Embrace International Foundation

What Embrace International Foundation does

Embrace International Foundation is a Canadian registered charity (Charitable Registration Number 71263 8899 RR0001, headquartered in Canmore, Alberta) founded in 2017 by Paul and Bev Carrick, formerly of CAUSE Canada. The organization provides financial and technical support to vetted Southern charities serving children with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and severe learning/language challenges in Canada, Guatemala, Uganda, and Sierra Leone. Embrace operates without field offices or expatriate staff internationally, instead channeling grants and capacity-building support through local partner organizations including Kyaninga Child Development Centre (KCDC) in Uganda, CIPECADI in Guatemala, Embrace Uganda, and the Healey International Relief Foundation in Sierra Leone.

The foundation's program portfolio comprises two core product lines and several supporting programs. In Canada, Embrace funds Snoezelen Sensory Room installations (12 completed in Alberta/BC schools over 5 years, with 10 more planned for 2026) — calming multisensory environments for students with Autism, ADHD, and behavioral challenges. Internationally, the core technical offering is self-directed E-Learning Labs built on RACHEL (Remote Area Community Hotspot for Education & Learning) servers from partner World Possible, which deliver offline educational content to 350+ tablets across 15 rural Ugandan primary schools. Supporting programs include physiotherapy/occupational/speech therapy via partner clinics, locally manufactured bamboo wheelchairs from the Kyaninga Mobility Centre, wheelchair-accessible latrines constructed with the Rotary Club of Canmore, reproductive health workshops funded by the 60 Million Girls Foundation, and Sierra Leonean maternal/neonatal training delivered by program coordinator Betty Tenga.

The revenue model is a hybrid of charitable donations and institutional grants. Individual donors give online through CanadaHelps, by mail, or via gifts of securities, with tax receipts issued for donations of $20 or more; a published gift catalogue offers 12 tiered items priced from $50 (Family Basket for CIPECADI) to $4,600 (a complete Snoezelen Sensory Room). Institutional revenue has historically included a $200,000+ CAD grant from Global Affairs Canada's Fund for Innovation and Transformation (FIT) in February 2019, alongside support from 60 Million Girls Foundation, Healey International Relief Foundation, Luke Four Foundation, Trinity Jubilee Foundation, and the Rotary Club of Canmore. Go-to-market is community-led through website, seasonal email newsletters, public speaking engagements at churches and Rotary Clubs, and conferences including the Alberta Council for Global Cooperation and FIT conferences in Ottawa.

Name

Embrace International Foundation

Legal name

Embrace International Foundation

Website

https://embracecanada.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Embrace International Foundation is a Canadian charity that funds local partner organizations in Canada, Guatemala, Uganda, and Sierra Leone to deliver disability-inclusion programs, including Snoezelen Sensory Rooms in Canadian schools and offline RACHEL-server e-learning labs in rural Uganda.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Disability Inclusion Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

Keywords

• Disability inclusion services
• Special education programs
• Sensory therapy rooms
• Offline e-learning labs
• Mobility aids distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Canmore

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations: Individual donations received online via CanadaHelps platform, by mail, or through gift of securities. All donations of $20 or greater receive charitable tax receipts. Registration: 71263 8899 RR0001.
2. Government and Foundation Grants: Major grants from Global Affairs Canada's Fund for Innovation and Transformation (FIT), 60 Million Girls Foundation, and other institutional funders to support specific programs like e-learning research and implementation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Embrace International Foundation is a Canadian registered charity that raises funds and provides financial and technical support to local partner organizations delivering disability inclusion programs. Its core offerings include Sensory Rooms (Snoezelen therapy rooms) installed in Canadian schools, Self-Directed E-Learning Labs in rural Ugandan schools built on RACHEL offline servers, bamboo wheelchairs, physiotherapy and occupational therapy services, and maternal, reproductive, and disability-awareness training delivered through in-country partners.

