Light Up Hope

What Light Up Hope does

Light Up Hope is a US-incorporated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Louisville, Colorado, with operational headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. Founded in 2011 by Kelly Shaughnessy, the organization delivers a portfolio of four interconnected humanitarian programs targeting orphaned and impoverished children and young adults in Kenya: a Primary + High School Sponsorship program covering school fees and supplies; the WOVEN (Women Of Vision Education Initiative) university scholarship, mentorship, and mental health program; a School Feeding Program that delivers daily meals to 85,000 students across 209 schools in Kajiado County; and the Wezesha Project, a sustainable agriculture and economic empowerment initiative for drought-affected pastoralist communities. Programs are delivered directly by Light Up Hope field staff in coordination with the Kajiado County Government, three major Kenyan universities (University of Eldoret, University of Nairobi, Kenyatta University), and community stakeholders through a County Technical Committee.

The underlying operating model is human-delivered rather than technology-delivered; there is no proprietary software platform, API, or AI component. Donor-facing infrastructure consists of a Squarespace-hosted website, Stripe-powered PCI-compliant donation processing, Mailchimp email campaigns, and standard social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn). A Vision Trip ("Experience Kenya") program functions as both a donor-cultivation channel and a fee-based experiential offering.

The revenue model is diversified across individual monthly recurring donations ($25–$150 tiers), one-time individual gifts, institutional grants from foundations (Clinton Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation), UN agencies (FAO), and county government partnerships, supplemented by fee-based Vision Trip revenue. Total funds raised in 2025 were $3,197,566, with 93.5% directed to programs. The organization holds a Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency and is a member of the Global Schools Forum and School Meals Coalition.

Name

Light Up Hope

Legal name

Light Up Hope Inc.

Website

https://lightuphope.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Light Up Hope is a US-based nonprofit operating in Kenya that delivers school feeding, education sponsorship, women's university scholarships (WOVEN), and sustainable agriculture programs to orphaned and impoverished children and communities, funded primarily by individual donations and institutional grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Nonprofit Humanitarian Aid

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

NGO/Nonprofit Education Programs & Service Delivery (EDADALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Dropout Prevention, Alternative Education & Re-Engagement Nonprofits (BPAGADAL), Foundation/NGO & Philanthropic Scholarships (EDAIAOAH)

Keywords

• International development aid
• Child education sponsorship
• School feeding programs
• Women empowerment initiatives
• Sustainable agriculture Kenya

Headquarters

HQ city

Louisville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Monthly recurring donations and one-time contributions from individual supporters. Donation tiers range from $25 to $150 per month, with specific purposes for school lunches, high school scholarships, university/mentorship, and combined programs. All donations are processed through secure, PCI-compliant Stripe systems.
2. Institutional Partnerships & Grants: Funding from organizational partners including foundations (Clinton Foundation, Rockefeller), NGOs (FAO, PAH), county governments (Kajiado County), and universities (University of Eldoret). Partnerships provide program expansion funding and in-kind support.
3. Vision Trip Experiences: Fee-based experiential travel programs to Kenya lasting 7-10 days, including safari components. Trips serve as both fundraising events and donor cultivation opportunities, with trip fees funding community development projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Light Up Hope is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds and operates humanitarian programs in Kenya, including school feeding, primary and high school student sponsorship, women's vocational education (WOVEN), sustainable agriculture (Wezesha Project), and donor vision trips. Programs serve impoverished students and rural communities, with donor contributions covering tuition, meals, healthcare, and agricultural training delivered through local staff and partner schools.

Product overview

Light Up Hope is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs focused on education, health interventions, and economic empowerment for impoverished communities in Kenya. The core offerings include: the Primary + High School Sponsorship program providing educational support to vulnerable students; the Women Of Vision Education Initiative (WOVEN) offering university scholarships with mentorship and mental health support for future female leaders; the School Feeding Program providing daily meals to 85,000 students across 209 schools to improve educational outcomes; the Sustainable Agriculture (Wezesha Project) addressing climate resilience through drought-resistant farming, women's economic empowerment, and Village Savings and Loan Associations; and Experience Kenya Vision Trips offering cultural immersion experiences that fund community development. Together, these programs form a holistic ecosystem designed to break the cycle of poverty from early education through career readiness.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WOVEN (Women Of Vision Education Initiative): University scholarships, mentorship, and coaching programs for female leaders
• Wezesha Project
• School Feeding Program

