African Rainbow Family

What African Rainbow Family does

African Rainbow Family (ARF) is a UK-registered charity (charity number 1185902) founded in 2014 by Aderonke Apata to support LGBTIQ+ refugees and people seeking asylum, with a focus on people of African heritage and the wider Black and Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) Global Majority community. The organization delivers a coordinated suite of services through five physical community centers in Manchester (headquarters), Birmingham, Leeds, London, and Swansea, including IAA-accredited free immigration advice and casework, psychotherapeutic peer support and counselling, Monthly Sibling Meetings, moving-on and integration support, and national advocacy campaigns such as "UNREPORTED!" and "No Pride in Deportation." ARF's primary beneficiary base is a network of 1,500+ LGBTIQ+ refugees, with documented acute need, including 57.3% having no solicitor or caseworker and 98% missing social events due to transport costs.

The organization's technology footprint is minimal and non-proprietary: services are delivered via standard office tools, email, telephone, and a Microsoft Forms-based referral system, with no API, app, or platform. ARF monetizes not through commercial revenue but through a diversified charity income model comprising individual donations (JustGiving, PayPal, tiered giving such as £30 weekly hot meals, £450 for ten counselling sessions), corporate and foundation grants (Clifford Chance, Rolls-Royce, HSBC, KPMG, Barclays, Jacobs, Lush, L'Occitane, Manchester City Council), branded merchandise sales, and fee-based corporate training and speaking engagements ranging from £250 introductory talks to £10,000 comprehensive partnerships. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed.

ARF's go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: beneficiaries are reached through word-of-mouth, social media (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, X), Pride festivals (Birmingham, Salford, Coventry), parliamentary events, and referral partnerships with aligned NGOs such as Rainbow Migration, Kaleidoscope Trust, UK Black Pride, and Refugee Action. The organization is led by lived-experience practitioners, with a small core staff team (CEO, Finance Officer, Grants Officer, Advocacy Leads, Wellbeing Officer, Media Officer, IT Administrator) supplemented by a volunteer network of over 1,500 people across five cities, giving it a high-touch, expert-by-experience operating model.

Name

African Rainbow Family

Legal name

African Rainbow Family

Website

https://africanrainbowfamily.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

African Rainbow Family is a UK charity founded in 2014 that supports LGBTIQ+ refugees and people seeking asylum of African heritage and the Global Majority through five community centers, IAA-accredited immigration advice, peer support, and national advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Refugee and Asylum Support Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

LGBTQ+ Rights & Advocacy Organizations (BPAGAFAE), Diaspora, Family Reunification & Case Management Services (BPADAHAM)

Keywords

• Refugee support services
• Asylum advice
• Lgbtqi advocacy
• Immigration casework
• Community peer support

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Charity receives donations from individuals via JustGiving, PayPal, and bank transfers. Donation tiers include £6.40 for meeting attendance, £9.40 for volunteer expenses, £30 for weekly hot meals, £450 for 10 counselling sessions.
2. Corporate and Foundation Grants: Funding from corporate partners (Clifford Chance, Rolls-Royce, HSBC, KPMG), foundations, and charitable trusts. Includes Manchester City Council, Our Manchester Voluntary & Community Sector Fund.
3. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling branded merchandise including T-shirts (£25), mugs (£10), tote bags, pens (£5), and keyrings to raise funds.
4. Speaker Fees and Training: Fee-based workshops and training sessions for corporate and public sector organizations on LGBTIQ+ inclusion and asylum awareness. Corporate collaborations range from £250 intro talks to £10,000 comprehensive partnerships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

African Rainbow Family is a UK-registered charity providing free immigration advice, peer support, counselling, and advocacy for LGBTIQ+ refugees and people seeking asylum of African heritage and the wider Black and Asian Minority Ethnic groups. The organization operates community centers in five UK cities, delivers IAA-accredited immigration casework, and runs awareness campaigns. It also sells branded merchandise and provides fee-based corporate training and speaking engagements.

