)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to open Harvard Kennedy School's Leadership, Organizing and Action course (developed by Professor Marshall Ganz) to Sawiyan community leaders. Five Sudanese and Jordanian students enrolled in 2019.
• Center for Victims of TorturemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural awareness training for humanitarian and mental health service providers, with Sudanese community leaders giving presentations on Sudanese culture and lived experiences.
• Collateral Repair ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural awareness training for youth service providers working with refugees.
• Reclaim ChildhoodminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for cultural awareness training for staff of humanitarian organizations.
• Nina Brekelmans Running Camp for GirlsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for annual running camp cultivating girls' self-confidence, leadership, and well-being. Sawiyan community girls participated, culminating in a final race.
• WUSC (World University Service of Canada)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration to provide information and awareness sessions on WUSC's refugee scholarship program, a Canadian alternative pathways program offering university education and resettlement for refugees aged 18-25.
• House of DreamingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to host Sudan Art Exhibition in September 2019, showcasing work of 7 Sudanese digital artists and photographers celebrating Sudanese culture.
• Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner organization with historical involvement in training and referral work.
• Refugees InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as partner organization.
• JOHUD (Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as partner organization.
• IOCC (International Orthodox Christian Charities)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as partner organization.
• HelpAgemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as partner organization with active collaboration on English language program.
• MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as partner organization.
• CRP (Collateral Repair Project)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as partner organization.
• UN OCHAmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as partner organization with active collaboration on awareness sessions and trainings.
• WCC (World Council of Churches)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as partner organization.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Refugee Action: UK-based refugee support organization providing advocacy and services for refugees and asylum seekers. Comparable in its combination of direct service delivery, policy advocacy, and community-based support for marginalized refugee populations.
• Welcome.US: A US-based initiative mobilizing community sponsorship and private sector engagement to support refugee resettlement. Comparable to Sawiyan in its focus on community-led welcoming models and building cross-community bridges between refugees and host populations.
• Jesuit Refugee Service: International Catholic organization serving refugees and forcibly displaced people through education, advocacy, and direct services. Already a partner of Sawiyan; operates an overlapping portfolio of community-based refugee programs across many geographies.
• Refugee Council USA: US coalition advocating for refugee rights, resettlement, and humane policies. Comparable to Sawiyan's advocacy work, including elevating refugee voices in policy forums and influencing humanitarian policy direction.
• International Refugee Assistance Project: Organization providing legal aid and resettlement pathway support to refugees. Already a longstanding Sawiyan partner; comparable in its focus on resettlement advocacy and ensuring marginalized refugee groups access protection and rights.
• Asylum Access: A refugee-led organization providing legal aid, community empowerment, and advocacy for refugees across multiple countries. Directly comparable to Sawiyan in its refugee-led governance model, focus on marginalized refugee populations, and combination of direct services with policy advocacy.

Broad incumbents

• HIAS: One of the oldest global refugee resettlement and integration agencies serving Jewish and other refugees. A broader incumbent with overlapping refugee resettlement, integration services, and advocacy work, but operating at much greater scale across many countries.

Emerging players

• Tent Foundation: Nonprofit partnering with companies to expand employment and economic opportunities for refugees globally. An emerging player with thematic overlap in refugee integration and workforce development — adjacent to Sawiyan's workforce integration and employability training programs.
• Refugee Protection Center: Regional refugee support organization providing legal protection, community services, and advocacy. Comparable to Sawiyan in its combination of direct protection services, community organizing, and refugee rights advocacy in the MENA region.

Regional players

• Refugee Action for Human Rights: Jordan-based humanitarian organization supporting refugees and vulnerable Jordanians through community services. Operates in the same geography and beneficiary population as Sawiyan, with similar focus on community-based refugee support and inclusion.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/16FtXcT7Rp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sawiyan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Sawiyan