Product overview

Embrace International Foundation operates as a charitable organization offering multiple interconnected programs focused on empowering children with disabilities globally. The core offerings include Sensory Rooms (Snoezelen Therapy Rooms) installed in Canadian schools for children with autism, and Self-Directed E-Learning Labs featuring RACHEL servers and tablets deployed in rural Ugandan schools. Supporting programs include Disability Awareness Workshops, Physiotherapy & Occupational Therapy, Bamboo Wheelchairs distribution, Maternal Health Training in Sierra Leone, and Reproductive Health Workshops in Uganda. The organization does not offer a unified software platform but rather delivers direct-service programs combined with infrastructure support across Canada, Guatemala, Uganda, and Sierra Leone.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sensory Rooms (Snoezelen) for Canadian Schools
• Self-Directed E-Learning Labs in Uganda Offline e-learning laboratories in rural Ugandan primary and secondary schools that use RACHEL servers and tablets to deliver curriculum-aligned content without requiring internet. Built in partnership with local schools to support refugee and rural learners.
• Bamboo Wheelchairs Low-cost, locally produced bamboo wheelchairs provided to children and adults with mobility disabilities in program countries. Intended for beneficiaries of partner organizations in low-resource settings.
• Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Programs Physiotherapy and occupational therapy services delivered to children and adults with disabilities via local partner organizations, supporting mobility, daily living skills, and rehabilitation.
• Disability Awareness Workshops Community and school-based workshops that raise awareness of disability inclusion and reduce stigma. Targeted at teachers, community members, and families of children with disabilities in program countries.
• Maternal Health Training in Sierra Leone Training program in Sierra Leone that equips midwives, Traditional Birth Attendants, and clinic staff to better support expectant mothers, including those with disabilities, and to reduce maternal and infant mortality.
• Reproductive Health Workshops
• Wheelchair-Accessible Latrines Construction of wheelchair-accessible latrines and sanitation infrastructure in partner communities to improve hygiene and dignity for people with mobility disabilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 79% average math score for intervention students vs 76% for control students; 63.4% improvement in math scores vs 45.1% in control schools
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Kyaninga Child Development Centre (KCDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated in Fort Portal, Uganda, KCDC provides high-quality professional services to disabled children throughout the greater Fort Portal region. Embrace funding has supported physiotherapy and occupational therapy for thousands of children. KCDC developed the Kyaninga Mobility Centre producing bamboo wheelchairs for rural use. They manage disability awareness workshops and e-learning lab operations.
• CIPECADIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmbrace's primary partner organization in Central America, led by Irene Ordonez (social worker). CIPECADI serves children with Down syndrome, autism, infant cerebral paralysis and severe behavioral disorders. Embrace has supported building a petting zoo and purchasing a therapy horse for autistic children, plus providing household staples to 75 mothers.
• Embrace International Foundation UgandacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner implementing the 'Leave No Learner Behind' project in public schools in the Fort Portal region, managed by Ugandans living with disabilities. Country Director Isabella Ajio leads operations across 15 rural schools serving 5,000 students.
• The Healey International Relief FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in organizing educational conferences for Sierra Leone nurses and midwives on prenatal and neonatal health, working with Betty Tenga RN and Embrace.
• World PossiblecoreTechnology or IntegrationUS-based charity that manufactures and distributes RACHEL servers (Remote Area Community Hotspot for Education & Learning). RACHEL serves as local WIFI providing up to 50 devices access to offline educational resources, books, videos, and apps.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• World Possible: World Possible is the US-based creator and distributor of RACHEL (Remote Area Community Hotspot for Education & Learning) servers — the exact technology platform underlying Embrace's Self-Directed E-Learning Labs in Uganda. A direct technology partner and functional peer in offline education delivery.
• Sense International: Sense International supports people with deafblindness and sensory disabilities in the Global South through education, health, and advocacy programs. Highly comparable niche focus on sensory and multi-disability inclusion in low-resource settings, similar to Embrace's RACHEL lab content for hearing and visually impaired learners.
• Light for the World: Light for the World is an international disability inclusion NGO focused on eye health, inclusive education, and economic empowerment in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Directly comparable in mission and geographic footprint to Embrace, particularly on inclusive education for children with disabilities.
• Kyaninga Child Development Centre: KCDC is Embrace's core in-country partner in Uganda, providing physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and inclusive education to children with disabilities in the Fort Portal region. Also operates the Kyaninga Mobility Centre producing the bamboo wheelchairs that Embrace funds — a direct peer in service delivery and assistive technology.
• Healey International Relief Foundation: Healey IRF is Embrace's direct partner in Sierra Leone, co-organizing maternal and neonatal health training for nurses and midwives. A direct peer in international disability and health programming in low-resource settings.

Broad incumbents

• Special Olympics International: Special Olympics provides sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities across 200+ countries. A much larger incumbent serving overlapping populations (children with disabilities including autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy) through a different modality (sports vs education/therapy).
• Plan International Canada: Plan International is a major child-focused international development NGO with significant programming for children with disabilities and girls' education in the same countries Embrace serves (Uganda, Sierra Leone, Guatemala). Comparable in geography and overlapping in mission, though much broader in scope.
• Humanity & Inclusion (Handicap International): Humanity & Inclusion is a major international NGO supporting people with disabilities in conflict-affected and developing countries, with overlapping focus on rehabilitation, inclusive education, and assistive devices (including wheelchairs) — directly comparable to Embrace's work in Uganda, Guatemala, and Sierra Leone.
• CBM Global Disability Inclusion: CBM is one of the largest international disability inclusion NGOs, working in low- and middle-income countries on health, education, and livelihoods for persons with disabilities. Highly comparable mission to Embrace but at vastly greater scale across more geographies.

Emerging players

• BuildOn: BuildOn runs literacy, education, and school construction programs in low-income countries including Uganda, Malawi, and Nepal. Comparable international education focus and overlap in Uganda with Embrace, though BuildOn's scope is broader (literacy and infrastructure) while Embrace's is narrower (disability-inclusive education).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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 Embrace International Foundation