SOS Africa

Name

SOS Africa

Legal name

SOS Africa

Website

https://sosafrica.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Education Charity Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Education Systems & Skills Technical Assistance (BPADAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Title I & Compensatory Education Programs (EDAJAGAJ), Special Populations ASE (Reentry/Corrections, Homeless, Refugee/Immigrant, Foster/Justice-Involved) (EDAAABAI)

Keywords

• Child sponsorship services
• Education charity programmes
• Youth training programmes
• Learning support services
• Charitable education funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Shepton Mallet

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Child Sponsorship: Monthly recurring donations from individual sponsors supporting children's education and holistic care. Sponsors receive regular updates, school reports, photos and can correspond directly with sponsored children.
2. One-time Donations: One-time donations for specific purposes such as educational resources, equipment, building projects, teacher training, and holiday workshops.
3. Corporate/School Partnerships: Ongoing sponsorships from businesses and schools sponsoring individual children or funding education centres and projects.
4. Charity Shop Revenue: Retail revenue from the SOS Africa Charity Shop in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, selling second-hand clothing, bric-a-brac and electrical items.
5. Fundraising Events: Revenue from organized fundraising events including abseils, half marathons, and community events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SOS Africa is a UK-registered charity and South African NPO that delivers holistic education, care, and vocational training to disadvantaged children and unemployed youth in South Africa's Western Cape and North-West Province. Its core offering is a monthly child sponsorship programme covering school tuition, after-school care, transport, stationery, uniforms, and additional support such as counselling and mentoring. Complementary programmes include a Learning Support reading programme for children with learning difficulties, a 3-month Care Worker Training programme for unemployed youth, and the newly launched Skills & Training Academy offering certified vocational courses.

Product overview

SOS Africa is a grassroots UK/South African charity operating a platform of child sponsorship and education services. The core offering is the Child Sponsorship Programme, which provides holistic education and care to disadvantaged South African children through monthly donations. Supporting services include Learning Support Programmes for children with learning difficulties, Skills & Training Academy for unemployed youth, and Education Centre Facilities across 4 locations in the Western Cape. The portfolio also includes donation processing, fundraising event organisation, project tours, legacy giving, and a physical charity shop.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Child Sponsorship Programme Monthly sponsorship programme at £350/month enabling donors to support disadvantaged South African children's full education package: school tuition, after-school care, transport, clothing, stationery, and additional support (counselling, mentoring, extra-curricular activities). Sponsors receive regular feedback including school reports, photo albums, blog updates, and the ability to email or visit their sponsored child.
• School Tuition Sponsorship Focused monthly sponsorship option at £20/month funding only school tuition for children whose other needs are covered by additional sponsors. Sponsors receive regular feedback including school reports, photos, blogs, and social media updates.
• Care Worker Training Programme 3-month holistic training course for unemployed youth from the Helderberg Basin covering theory, practical training, and work experience placements in care work. Includes uniform, meals, transportation, personal development, mentoring, and a guaranteed employment placement upon completion. Funded by donors at £500 one-off or £50 x 10 months.
• Skills & Training Academy Vocational training academy at the Sir Lowry's Pass Village campus offering certified courses in care work, digital literacy, entrepreneurial skills, hospitality, and horticulture for unemployed youth from the Helderberg Basin.
• Learning Support Programme Reading and literacy support programme for Foundation Phase children (grades 1-3) with learning difficulties, delivering four-day-weekly sessions with trained tutors at the Somerset West Learning Support Centre and other education centres.
• Education Resource Donations Unit-priced donation catalogue covering stationery (£20), school uniform or books (£50), transport or sports equipment (£100), after-school care (£200), school tuition (£240), and holiday workshop for 12-20 children (£400), supplied directly to the education programmes.
• SOS Africa Charity Shop Physical charity shop in Shepton Mallet, Somerset (open Monday–Saturday 9am–4pm), selling second-hand clothing, bric-a-brac, and electrical items to raise funds for the charity's South African education programmes.
• Charity Fundraising Events Organised fundraising events including sponsored abseils, prison jumps, half marathons, and community challenges to raise funds for SOS Africa's education projects.
• Legacy Donation Programme Programme enabling supporters to leave legacy gifts to SOS Africa in their wills, partnered with Lyons Bowe Solicitors for discounted will-writing services.
• Project Tours Guided tours of SOS Africa's Cape Town education projects for donors and sponsors, hosted by founder Dr Matt Crowcombe to enable in-person engagement with the sponsored children and the education centres.

