One Girl Can
One Girl Can is a Canadian-registered charity founded in 2008 that supports vulnerable girls in Kenya and Uganda through educational scholarships, vocational training, and mentorship programs from secondary school through meaningful employment.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersVancouver, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What One Girl Can does
One Girl Can is a Canadian-registered charitable organization founded in 2008 by Lotte Davis to support vulnerable girls in Kenya and Uganda through educational scholarships, vocational training, and structured mentoring. Programming is organized under three pillars: We Educate (scholarships and school infrastructure), We Train (job readiness, entrepreneurship, and internships), and We Mentor (workshops and one-on-one mentoring). The organization currently maintains 425 active university scholarships and 690 active high school scholarships, has built 130+ school facilities, and reaches 11,000+ girls annually through its mentoring programming.
The underlying delivery model is a combination of direct sponsorship-funded scholarships (at roughly $3,750 per university student and $600 per high school student) and partnership-based programs, including the Empower Me Workshop Series, the University Leadership Conference co-delivered with Deloitte Kenya and KPMG Kenya, and pro-bono strategic support from UBC Sauder School of Business. Revenue mechanics rely on individual sponsorships, corporate partnerships, donor foundations (e.g., Beedie Foundation), and fundraising events, with the founder's affiliated company AG Hair and supporting partners such as Traction on Demand, AGF, and CIBC Wood Gundy appearing among named contributors.
Operationally, One Girl Can is run by a small in-country Kenyan team under CEO Dale Thiessen alongside founder Lotte Davis. The organization has cumulatively supported over 1,000 scholarship recipients since inception and operates across Kenya and Uganda. There is no disclosed technology platform or productized software; the core assets are program curriculum, school infrastructure, mentor relationships, and donor network.
One Girl Can firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- One Girl Can
- Legal name
- One Girl Can
- Website
- https://onegirlcan.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- One Girl Can is a Canadian-registered charity founded in 2008 that supports vulnerable girls in Kenya and Uganda through educational scholarships, vocational training, and mentorship programs from secondary school through meaningful employment.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
One Girl Can industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Girls Education Nonprofit / International Development Charity
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Support Services (611710), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment (BPAGABAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Rural Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment (BPAGABAA), Youth Leadership, Civic Education & Service-Learning Nonprofits (BPAGADAI), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), NGO/Nonprofit Education Programs & Service Delivery (EDADALAC), Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth) (EDAAAOAD)
Keywords
Where One Girl Can is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Vancouver
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
One Girl Can business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations/Sponsorships: One Girl Can generates revenue primarily through individual donations where sponsors support specific girls' education. Donors can give monthly or one-time gifts at various tiers, with sponsorship amounts ranging from $10/month for mentoring support to $313/month for full university scholarship coverage.
- Fundraising Events: Annual fundraising events such as the IWANTtoBE gala event, silent auctions, and community fundraisers. Corporate partners and individuals attend these events to support the organization.
- Corporate Partnerships: Support from corporate partners who sponsor girls, provide in-kind donations, or fund construction projects like school buildings and dormitories.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | One-on-One Mentoring Support |
| Subscription | Monthly | Internship Experience |
| Subscription | Monthly | High School Year |
| Subscription | Monthly | Entrepreneurial Training Course |
| Subscription | Monthly | Vocational School Year |
| Subscription | Monthly | University Year |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
One Girl Can product offering
Product offeringCore offering
One Girl Can is a Canadian and Kenyan registered charitable organization that operates a holistic "Cycle of Empowerment" program supporting vulnerable high-potential girls in Kenya and Uganda. The organization delivers high school, university, and vocational scholarships; builds and renovates school facilities; provides entrepreneurial training in partnership with UBC Sauder School of Business, internships, and job readiness programs; and offers mentorship through progressive workshops, one-on-one mentoring, Mentor Clubs, and an annual University Leadership Conference.
Product overview
One Girl Can is a Canadian and Kenyan registered charitable organization that operates a holistic Cycle of Empowerment program supporting girls from secondary school to meaningful employment. The organization offers three interconnected service pillars: (1) We Educate - providing high school, university, and vocational scholarships plus building/renovating schools; (2) We Train - offering entrepreneurial training in partnership with UBC Sauder School of Business, internship programs, and job readiness training; and (3) We Mentor - delivering the Empower Me Workshop Series (Year 1-4 progressive program), one-on-one mentoring, annual University Leadership Conference, and high school Mentor Clubs. The Cycle of Empowerment model ensures every girl receives comprehensive support tailored to her journey from primary school completion through to gaining meaningful employment.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- High School Scholarships Provides full-year secondary school scholarships for girls with the greatest need and highest potential in Kenya, alleviating the financial burden for families so each girl can focus on her education. Funded at $50/month or $600/year per girl.
