Ulalo

What Ulalo does

Ulalo is a Malawian non-governmental organization headquartered in Mzuzu, operating for over a decade across northern Malawi with a mission to bridge youth to opportunity through education, health, community development, and economic empowerment. The organization runs more than 40 projects that have reached over 300,000 beneficiaries, supported by 33 staff and an extensive network of community committees, traditional authorities, and local government partners. Its core offering is a multi-program platform rather than a single product, anchored on the BEFIT (Building Education Foundations through Innovation and Technology) EdTech initiative implementing tablet-based personalized learning for Standards 1-4 learners through a partnership with the Ministry of Education's DoDEL and DBE, covering eight educational districts and 19,000+ deployed tablets. Supporting pillars include ICT4D digital literacy labs, teacher training certification, the Kula Bursary program, school meals, WASH infrastructure, menstrual hygiene management, Village Savings and Loan groups, and environmental sustainability programs such as the 26,000+ tree planting initiative.

The underlying technology stack is pragmatic rather than proprietary: BEFIT content is delivered on tablet hardware, digital literacy is taught through computer labs and STEM centers, and program monitoring is handled by a real-time dashboard built internally using Python, R, SQL, Power BI, and Excel. Ulalo operates as a grant-funded nonprofit with no revenue from beneficiaries; funding flows from international foundations (Segal Family Foundation, Clinton Foundation), bilateral donors (Chancen durch Bildung and the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development via the over 700 million kwacha CANARASI project), corporate partners (Team4Tech, Hello Future), and individual giving channels (PayChangu, Every.org), with 85% of funding directed to youth and community programs. Distribution is community-led via school-based delivery, Ministry of Education co-implementation, community-based committees, and healthcare facility partnerships across all northern Malawi districts except one.

Name

Ulalo

Legal name

Ulalo

Website

https://ulalo.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ulalo is a Malawian nonprofit NGO that bridges youth in northern Malawi to opportunity through EdTech programs (BEFIT tablet learning), teacher training, school meals, healthcare partnerships, and economic empowerment, serving over 300,000 beneficiaries across 250+ schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Education and Community Development Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

International Development & Donor-Funded Education Programs (EDADALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

NGO/Nonprofit Education Programs & Service Delivery (EDADALAC), Education Access & Quality (International Development) (BPAGABAE)

Keywords

• Education technology
• Youth development
• Community development
• Digital literacy
• Teacher training

Headquarters

HQ city

Mzuzu

HQ country

Malawi

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Grants and Donations: Ulalo receives funding from international development agencies, foundations, and government grants. Major funding includes the CANARASI project valued at over 700 million kwacha from Chancen durch Bildung and German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). 85% of funding goes directly to youth and community programs.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ulalo is a Malawi-based NGO that delivers multi-sectoral youth development programs across education, health, community development, and economic empowerment. Its core offerings include tablet-based early-grade literacy and numeracy programs (BEFIT), digital literacy through ICT4D computer labs, teacher training and certification, school meals, WASH infrastructure, menstrual hygiene management, medical equipment donations, bursaries, village savings and loan groups, and sustainable agriculture. Programs are implemented through partnerships with schools, Malawi's Ministry of Education, district offices, health facilities, and community committees across northern Malawi.

Product overview

Ulalo is a Malawian NGO operating as a multi-program platform rather than a single product. The core offerings center on education technology (EdTech) programs, primarily BEFIT (Building Education Foundations through Innovation and Technology) providing tablet-based learning for early-grade literacy and numeracy, and the Connected Education/ICT4D Program establishing computer labs for secondary school ICT literacy. Supporting education modules include the Digital Literacy Program for out-of-school youth, Role Modelling and Career Guidance, Leadership and Life Skills training, Exam Prep (PSLCE), Teacher Training Certification, and the Kula Bursary Program for secondary school financial support. Health ecosystem offerings comprise the Sustained Health & Empowerment (SHE) program, Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM), and Medical Aid and Relief Initiative (MARI). Community development includes the Sustainable School Meals Program, WASH initiatives, Bike Rental Project for transportation barriers, Village Savings and Loan (VSL) groups, and Environmental Sustainability initiatives. The CANARASI (Community Activation, Natural Resources Management and Access to Social Infrastructure) Project serves as an umbrella initiative integrating financial literacy, enterprise development, sustainable agriculture, and environmental work. All programs operate across northern Malawi with a focus on youth empowerment and align with UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BEFIT (Building Education Foundations through Innovation and Technology): An Education Technology initiative implemented by the Ministry of Education through the Directorate of Open Distance and eLearning and Directorate of Basic Education, helping improve academic achievement among children of Malawi through tablet-based learning.
• CANARASI (Community Activation, Natural Resources Management and Access to Social Infrastructure)
• Kula Bursary
• SHE (Sustained Health & Empowerment)

