Community Education Services

What Community Education Services does

Community Education Services (CES) Canada is a registered Canadian nonprofit charity (BN: 82377 6943 RR0001) founded in 2003 through a partnership between Canadian educator Michael Frederiksen and retired Kenyan diplomat Malik Khaemba. The organization provides education access and related support to orphaned and impoverished youth in rural western Kenya. Its core services include secondary school scholarships (covering tuition, uniforms, supplies, and meals), partial and full university/college scholarships, the CESCED Leadership Program (an online 10-module, 110-hour leadership training course), a Peer Mentoring Program connecting alumni mentors with recent graduates, and a Teacher Assistant Internship Program for top-performing graduates. In parallel, CES funds school infrastructure including clean drinking water at 12 schools, new classrooms, and food preparation facilities, and runs health, nutrition, and IT-skills education programs across approximately 45 partner schools.

CES operates a unique dual-board governance model: a Canadian board based in Barrie, Ontario handles fundraising and strategic planning, while a Kenyan board in Kakamega manages operations, student selection, school partnerships, and program delivery. All Canadian staff are volunteers, and the Kenya office is staffed by retired Kenyan professionals. The organization holds UN ECOSOC consultative status (since 2013) and is a member of the UN WASH in Schools Program (since 2016), and has recently expanded into education policy research via a Spencer Foundation-funded coalition studying Competency-Based Education in Kenya.

Revenue is generated entirely through charitable donations: individual monthly sponsorships at $30/month per student, one-time gifts, foundation grants (notably the Peter Cundill Foundation for Leadership Scholarships and the Spencer Foundation for research), corporate sponsors, a gift catalog of physical items such as hygiene kits and solar study lamps, and fundraising events including the annual TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon team. Donations are processed through the CES website and CanadaHelps.org. The organization reports no disclosed revenue figures; no parent company, subsidiaries, or private investors exist. Since inception, CES has provided over 3,500 education scholarships, supported more than 1,000 students from no-hope-of-graduating to college/university enrollment, and produced its first Masters graduate in September 2025.

Name

Community Education Services

Legal name

Community Education Services Canada

Website

https://cescan.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Community Education Services Canada is a registered Canadian nonprofit charity, founded in 2003, that provides secondary and university scholarships, leadership training, infrastructure support, and health programs to orphaned and impoverished youth in western Kenya, funded by individual donations, foundation grants, and community events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Charity Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Development & Donor-Funded Education Programs (EDADALAB), K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB), Volunteerism, Service-Learning & Community Service (EDALAHAG)

Keywords

• Education scholarships
• Student sponsorship programs
• Community development services
• Leadership training programs
• Charitable youth support

Headquarters

HQ city

Barrie

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute through monthly donations ($30/month pays school fees for one year), one-time gifts, and fundraising events such as the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon.
2. Foundation Grants: Grants from foundations such as the Peter Cundill Foundation support the Leadership Scholarship program. The Spencer Foundation funds research projects.
3. Gift Catalog: CES offers a gift catalog where donors can purchase specific items like hygiene kits ($30 for three), solar study lamps, backpacks, and other supplies for students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Community Education Services Canada is a registered Canadian charity that provides secondary school and university scholarships, along with comprehensive support services including meals, supplies, health education, and leadership training, to orphaned and impoverished youth in rural western Kenya. The organization operates through direct partnerships with 45+ secondary schools and runs complementary programs including the CESCED Leadership Program, Peer Mentoring Program, and CES Internship Program. Funding comes from individual donations, foundation grants, and community fundraising events.

