Sunsar Maya

What Sunsar Maya does

Sunsar Maya is a US-incorporated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (legal entity Sunsar Maya Inc., headquartered in San Francisco, California) that delivers four integrated program pillars in Nepal: the SuMa After-School Program (ASP) providing holistic care including progressive STEM education, daily meals, bi-annual medical and dental checkups, mental health therapy, and hygiene support to vulnerable children; the SuMa Women's Literacy Program (WLP) delivering literacy, numeracy, life-skills, and healthcare (including gynecological exams and cancer screenings) to women living in extreme poverty; the SuMa Teacher Training program that extends project-based and experiential STEAM pedagogy to rural teachers across Nepal; and Emergency Relief Projects that respond to natural disasters and crises (notably the 2015 earthquake and the COVID-19 pandemic). Programs operate across four community sites (Jorpati, Sanogaun, Mahalaxmi, Machhegaun) via a field team of 17 Nepal-based staff under an In-Country Director, supported by a five-person US team (Executive Director, Development Director, Grants Manager, Communications Specialist, Accounting & Finance).

The organization generates revenue through a diversified nonprofit income stack: individual donations (one-time and monthly PATHMAKERS recurring giving), peer-to-peer fundraising via Facebook and Instagram, birthday donation campaigns, corporate matching gift programs, Amazon Smile affiliate revenue, sale of Nepali-made merchandise (pashminas, mala beads, photography prints) through an in-house e-commerce store, and grants from institutional donors such as Together Women Rise and Moms Against Poverty. All programming is provided free of charge to beneficiaries; the merchandise store functions as a fundraising mechanism rather than a profit center. Sunsar Maya holds a Charity Navigator Four-Star Rating, a Candid (GuideStar) Transparency Seal, and a 2021 Great Nonprofits Top-Rated Award, and was founded in 2011 by four volunteers who met while working at a local NGO in Nepal.

Name

Sunsar Maya

Legal name

Sunsar Maya Inc.

Website

https://sunsarmaya.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sunsar Maya is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers holistic after-school education, women's literacy, teacher training, and emergency relief programs to vulnerable women and children across four community sites in Nepal, funded primarily through individual donations, grants, and merchandise sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (624110), Educational Support Services (611710), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Child Protection & Child Rights (BPAGABAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Family Advocacy, Parent Training & Support Services (EDAJAKAK)

Keywords

• Nonprofit humanitarian services
• After-school education
• Women's literacy
• Teacher training
• Emergency relief

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individual supporters, including monthly giving program (PATHMAKERS), birthday donation campaigns, and general fundraising.
2. Corporate Matching: Many employers have matching gift programs that double or match charitable contributions made by employees.
3. Online Store / Merchandise: Sale of Nepali-made merchandise including pashmina scarves, mala bead bracelets and necklaces, prints of Nepal photography, stainless steel water bottles, iPhone cases, and gift cards. 100% of proceeds support students.
4. Amazon Smile: Amazon Smile donates a small percentage of qualifying purchases to Sunsar Maya at no extra cost to the shopper.
5. Grant Funding: Grants from institutional donors such as Together Women Rise and Moms Against Poverty.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Sunsar Maya is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers four integrated program pillars to vulnerable women and children in Nepal: (1) the After-School Program providing holistic education, meals, healthcare, and mental health therapy to children in extreme poverty; (2) the Women's Literacy Program offering literacy, numeracy, life-skills, and medical care to women; (3) Teacher Training extending progressive STEAM methods to rural educators; and (4) Emergency Relief Projects delivering disaster response. Programs are funded by individual donations, grants, corporate matching, Amazon Smile, and merchandise sales.