- University Scholarships Provides university scholarships covering tuition, room and board, laptop, and school supplies for the brightest and most determined girls in Kenya, plus annual leadership conference participation. Funded at $313/month or $3,750/year per student.
- Vocational Scholarships Provides vocational and technical training scholarships for more immediate access to secure, stable jobs through employment or self-employment. Funded at $208/month or $2,500/year per girl.
- Entrepreneurial Training Academy Delivered in partnership with UBC Sauder School of Business, the academy teaches high school and university students the fundamentals of starting small-scale business ventures, with continued mentorship during establishment. Funded at $125/month or $1,500/year.
- Internship Program Pairs students with businesses in their field of study, providing real-life work experience, invaluable training, and opportunities to build professional networks. Funded at $25/month or $300/year for one month of internship support.
- Empower Me Workshop Series Four-year progressive goal-setting program for high school students (Year 1: Empower Me, Year 2: I Want To Be, Year 3: I Will Be, Year 4: I Am) teaching goal setting, strategic thinking, confidence building, and career development.
- One-on-One Mentoring Program Connects aspiring young women with accomplished leaders globally and locally in Kenya through monthly mentoring connections lasting six months to a year. Funded at $10/month or $120/year for 4 months of mentoring support.
- University Leadership Conference Annual two-day conference in Nairobi for 3rd and 4th year university students, led by female business professionals (including Deloitte Kenya and KPMG Kenya workshop facilitators), covering well-being, confidence building, financial responsibility, and job seeking.
- Mentor Clubs High school mentorship clubs where students take on leadership roles, exploring topics like self-awareness, goal setting, and the future of work.
- School Construction & Renovation Builds and renovates girls' schools in marginalized regions of Kenya and Uganda, including dormitories, classrooms, washrooms, science labs, and libraries. Over 130 facilities have been built or renovated since 2008.
Quantifiable outcome
- Every One Girl Can graduate earns a meaningful living - organization's stated 'North Star' mission
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use One Girl Can
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
One Girl Can technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
One Girl Can partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- UBC Sauder School of BusinesscorePartnership with UBC's Sauder School of Business provides entrepreneurial training to One Girl Can graduates. The Entrepreneurial Training Academy is taught by local subject-matter experts and international volunteers, teaching high school and university students the fundamentals of creating small-scale business ventures with continued mentorship during establishment.
- Deloitte KenyacoreDeloitte Kenya facilitates customized workshops at the annual University Leadership Conference, teaching students how to write resumes, where to look for work, and how to succeed in interviews.
- KPMG KenyacoreKPMG Kenya facilitates workshops at the annual University Leadership Conference, providing professional development and career guidance to scholarship recipients.
- Ushirika SchoolcoreOne Girl Can's first partner school, located in the Kibera settlement in Nairobi. Founded by David Kitavi, the school serves over 600 primary and secondary students. One Girl Can completely rebuilt the school in 2021, adding 3-story buildings with science labs, libraries, and art room.
- Cardinal Otunga Secondary SchoolcoreLocated in Bungoma County, one of the top girls' schools in Western Kenya with almost 1,300 students. One Girl Can provides scholarships and mentorship programs.
- Ganze SchoolcorePartnership began in 2010 with only 160 girls; school population has grown to almost 800 students. Built 8 classrooms, 1 library, 1 kitchen, 4 dormitories, and 3 washroom facilities.
- Magomano Girls' SchoolcoreRenovated all seven dormitories and adjoining washrooms, providing safe living conditions for over 1,000 girls. Partnership started in 2018.
- Masinga Girls' Secondary SchoolcoreLocated in a drought-prone, poverty-stricken region. Built new washroom facility for 300+ girls, 2 classrooms, 8 dormitories, 2 science labs. Partner since 2015.
- Mbooni Girls' Secondary SchoolcoreTop girls' school in Kenya and only Girls' National school in Makueni County with ~900 students. Partnership started in 2018 with 15 initial scholarship recipients.
- Misyani Girls' Secondary SchoolcoreHigh performing school with the largest number of scholarship students. Partnership started in 2017 with ~700 students.
- Mukumu Girls' SchoolcoreBiggest partner school with 1,700 girls enrolled, located in Kakamega County in Western Kenya. Partnership started in 2019.
- Nembu Girls' Secondary SchoolcoreLocated in peri-urban areas of Dagoretti, sub-county of Nairobi. Partnership began in 2016 with one scholarship; awarded 100 scholarships after 4 years.