Products and services

• BEFIT (Building Education Foundations through Innovation and Technology) EdTech initiative implementing tablet-based personalized learning for Standards 1-4 learners to improve foundational literacy and numeracy. Part of Malawi Ministry of Education program delivered through DoDEL and DBE, targeting rollout to approximately 6,000 public primary schools with Ulalo as implementing support partner in 8 educational districts.
• Connected Education / ICT4D Program Establishes computer labs in secondary schools to promote ICT literacy, digital learning, and access to eResources. Includes static and mobile digital labs and STEM centers offering training in computer literacy, coding, and website development.
• CANARASI Project (Community Activation, Natural Resources Management and Access to Social Infrastructure) Multi-faceted community development project encompassing financial literacy, enterprise development, sustainable agriculture, environmental sustainability, school meals, and community infrastructure in communities surrounding Vwaza Marsh National Park. Valued at over 700 million kwacha, implemented with Chancen durch Bildung and German Federal Ministry BMZ.
• Pre-Service Full Teacher Training Certification Program Recruits volunteer teachers for comprehensive teacher training via Open and Distance Learning, producing qualified teachers deployed to target schools by the government. Has trained and certified 97 teachers through the program.
• Kula Secondary School Bursary Program Flagship education support initiative covering secondary school boarding fees for academically promising but economically vulnerable learners. Chichewa word meaning 'to grow' or 'to be nurtured.' Operates in partnership with the Ulalo Bursary Program which provides financial assistance for school fees and scholastic materials.
• Sustained Health & Empowerment (SHE) Program Improves community health and well-being through education, access to health services, community empowerment, and healthy lifestyle promotion. Implemented in partnership with health facilities including Ekwendeni Mission Hospital.
• Medical Aid and Relief Initiative (MARI) Provides accessible and affordable refurbished medical equipment and essential supplies to healthcare facilities through partnership with medical equipment providers. Has delivered over $270,000 US in life-saving equipment donated to hospitals including Rumphi District Hospital.
• Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) Program Provides reusable sanitary pad kits and mentorship to support girls in managing menstrual health, reducing school absenteeism caused by lack of menstrual hygiene products. Has reached over 900 girls through reusable sanitary pad distribution.
• Sustainable School Meals Program Provides healthy, locally-grown meals to partner schools through CANARASI project. Includes farm inputs, sustainable farming training, support for school kitchens and energy-saving cooking stoves. Operates across 100+ schools. Drove Standard 1 enrollment increase from 85 to 128 learners at Chipho Junior Primary School.
• WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) Program Addresses clean water access, proper sanitation, and hygiene through infrastructure improvements, awareness raising, and positive behavior change promotion. Includes borehole installations, waterpoint committees, and sanitation facility improvements benefiting 3,000+ households.
• Village Savings and Loan (VSL) Program Trains Village Agents in VSL methodologies and small business development, supporting savings groups that provide community members access to financial services. Has provided financial foundational support to 600+ women.
• Ulalo Bike Rental Project Provides rental bicycles to secondary school students, especially girls and those walking over 8 kilometers to school, to reduce transportation barriers and improve school attendance. Reduced student absenteeism from 3 days/month to 1 day/term.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 300,000 youth assisted across 40+ projects
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• Clinton Foundation / Clinton Global InitiativeflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2024Ulalo participated in the 2024 CGI Annual Meeting in New York alongside UN General Assembly. Executive Director James Gondwe engaged in sessions on inclusive education, formed new partnerships, and connected with global changemakers including Matt Damon and Prince Harry. CGI commitment-making process pairing awareness with accountability was noted as particularly inspiring.
• Hello FuturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership to expand access to digital skills and future-ready learning opportunities for youth in Malawi. Includes the Hello Future Digital Skills Programme at Bwengu Community Day Secondary School where learners teach peers and communities about digital literacy and misinformation identification.
• World University Service of Canada (WUSC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Volunteer Cooperation Program partnership spanning 7 years to strengthen organizational performance. Dr. Tanimomo Oluseun served as Communications, M&E Advisor through this program. WUSC volunteers bring expertise to enhance Ulalo's monitoring and evaluation systems and communications strategies.
