What M-PESA Foundation does

M-PESA Foundation is an independent charitable trust established in 2010 and headquartered at Safaricom House in Nairobi, Kenya. It implements large-scale community projects across four stated pillars — Education, Health, Environmental Conservation, and Integrated Livelihoods — plus a Disaster Response track, with cumulative stated reach of approximately 1.74 million students, 6.7 million health beneficiaries, 851,138 environmental beneficiaries, and 293,000 disaster-response beneficiaries. Grant-funded programs are delivered through 25+ strategic partnerships with county governments, AMREF, PharmAccess, Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Red Cross, UNFPA, University of Embu and others, with documented individual grants ranging from KES 8.81 million to KES 231 million. The foundation also runs direct-asset programs: the M-PESA Foundation Academy (a Thika-based residential high school with full scholarships) and the TVET Scholarship Programme (national coverage across 47 counties).

The foundation's technical surface centers on three mobile platforms: M-Tiba (a conditional healthcare payment service with Carepay, serving 1.24M+ users and KES 442M+ in payouts), Jamii Smart (a Community Health Worker data capture platform launched 2013 with AMREF and PharmAccess), and LEAP (a text/audio learning platform for Community Health Volunteers reaching 360,000 people annually). It has no commercial revenue model; the foundation is funded by Safaricom and other partners and distributes grants rather than selling products or services, with beneficiary segments spanning students, healthcare facilities, conservation ecosystems, and underserved communities across Kenya.

Name

M-PESA Foundation

Legal name

M-PESA Foundation

Website

https://m-pesafoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

M-PESA Foundation is an independent charitable trust established in 2010 by Safaricom, funding and implementing large-scale community projects across Education, Health, Environmental Conservation, and Integrated Livelihoods for Kenyan beneficiaries, with cumulative reach of over 9 million lives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Foundation and Community Development Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH), Community Health & Prevention Program Funding (HLAJALAF), Maternal, Newborn, Child & Adolescent Health (MNCAH) NGOs (HLAJAKAG), Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) Program Development & Administration (AFAMAMAF)

Keywords

• Community development programs
• Education scholarships
• Mobile health payments
• Environmental conservation projects
• Clean water initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Charitable Grants and Donations: M-PESA Foundation operates as an independent charitable trust that funds community projects through grants and donations. The foundation does not generate commercial revenue but distributes funds to support education, health, environmental conservation, and integrated livelihood programs across Kenya.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

M-PESA Foundation is an independent charitable trust that funds and implements large-scale community development projects across four thematic pillars: Education, Health, Environmental Conservation, and Integrated Livelihoods in Kenya. The foundation deploys multi-million shilling grants to county governments, NGOs, and implementing partners, and operates proprietary technology platforms (M-Tiba mobile health payments, Jamii Smart data platform, LEAP community health worker training) that leverage Safaricom's mobile network infrastructure to deliver measurable social outcomes including scholarships, maternal health programs, forest conservation, and clean water infrastructure.

Product overview

M-PESA Foundation is an independent charitable trust dedicated to creating empowered communities through large-scale community projects. The organization operates a portfolio of programs across four thematic pillars: Education (including the M-PESA Foundation Academy and TVET Scholarship Programme), Health (including M-Tiba, Jamii Smart, LEAP, and Uzazi Salama maternal health initiatives), Environmental Conservation (including Reteti Elephant Sanctuary support, Mau Eburu Forest, Nairobi Greenline, and Roan Antelope Conservation), and Integrated Livelihoods (including Nyalani Dam Solar Power, Last Mile Water and Sanitation, and Kinango Food Security). These programs are not integrated software products but rather grant-funded community development initiatives focused on measurable social impact in Kenya.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• M-PESA Foundation Academy: A co-educational and residential high school in Thika, Kenya offering the Kenyan National Curriculum with emphasis on leadership, entrepreneurship, technology, and innovation for economically disadvantaged students with demonstrated leadership potential.
• M-TIBA
• Jamii Smart
• Uzazi Salama
• Citizens of the Future