Product overview

Sunsar Maya is a nonprofit organization operating four interconnected core programs: the After-School Program (ASP) providing holistic education and support to vulnerable children, the Women's Literacy Program (WLP) empowering mothers and caregivers through education and healthcare, Teacher Training extending progressive methods to rural educators, and Emergency Relief Projects delivering disaster response. Additionally, the Sunsar Maya Shop functions as a fundraising mechanism selling Nepali-made products including mala beads, pashmina scarves, and photography prints, with proceeds supporting organizational programming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SuMa After-School Program (ASP) A first-of-its-kind holistic after-school program providing vulnerable children in Nepal with progressive STEM education, daily nutritious meals, bi-annual medical and dental checkups, mental health therapy, hygiene lessons and supplies, and wrap-around support services across multiple community locations including Jorpati, Sanogaun, Mahalaxmi, and Machhegaun.
• SuMa Women's Literacy Program (WLP) An empowerment program providing women living in extreme poverty with literacy, numeracy, and life-skills education (English, Nepali, Mathematics, small business and entrepreneurial skills, health and well-being education) through immersive real-world situations, plus bi-annual medical care including gynecological exams and cancer screenings.
• SuMa Teacher Training A program bringing progressive education methods to remote areas of Nepal, training rural teachers in project-based and experiential STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) learning through intensive training, ongoing support via group chats, in-person classroom observations, and follow-up training sessions.
• Emergency Relief Projects Emergency aid programs providing immediate and long-term disaster response for communities in Nepal, including food and sanitation supply distributions (e.g., 72,725 pounds distributed to 1,700 people during COVID-19), medical clinics, housing materials, and school/home rebuilding.
• Sunsar Maya Shop An e-commerce fundraising store featuring Nepali-made products including hand-made solid cashmere pashmina scarves ($85), mala bead prayer bead necklaces ($45) and bracelets ($23), Nepal mountain photography prints by Kuntal Joisher (from $62.95), stainless steel 17oz water bottles ($24.99), iPhone cases ($17.95), and digital gift cards ($25/$50/$75/$100). 100% of proceeds support Sunsar Maya students.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 hours of education provided annually through three programs
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Together Women RisecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTogether Women Rise is a powerful community of women and allies dedicated to global gender equality with hundreds of local chapters across the U.S. Members learn about and advocate for gender equality issues, give grants to organizations empowering women and girls in low-income countries, and build community. Sunsar Maya is a grantee partner.
• Nepal Social TrekscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2006, Nepal Social Treks has offered environmentally conscious tours and adventure excursions throughout Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, and India. They offer charity treks benefiting Sunsar Maya and provide transportation and other support services for Sunsar Maya's students in Nepal.
• Golestan ColabminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGolestan Colab empowers and supports educators, parents, and community leaders to create ideal learning environments for children by offering pro-bono consultancy and resources. Educators traveled to Nepal to help launch the SuMa ASP.
• Kind TravelerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKind Traveler is a charity partner platform that empowers travelers to make a positive impact on the communities they visit. A portion of every guest's stay, adventure, or gathering goes directly towards supporting Sunsar Maya.
• SpiralogicsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpiralogics, a Nepali technology company, ran the Spiralogics Spirathon competition in which Sunsar Maya student Karan won the 'Aspiring Next Generation Award.' As part of the prize, Karan received a year of mentorship by Spiralogics to develop computer applications.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Together Women Rise: US-based grantmaking organization funding women and girls' empowerment programs in low-income countries. Sunsar Maya is a current grantee partner. Highly relevant as a funding-ecosystem peer and as a thematic match for the women's empowerment / literacy program pillar.

Broad incumbents

• Save the Children: Large international NGO delivering child welfare, education, health, and emergency relief programs globally including in Nepal. Operates at much greater scale than Sunsar Maya but addresses the same mix of child education, health, and disaster response that defines Sunsar Maya's four pillars.
• World Vision: Major humanitarian organization running child sponsorship, education, health, and disaster relief programs in Nepal and globally. Overlaps with Sunsar Maya across all four program pillars but at significantly greater scale and geographic breadth.
• Plan International: Global NGO focused on children's rights and gender equality, operating education and emergency response programs in Nepal. Highly comparable in mission emphasis on girls' education and women's empowerment — directly mirroring Sunsar Maya's Women's Literacy Program.

Direct peers

• Compassion International: Global child sponsorship organization providing education, health, and holistic child development in developing countries including Nepal. Comparable model: long-term sponsorship of vulnerable children, combined education/health/support services, and individual donor funding base.
• Room to Read: Global nonprofit focused on literacy and gender equality in education across Asia and Africa. Most directly comparable peer: shares Sunsar Maya's literacy-and-gender-equal-education mission, operates teacher training programs, and serves primary-school-age children in low-income communities in South Asia.

Regional players

• dZi Foundation: Nepal-focused nonprofit partnering with local organizations to reduce poverty through education, health, and economic development. Strong regional comparability: same geography, same target beneficiaries, and a similar community-empowerment approach.
• Nepal Youth Foundation: US-based nonprofit operating exclusively in Nepal on children's education, health, and anti-trafficking programs. Directly comparable peer: same country focus, similar beneficiary segments (children, women), and overlapping program areas including education and emergency relief.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/sunsarmaya
• Facebookfacebook.com/sunsarmaya
• Instagraminstagram.com/sunsarmaya

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Sunsar Maya