Quantifiable outcome

• First graduate Olebogeng achieved first university degree in 2023 with distinctions
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dudley Rotary ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Fully-funded the construction of SOS Africa's first Education Centre Build at Grabouw Primary School. The 'Dudley Rotary Club Education Centre' is the home to SOS Africa's Grabouw Education Programme. Also sponsors one child through to graduation.
• Porta RomanacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK luxury lighting and furniture company that fully-funded construction of the SOS Africa Education Centre at St Michael's Primary School, Elgin for their 30th Birthday celebrations. Also sponsors the education and care of 6 SOS Africa children attending the school.
• BOF - Sustainable WorkspacesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFamily-run business from South Wales creating sustainable workspaces. Agreed to become long-term sponsors of 2 SOS Africa children, enabling the charity to provide holistic education and care sponsorship.
• Picture NewsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWorks with over 1000 UK schools providing educational news. Sponsors a child since 2017 and shares detailed updates with their school network.
• JooMo LtdminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNatural Skin Care Cooperative that guarantees a donation of 50p to SOS Africa for every new customer order and an additional 10p for every Facebook 'like'. Business sponsor since 2012.
• New Generation Ski SchoolminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSki school that started sponsoring a child to celebrate their 20th Birthday due to passion for education. Visited Grabouw to see SOS Africa's work in action.
• Aardvark EndeavoursminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOutdoor pursuits and training instructors based in Somerset, UK. Partnered with SOS Africa since 2011 to organize sponsored abseil events from iconic buildings across the South West of England.
• SPECIFIC Innovation & Knowledge CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch centre at Swansea University leading development of solar energy technologies. Staff support SOS Africa through educational outreach and fundraising activities.
• The Village CollaborationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with SOS Africa in March 2022 to launch a holistic training programme for young carers. Provides personal development and mentoring sessions for care worker trainees.
• Procare South AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with SOS Africa and The Village Collaboration to develop the Care Worker Training Programme in response to escalating youth unemployment.
• Ninth SeatminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFull service, independent market research agency providing support to SOS Africa.
• ForwardminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTransforms how and where people work, creating professional, inspiring workspaces. Provides support for SOS Africa.
• Lyons Bowe SolicitorsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides the Lyons Bowe Charity Will Scheme, offering 50% off standard will-writing fees when supporters include a charitable gift to SOS Africa in their will.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• African Revival: UK-registered small charity delivering education programmes in Uganda and Zambia. Closely comparable in scale, grassroots UK-charity / Africa-delivery model, and school-centred intervention approach.
• Camfed: UK-headquartered charity supporting girls' secondary education and economic empowerment across sub-Saharan Africa. Comparable in mission focus on education outcomes for disadvantaged African youth and emphasis on measurable alumni pathways.
• Street Child: UK-registered charity focused on education for marginalised children, with active operations in sub-Saharan Africa including Sierra Leone and Liberia. Closely comparable in grassroots UK-fundraising / Africa-delivery structure and education-only mission.
• Ubuntu Education Fund: International NGO providing holistic education, health, and support services to disadvantaged children and youth in South Africa. Closely comparable holistic education-plus-care model and beneficiary community (township youth).
• ChildFund UK: UK-registered international child sponsorship charity operating in Africa and Asia. Closest direct peer — uses the same monthly child-sponsorship model with personal sponsor communication, education-focused programming, and grassroots-style supporter engagement.

Broad incumbents

• World Vision UK: Large UK-registered child sponsorship and community development NGO with significant South African programming. Highly comparable sponsorship model and education focus, but operates at global scale across multiple continents.
• Save the Children UK: Major UK children's education and welfare charity with programmes in South Africa. Comparable mission and beneficiary focus, but a much larger institutional player with government and institutional funding alongside individual giving.
• Plan International UK: Major UK-based children's rights and education NGO working across Africa. Comparable in mission (disadvantaged children's education, gender-focused outcomes) but operates at materially larger scale with a broader programme portfolio than SOS Africa.
• ActionAid UK: UK-registered international development charity with rights-based education and youth programming across Africa. Comparable advocacy and beneficiary focus, but operates a federated global model rather than grassroots single-country delivery.
• VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas): UK-based international development organisation focused on education and youth employment through volunteer placement, including in South Africa. Comparable on the skills-development and education outcomes axis, particularly relevant given SOS Africa's new Skills Academy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SOSAfricaCharityShopSheptonMallet
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sos-africa

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 SOS Africa