• Team4TechcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership to train teachers and bring technology into Malawi classrooms. Team4Tech supports Ulalo's efforts through corporate partner connections in the United States, facilitating volunteer expertise and resources for EdTech implementation.
• Centre for Youth & Development (CYD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMalawian peer NGO collaborating on shared mission of youth empowerment. Listed as tag on blog posts indicating co-activities in the development sector.
• International Project AID (IPA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for clean water project in Yobe Sambo village. IPA collaborated with Ulalo and Swiss high school students to install sustainable borehole providing clean water access.
• Ministry of Education Malawi (DoDEL and DBE)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partnership for BEFIT program implementation through Directorate of Open Distance and eLearning (DoDEL) and Directorate of Basic Education (DBE). Ulalo serves as implementing support partner in 8 educational districts for the national EdTech initiative reaching 6,000+ public primary schools.
• GGEM Farming (Fair Food Relief Aid Network)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through FFRAN delivering food relief aid packages and climate-smart agriculture inputs during times of crisis. Provided 10kg rice and 5kg beans to 500+ people in Nkhatabay communities surrounding Ulalo-supported schools.
• YISEA, Shine on Malawi, Kanthunkhako CooperativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal implementing partners for School Meals Program franchise model across 10 primary schools. Empowered to implement SMP with strong local ownership and project sustainability focus.
• Theodora van Rossum Teachers' Training CollegecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTeacher training institution partnering with Ulalo's Pre-Service Full Teacher Certification Program. Volunteer teachers receive comprehensive training via Open and Distance Learning to become qualified government-deployed teachers.
• TeachUNITEDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational education NGO. Executive Director James Gondwe co-hosted a Sidebar session on 'Building Resilient and Inclusive Education for All' alongside TeachUNITED and other global education leaders.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• eKitabu: Kenya-based EdTech and inclusive education organization serving learners with disabilities and low-income communities in East Africa. Comparable digital-content-and-tablet delivery to public schools at scale.
• CAMFED (Campaign for Female Education): Pan-African NGO supporting girls' secondary education and young women's economic empowerment across multiple sub-Saharan countries. Comparable beneficiary base (adolescent girls in rural communities), bursary-style support, and community-led model.
• Centre for Youth & Development (CYD): Malawi-based peer NGO also focused on youth empowerment and community development, explicitly named as a collaborating partner in Ulalo's data. Operates with a similar multi-sector (education, health, livelihoods) approach in overlapping Malawian geographies.
• TeachUNITED: International education nonprofit building resilient, inclusive education systems in low-resource settings. Named partner of Ulalo's Executive Director at UNGA sidebar sessions; shares the EdTech-and-teacher-training development model.
• Team4Tech: US-based nonprofit that brings technology and volunteer expertise to underserved schools globally, including a stated partnership with Ulalo. Closely comparable EdTech-for-development focus and reliance on corporate volunteer mobilization.
• Educate!: East Africa-focused youth skills and education NGO operating in Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya. Comparable model combining secondary education support, teacher training, and youth entrepreneurship outcomes for underserved populations.
• Chance for Childhood: UK-headquartered NGO working across Africa on inclusive education, child protection, and youth justice. Comparable donor-funded international development model targeting marginalized children's education and wellbeing in low-income contexts.
• Worldreader: Global nonprofit using mobile and tablet technology to support literacy in sub-Saharan Africa and other emerging markets. Closely comparable EdTech-delivered literacy/numeracy intervention model for primary-age learners.
• Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator: South Africa-based nonprofit tackling youth unemployment through skills, employer matching, and economic empowerment. Comparable target beneficiary (underserved youth) and integrated model combining training, employer engagement, and entrepreneurship support.

Broad incumbents

• BRAC: One of the world's largest development NGOs operating integrated education, health, and economic empowerment programs across Africa and Asia. Much larger scale and multi-country footprint than Ulalo, but a useful benchmark for the multi-sector community-led development model Ulalo is pursuing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ulalomw

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Ulalo