Products and services

• School Feeding Program Provides regular school meals to impoverished students in partner Kenyan schools, addressing hunger as a barrier to learning. Targeted at school-age children in underserved Kenyan communities, funded by individual donors.
• Primary + High School Sponsorship Recurring child-sponsorship program that funds tuition, school supplies, and educational support for individual students from primary through high school in Kenya. Targeted at individual donors seeking a long-term giving relationship with a named beneficiary.
• WOVEN (Women Of Vision Education Initiative) Vocational education and empowerment initiative for women in Light Up Hope's Kenyan communities, providing skills training and economic opportunity. Targeted at adult women in underserved Kenyan areas and funded through general donor contributions.
• Sustainable Agriculture (Wezesha Project) Sustainable agriculture initiative that equips Kenyan farming families with techniques and inputs to improve yields and household food security. Targeted at rural Kenyan families and funded by donor contributions.
• Experience Kenya Vision Trips Short-term, fee-based mission trips for donors and supporters to visit Light Up Hope's Kenyan program sites, meet sponsored children, and engage with community partners. Targeted at donors, sponsors, and faith-based community groups seeking firsthand exposure to program impact.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% student retention rate in 2025 vs 63% dropout rate in 2022
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• African Obesity Education Foundation (AOEF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a 2026 supporter and partner. AOEF focuses on obesity education and prevention, aligning with Light Up Hope's school feeding program's health and nutrition objectives.
• University of EldoretcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a 2026 supporter and partner. Partnership strengthens WOVEN program's academic and mentorship pipeline. Light Up Hope has institutional partnerships with three major Kenyan universities.
• Population Action International (PAH)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a 2026 supporter and partner. PAH focuses on reproductive health and population issues.
• Kajiado County GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty-level government partnership for program implementation. County Technical Committee (CTC) formed with government representatives to oversee school selection and program delivery.
• FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a 2026 supporter and partner. UN agency focused on food security and agriculture, aligning with Light Up Hope's sustainable agriculture and food programs.
• University of NairobicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of three major Kenyan university partnerships for WOVEN program. Partnership strengthens academic pipeline and mentorship opportunities for female students.
• Kenyatta UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of three major Kenyan university partnerships for WOVEN program. WOVEN program director Rebecca Magire is an alumna.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Concern Worldwide: International humanitarian organization with significant Kenya programming in livelihoods, education, and food security. Comparable on the climate-resilient agriculture and education mission overlap.
• charity: water: US-registered nonprofit funding WASH infrastructure in developing countries with strong storytelling, brand transparency, and recurring donor model. Comparable on the modern nonprofit storytelling/100%-model transparency approach rather than direct program overlap.
• Plan International: Large international development NGO operating children's rights, education, and gender equality programs across Kenya and globally. Comparable on the girls' education and community empowerment themes but at materially larger scale and scope.
• World Vision: One of the largest international child-sponsorship and community development NGOs with deep Kenya operations. Comparable on sponsorship model, school feeding programs, and recurring donor engagement, but operates globally at vastly greater scale.

Direct peers

• Room to Read: International nonprofit focused on literacy and girls' education in Africa and Asia. Closely comparable on the WOVEN-type girls' scholarship/mentorship model and foundation-supported program expansion.
• Pencils of Promise: US-registered nonprofit running education access programs (school building, scholarships, teacher training) primarily in Africa and Asia. Comparable on education-focused nonprofit model, recurring individual donor base, and developing-country delivery.
• buildOn: Nonprofit combining school construction with youth service and adult literacy programs in developing countries. Comparable in mission, donor model, and rural community delivery approach.
• Mary's Meals: Global nonprofit that provides daily school meals to chronically hungry children in low-income countries, including in Africa. Most directly comparable on the school-feeding program model, beneficiary profile, and recurring-donor GTM motion.
• CAMFED: Pan-African nonprofit supporting girls' education from primary through university, with scholarships, mentorship, and alumnae networks. Direct comparable to Light Up Hope's WOVEN model and rural Kenyan beneficiary focus.

Emerging players

• Malala Fund: Nonprofit advocating for and funding girls' secondary and higher education globally, including in Kenya. Comparable on the girls' education and mentorship theme, though primarily an advocacy and grantmaking entity rather than direct program operator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/LightUpHopeInc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/light-up-hope
• Instagraminstagram.com/lightuphopeofficial

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Light Up Hope