Product overview

African Rainbow Family operates as a nonprofit charitable organization providing a coordinated suite of services for LGBTIQ+ refugees and people seeking asylum. The core offerings include the IAA-accredited Refugee Access to Justice Immigration Advice Service, peer support and counselling, monthly sibling meetings across multiple UK cities, moving-on and integration support, and national/international advocacy campaigns. The organization also operates a merchandise shop selling branded items as a fundraising mechanism. All services are designed for and led by experts-by-lived-experience, with the organization running centres in Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, London, and Swansea.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Refugee Access to Justice Immigration Advice Services Free, IAA-accredited immigration advice and casework service covering asylum processes, interview preparation, evidence gathering, appeals, and navigating the UK immigration system for LGBTIQ+ refugees and people seeking asylum.
• Peer Support and Counselling Services Psychotherapeutic peer support, advocacy, information, and counselling services including free specialist LGBTIQ+ counselling sessions for beneficiaries.
• Monthly Sibling Meetings Recurring peer support community gatherings delivered in Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, and London providing safe, affirming spaces for members to connect and access support services.
• Moving-On and Integration Support Support services for refugees transitioning to independence, including integration assistance and practical support for rebuilding lives in the UK.
• Campaigning and Advocacy National and international advocacy campaigns for racial justice and human rights of LGBTIQ+ refugees, including campaigns against deportation and for asylum reform.
• Corporate Training, Speaking Engagements and Workshops Fee-based workshops, speaking engagements, and training sessions for corporate and public sector organizations on LGBTIQ+ inclusion and asylum awareness, including corporate intro talks, full presentations, CEO fireside chats, Q&A panels, and half-day training.
• African Rainbow Family Shop Online shop selling branded merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, tote bags, pens, keyrings) to support fundraising efforts.
• UNREPORTED! Campaign Platform Campaign platform featuring short stories, podcasts, and videos amplifying the voices and experiences of BAME LGBTIQ+ people seeking asylum, providing tools for allies to support the community.

Quantifiable outcome

• 57.3% of LGBT+ people seeking asylum supported by ARF have no solicitor or caseworker, highlighting the critical need for Access to Justice services
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Outside ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLGBTQI+ community center in London housing ARF's London office at Unit 1, 52 Lant St, London SE1 1RB.
• Yorkshire MESMACcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSexual health and community organization in Leeds housing ARF's Leeds center at 22-23 Blayds Yard, Leeds LS1 4AD.
• Refugee ActionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRefugee advocacy organization listed as partner and funder.
• UK Black PridecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization dedicated to Black LGBTQ+ people; invited ARF to join their table at Rainbow Honours 2026 awards, demonstrating solidarity and shared mission.
• CORE/METROminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHIV/AIDS charitable organization partner.
• Rainbow MigrationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLGBTIQ+ migration organization collaborated with ARF for intersectionality session with AB Charitable Trust.
• Choose LoveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRefugee charity partnered with ARF for Summer Shop launch.
• Kaleidoscope TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK-based charity advocating for global LGBTQ+ rights; held annual reception with ARF participation.
• DIVA MagazineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLGBTQI+ media organization collaborated on Lesbian Visibility Week 2026 events at House of Commons, hosted by DIVA Charitable Trust.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Yorkshire MESMAC: Sexual health and community organization in Leeds that hosts ARF's Leeds center; overlaps in community-based LGBTIQ+ service delivery in northern England.
• Choose Love: UK-based refugee charity and documented ARF partner (Summer Shop collaboration); comparable in fundraising model and refugee advocacy, though broader in scope and more brand-marketing oriented.
• The Outside Project: LGBTIQ+ community center in London that houses ARF's London office; comparable in providing safe community space for LGBTIQ+ refugees, including homeless individuals.

Direct peers

• UK Black Pride: Organization dedicated to Black LGBTQ+ people in the UK; demonstrated partnership with ARF at Rainbow Honours 2026 and shares the racial-justice-and-LGBTIQ+ intersectional focus.
• Kaleidoscope Trust: UK charity advocating for global LGBTQ+ rights, with whom ARF has co-hosted parliamentary events; comparable in advocacy focus and LGBTIQ+ rights mission, though operating more on policy than direct service delivery.
• Stonewall Housing: UK charity providing housing support and advice specifically for LGBTQ+ people, including those fleeing persecution; overlaps with ARF's accommodation advocacy ('NAFF' campaign) and beneficiary profile.
• Micro Rainbow: UK charity supporting LGBTIQ+ refugees and asylum seekers with safe housing and integration support; comparable in mission, beneficiary profile, and small-scale community-led model.
• Rainbow Migration: UK-based charity providing advice and support to LGBTIQ+ people seeking asylum; overlaps directly with ARF's Access to Justice Immigration Advice Services and is already a documented collaborative partner.

Broad incumbents

• Refugee Action: Larger, established UK refugee advocacy and support organization that is also a documented ARF partner; serves a similar but broader (non-LGBTIQ-specific) beneficiary base and operates at greater scale.
• Forensic Architecture / Not on Our Watch / British Red Cross (Refugee Services): The British Red Cross and similar large incumbent humanitarian organizations operate broad refugee support programs (casework, advocacy, integration) that overlap with ARF's service portfolio, though without the LGBTIQ+ specialization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AfricanRainbow1
• Facebookfacebook.com/AfricanRainbowFamily
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/african-rainbow-family
• Instagraminstagram.com/africanrainbowfamily
• TikToktiktok.com/@africanrainbowfam

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 African Rainbow Family