Products and services

• M-PESA Foundation Academy A state-of-the-art co-educational residential high school in Thika offering the Kenyan National Curriculum with full scholarships provided to talented but economically disadvantaged students. Emphasizes leadership, entrepreneurship, technology, innovation, music, sports, arts, outdoor pursuits, and community service.
• TVET Scholarship Programme Comprehensive Technical and Vocational Education and Training scholarship programme in partnership with University of Embu providing full program fee coverage and monthly stipends for accommodation and upkeep. Offers craft certificates, diplomas, and qualifications in cosmetology, building and construction, mobile/electronic repairs, vehicle repairs, electrical installation, welding, culinary arts, and information technology to Kenyan youth across all 47 counties.
• M-Tiba Mobile phone service partnered with CarePay that enables users to send, save, and spend funds specifically for medical bills. Funds can only be used to pay for treatment and medication at select partner clinics and hospitals, with over 1,238,774 users since introduction facilitating 262,266 clinic visits and KES 442,835,554 in medical payouts.
• Jamii Smart Platform Mobile software platform used by Community Health Workers to upload patient data via their mobile phones and access all medical information concerning patients in real time. Launched as part of the Samburu MNCH Impact Programme, with documented impact of deliveries increasing from 1 to 6 births per month in hospitals using the platform.
• LEAP (Health Enablement and Learning Platform) Platform providing text and audio content in English or Swahili on a weekly basis to Community Health Volunteers via their mobile phones. Enables CHVs to connect with each other regardless of location free of charge, with over 3,000 community health workers registered reaching more than 360,000 people annually.
• Uzazi Salama Maternal Health Programme Maternal health programme partnership with AMREF Health Africa, PharmAccess Africa, Action Aid, Pathfinder International, and Homabay County Government aimed at strengthening health systems for quality reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent healthcare. Targeted approximately 86,469 women and children under 5 years in Ndhiwa and Suba Sub-Counties with KES 150 million investment and a documented 75% increase in utilization of maternal health services in Samburu.
• Reteti Elephant Sanctuary Support Grant support programme for the elephant sanctuary that takes in orphaned and abandoned elephant calves with the aim to release them back into wild herds. M-PESA Foundation provided a KES 8.81 million grant for purchase of a tractor, construction of a keeper's canteen, elephant stable, and fencing materials.
• Mau Eburu Forest Conservation Forest conservation initiative with M-PESA Foundation providing a KES 155 million grant for fencing project to protect the Eburu Forest Reserve. This was described as the largest sum donated for a single programme.
• Nairobi Greenline Environmental conservation programme with M-PESA Foundation contributing KES 43 million of the KES 60 million total for planting 250,000 indigenous trees over a 30 kilometre stretch measuring 50 metres wide, creating a green buffer zone protecting Nairobi National Park.
• Roan Antelope Conservation Conservation partnership programme with Kenya Wildlife Services, Northern Rangelands Trust, and Back to Africa. Foundation donated KES 17 million to build an 8.6 km boundary fence to protect Ruma National Park from fire outbreaks threatening the endangered roan antelope.
• Nyalani Dam Solar Power Solar powered water pump installation at Nyalani Dam in Kwale County providing 22,000 residents access to water for homes and farms. KES 231 million project (with Kwale County contributing KES 25 million) expected to boost food production by supplying 105 acres of farmland with irrigation water.
• Last Mile Water and Sanitation Connectivity Partnership with County Government of Kisumu and Practical Action to provide clean water and sanitation to over 20,000 residents of Nyalenda in Kisumu County. KES 8.8 million project includes construction of a modern ablution block and support for SMEs producing hygiene products.
• Kinango Food Security and Integrated Livelihood Integrated food security programme with investment of KES 207 million that has impacted at least 2,500 people directly and 10,000 indirectly through increased access to safe water, agriculture support, health and nutrition awareness in Kwale County.
• Menstrual Health Programme Programme addressing menstrual health with distribution of sanitary towels. Created awareness among 10,000 adolescent boys on menstruation, sexual reproductive health, and life skills. Enabled 57 community-based mentors to support adolescents in multiple Kenyan counties.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.74 million students impacted by investments in education
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