Product overview

Community Education Services Canada is a charitable organization (not a technology company) providing education access to Kenyan youth orphaned by HIV/AIDS. The organization offers a portfolio of services including secondary school scholarships, university/college scholarships, and the CESCED Leadership Program (an online 10-module leadership training course). Additional programs include the Peer Mentoring Program connecting alumni mentors with recent graduates, the CES Internship Program for teacher assistants, and the annual David Feather Award for academic excellence. The organization also supports high school infrastructure (water, classrooms) and provides health education. These services work together to support students from secondary school through university graduation and into careers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Secondary School Scholarships Comprehensive scholarships for secondary school students who are bright and ambitious but whose families struggle with paying school fees. CES supports students through their entire secondary education, covering tuition, uniforms, textbooks, supplies, and meals.
• University and College Scholarships Partial or full scholarships for university and college education for top-performing CES secondary school graduates. Many CES students have gone on to careers in medicine, education, agriculture, and science.
• CESCED Leadership Program CES School of Continuing Education Leadership Studies program - an online 10-module, 110-hour leadership training program for CES graduate students pursuing higher learning at college or university. Topics include Leadership and Teamwork, Communication, Gender, Ethics, Culture, and Financial Management.
• Peer Mentoring Program Program connecting CES Alumni mentors with recent secondary school graduates to provide guidance during transition to college or university. Fourteen mentors have worked with 26 recent graduates through weekly communications and counselling.
• CES Internship Program Teacher Assistant and Peer Mentor internship for top-performing CES graduates (B+ or higher in KCSE exams) prior to university entry. Interns serve at their former schools for five months receiving a stipend.
• David Feather Award Annual award presented to the CES-sponsored student who achieves the highest mark on the KCSE national examinations. Includes a certificate and 50,000 Kenyan Shillings (approximately CAD$500) paid to the educational institution of the winner.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3,500 education scholarships provided since 2003
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Kirinyaga UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Lead institution for the Spencer Foundation-funded research project on Competency-Based Education in Kenya. Professor Jane Kerubo (former Deputy Head of Mission at Kenyan High Commission in Ottawa) leads the project.
• UN WASH in Schools ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Since 2016, CES Canada has been a member of the UN WASH in Schools Program. The organization's model of safe water management and delivery to students at Kimang'eti Girls Secondary School has been shared in many parts of Africa and southeast Asia.
• United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013CES has maintained consultative status with the UN ECOSOC since 2013, providing recognition of its work on an international stage and opportunities for collaboration with UN agencies.
• Kenya Ministry of EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Spencer Foundation research project exploring how Competency-Based Education can bring greater equity to education in Kenya.
• University of Eastern Africa–BaratonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in the research coalition studying Competency-Based Education equity in Kenya.
• Kenyatta UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in the research coalition studying Competency-Based Education equity in Kenya.
• Kenya Institute of Curriculum DevelopmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the research project examining equity in Kenya's Competency-Based Education implementation.
• Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the research project examining equity in Kenya's Competency-Based Education implementation.
• Women Educational Researchers of KenyaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the research coalition studying Competency-Based Education equity in Kenya.
• Usawa AgendaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the research coalition studying Competency-Based Education equity in Kenya.
• TCS Toronto Waterfront MarathonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAnnual fundraising event where CES Canada team participates to raise funds for education projects in Kenya. In 2025, the team raised $6,794.13.
• Kingsway Baptist ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides free venue space for CES Family Gatherings in Toronto. Church community members have also provided food donations and other support for events.
• Kenya Red Cross SocietyminorOthersSeveral CES alumni have built careers with Kenya Red Cross, including Dennis Were who works as a public health officer in Turkana County refugee camps.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• War Child Canada: Canadian-registered international NGO focused on education, protection, and child development in conflict-affected areas including East Africa, with similar donor-supported scholarship and school programming but a broader advocacy remit.
• Plan International Canada: Large Canadian arm of a global children's rights and education NGO operating in Kenya with scholarships, school infrastructure, and WASH programs—overlapping program themes but at materially greater scale and geographic breadth than CES.

Direct peers

• WE Charity (WE Movement): Canadian-registered charity delivering education and community development programs in Kenya and other developing countries; comparable Canada-headquartered, Kenya-operating education charity footprint with school infrastructure and youth leadership components.
• Ubuntu Education Fund: South Africa- and US-based nonprofit providing cradle-to-career support including scholarships and health services to vulnerable African youth—comparably focused on a long-term, multi-dimensional support model for orphaned/impoverished students.
• Room to Read: Global nonprofit focused on literacy, gender equality, and education access across Asia and Africa, with a similar multi-year student sponsorship and school engagement model and comparable alumni outcome tracking.
• Right To Play: Canada-based international organization promoting child development through sport and play in Africa and other regions, including leadership training for youth; similar Canada-rooted, Africa-delivered youth education/leadership mission.
• BuildOn: International nonprofit that partners with rural communities to build schools and provide education in developing countries including in Africa, sharing CES's school-level intervention model and community-driven scholarship support model.

Emerging players

• African Library Project: US-based nonprofit that partners with North American groups to ship books and establish libraries in African schools—narrower education access focus in similar geographies, smaller scale than CES.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CESCanada
• Facebookfacebook.com/Cescan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/community-education-services-ces-canada

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Community Education Services