- Siakago Secondary SchoolcoreHigh performing school and only Girls' National school in Embu County with ~900 students. Has highest number of high school graduates receiving One Girl Can university scholarships.
- Mackenzie Davis (Ambassador)minorActress and ambassador who visits partner schools and raises awareness for One Girl Can's mission.
- Nova Stevens (Ambassador)minorMiss Universe Canada 2020 and ambassador who supports Alice's university scholarship and raises awareness for girls' education.
- David KitavicoreFounder and Director of Ushirika School in Kibera settlement. Local leader who started with one rented room for 20 children and built it into a school serving 600+ students with One Girl Can's support.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
One Girl Can competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Malala Fund: Malala Fund advocates for and funds girls' secondary education globally, including in East Africa. Direct mission alignment around girls' education access and breaking gender-barrier cycles; differs by being more advocacy-led than service-delivery.
- buildOn: buildOn constructs schools in low-income communities across Africa, Asia, and Latin America and delivers adult literacy programs. Directly comparable on the school-construction pillar and African geographic footprint.
- CAMFED (Campaign for Female Education): CAMFED is a pan-African nonprofit supporting girls' secondary and tertiary education across multiple sub-Saharan African countries. It is the closest direct peer — same beneficiary population (vulnerable girls), same education-to-employment pathway, and same school-based delivery model, but at materially larger scale.
- Ubuntu Education Fund: Ubuntu Education Fund delivers cradle-to-career education and health support to vulnerable children in South Africa (with growing Africa operations). Comparable cradle-to-employment pathway and scholarship-plus-mentoring structure.
- Room to Read: Room to Read operates girls' education and literacy programs across Africa and Asia, combining school infrastructure, scholarships, and mentoring. Highly comparable model with school construction, girl scholarships, and life-skills mentoring paralleling One Girl Can's Cycle of Empowerment.
- African Girls Education Foundation (AGEF): Smaller, Africa-focused nonprofit providing scholarships and education support specifically to girls in East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania). Closest niche peer — same beneficiary type and similar scholarship-plus-mentoring model.
Broad incumbents
- Plan International Canada: Plan International is a major global NGO with a strong Canadian affiliate (like One Girl Can), running large-scale girls' education, gender equality, and child-rights programs across Africa including Kenya and Uganda. Operates at much larger scale and broader portfolio.
- Right to Play: Canadian-headquartered NGO using play-based learning to support children's education and gender equality in developing countries, including East Africa. Comparable beneficiary population and education-plus-life-skills delivery model.
Emerging players
- Girl Rising: Girl Rising uses storytelling, media, and education programs to drive awareness and funding for girls' education globally. Comparable mission and storytelling-driven donor engagement; complements rather than directly competes with service-delivery orgs like One Girl Can.
Others
- Mastercard Foundation (Scholars Program): Mastercard Foundation's Scholars Program funds secondary and tertiary education for young Africans from disadvantaged backgrounds. Functions as a potential institutional peer-funder/partner rather than direct competitor; highly relevant as a comparable scale and scope benchmark for girls' scholarship programs in Africa.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
One Girl Can social profiles
Digital presenceOne Girl Can financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
One Girl Can leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
One Girl Can funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
One Girl Can M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about One Girl Can
What does One Girl Can do?
One Girl Can is a Canadian and Kenyan registered charitable organization that operates a holistic "Cycle of Empowerment" program supporting vulnerable high-potential girls in Kenya and Uganda. The organization delivers high school, university, and vocational scholarships; builds and renovates school facilities; provides entrepreneurial training in partnership with UBC Sauder School of Business, internships, and job readiness programs; and offers mentorship through progressive workshops, one-on-one mentoring, Mentor Clubs, and an annual University Leadership Conference.
Is One Girl Can a public or private company?
One Girl Can is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was One Girl Can founded?
One Girl Can was founded in 2008. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is One Girl Can based?
One Girl Can is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, in the North America region.
How does One Girl Can make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations/Sponsorships are the primary driver. The others are fundraising Events and corporate Partnerships.
Who are One Girl Can's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Malala Fund, buildOn, CAMFED (Campaign for Female Education), Ubuntu Education Fund, Room to Read and African Girls Education Foundation (AGEF). Broad incumbents are Plan International Canada and Right to Play. Girl Rising is listed as an emerging player. Mastercard Foundation (Scholars Program) is listed as an others.
Does One Girl Can have an API?
No public API is recorded for One Girl Can.
What industry is One Girl Can in?
One Girl Can's product category is Girls Education Nonprofit / International Development Charity. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGABAF, Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment, with a secondary code of BPAGABAA, Rural Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment. Its NAICS code is 62411 and its SIC code is 8300.