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

• AMREF Health AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership for maternal, newborn, and child health programs. AMREF is the implementing partner for Uzazi Salama initiative which aims to improve access to quality maternal health services. The partnership includes capacity building of health workers, health facility upgrades, and community health volunteer training.
• PharmAccess AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for health systems strengthening and healthcare financing initiatives. Co-implementing partner for maternal health programs including Uzazi Salama in Samburu and Homabay counties.
• CarepaycoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership to launch M-Tiba, a mobile phone service allowing people to send, save and spend funds specifically for medical bills. Carepay administers conditional healthcare payments between funders, patients and healthcare providers.
• Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for wildlife conservation including Nairobi Greenline project, Ruma National Park roan antelope protection, and Eburu-Lake Naivasha wildlife corridor. KWS is the government agency managing Kenya's wildlife.
• Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for disaster response and integrated livelihood programs including Kinango Food Security project. KRCS led intervention during 2004 drought in Kwale County which led to the Kinango initiative.
• Practical ActionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Last Mile Water and Sanitation Connectivity project in Kisumu County. Practical Action focuses on technology-based solutions for underserved communities.
• CBMmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for disability inclusive development projects including inclusive education initiatives with Cure Hospital.
• Rhino ArkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Eburu ecosystem conservation including Mau Eburu Forest fencing project. Rhino Ark is the programme proponent for long-term conservation of the Eburu ecosystem.
• Kwale County GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Nyalani Dam Solar Power project providing water to 22,000 residents. County contributed KES 25 million to the KES 231 million project.
• University of EmbucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to launch TVET Scholarship Programme targeting 1,300 youth across 47 counties. The foundation also broke ground on TVET Centre of Excellence constructions and renovations.
• Gertrude's Children HospitalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Daktari Smart telemedicine program targeting over 32,000 children in Homabay, Samburu, Baringo and Lamu Counties.
• Flying Doctors Society of AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for fistula surgery camps and programs. Joint initiative with UNFPA and AMREF to address obstetric fistula through free medical camps.
• Northern Rangelands TrustmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for roan antelope conservation at Ruma National Park. NRT is a membership organization owned and led by 43 community conservancies in northern and coastal Kenya.
• Back to AfricamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation partner for roan antelope protection initiative at Ruma National Park.
• FinlaysmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Government of Kenya Treasury and M-PESA Foundation for Eburu-Lake Naivasha wildlife corridor conservation project.
• Reteti Elephant SanctuarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for elephant conservation in Samburu County. Foundation provided KES 8.81 million grant for facilities expansion including tractor, keeper's canteen, elephant stable and fencing.
• Samburu CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with AMREF, Safaricom and PharmAccess for improving maternal and child healthcare through infrastructure, capacity building, and referral services.
• Ministry of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for education initiatives including sanitary towel distribution program benefiting over 800,000 girls, and school infrastructure projects across multiple counties.
• AccentureminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTechnology and consulting partner providing expertise for foundation programs.
• Kenya Forest ServicemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for forest conservation including Mau Eburu Forest protection and management.
• Starehe Girls CentremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for education support to financially disadvantaged girls from all counties of Kenya. Multiple infrastructure projects completed.
• Pathfinder InternationalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Uzazi Salama maternal health initiative in Homabay County.
• Action AidmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Uzazi Salama maternal health initiative in Homabay County.
• Lewa Wildlife ConservancymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWildlife conservation partner working on conservation of wildlife and habitats in northern Kenya.
• Farm Concern International (FCI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgri-markets and systems facilitator for livelihood programs focusing on urban formal markets and rural traditional systems.
• The Children's Investment Fund FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to officially launch Impact Philanthropy Africa Forum for philanthropy and social investment collaboration.
• UNFPAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for fistula programme alongside Flying Doctors Society of Africa and AMREF.

Scale indicators21 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Wellcome Trust: Major science and health philanthropy funding global health R&D, mental health, and infectious disease; comparable to M-PESA Foundation in health-grantmaking orientation, though operating at a global not country-specific level.
• Dangote Foundation: Large African corporate-backed philanthropic foundation supporting health, education, and economic empowerment — comparable scale, model, and pillar structure to M-PESA Foundation.
• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: Global philanthropic foundation with deep investment in maternal, newborn, and child health, education, and digital financial inclusion in Africa — overlapping pillars with M-PESA Foundation's programs at significantly larger scale.
• Tony Elumelu Foundation: Pan-African philanthropy focused on entrepreneurship, education, and economic empowerment; comparable to the integrated livelihoods, education, and youth empowerment programs run by M-PESA Foundation.
• Mastercard Foundation: Large Africa-focused philanthropic foundation supporting education, financial inclusion, and youth employment — directly overlapping M-PESA Foundation's scholarships, livelihoods, and digital education pillars at much larger scale.

Direct peers

• PharmAccess Foundation: Long-standing M-PESA Foundation partner in Uzazi Salama and mobile-health-financing programs; comparable as a health-systems and healthcare-financing foundation operating in Kenya and similar African geographies.
• The Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF): Active M-PESA Foundation partner (Impact Philanthropy Africa Forum co-launcher) and a major funder of maternal/child health, education, and climate adaptation in Africa — directly comparable focus areas and grantmaking model.
• AMREF Health Africa: Core implementing partner on Uzazi Salama and other M-PESA Foundation maternal health programs; directly comparable as an African NGO focused on health capacity-building, community health workers, and MNCH.
• CarePay: Co-developer and operator of the M-Tiba mobile health wallet that underpins M-PESA Foundation's health-financing program — directly comparable as a mobile-health payment technology peer in Kenya.
• Safaricom Foundation: Sister charitable trust of M-PESA Foundation, also established by Safaricom and operating in Kenya across health, education, and livelihoods. Most directly comparable in funding model, geographic focus, and CSR scope; even shares parent, brand family, and physical address.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Mpesa_FDN
• Facebookfacebook.com/MPESAFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/m-pesa-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about M-PESA Foundation