Open Schools Worldwide
Open Schools Worldwide is a Canadian-incorporated nonprofit, founded in 2002 and headquartered in South Africa, that delivers faith-motivated basic literacy and numeracy education to educationally marginalized children aged 7-18 through volunteer tutors and local implementation partners across 22 countries, serving 14,806 children in 389 projects as of 2024.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersKnysna, South Africa
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Open Schools Worldwide does
Open Schools Worldwide is a Canadian-incorporated nonprofit charitable organization, founded in 2002 and headquartered in Knysna, South Africa, that delivers faith-motivated basic education to educationally marginalized children aged 7-18 who are shut out of traditional school systems. The organization's core offering is a proprietary two-track curriculum—"Write Me In" (literacy, Levels 1 and 2) and "Count Me In" (numeracy, using the Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract approach)—delivered through trained volunteer tutors using a portable "School-in-a-Bag" kit, with curriculum content translated into Portuguese, Spanish, Bangla, and Afrikaans. As of 2024, the program reaches 14,806 children across 389 projects in 22 countries through 658 volunteer tutors, having served over 50,000 children since inception. Open Schools operates as a ministry of TeachBeyond (joined 2010) and is governed by a board chaired by Brad Eyre, with Angie Pape serving as Executive Director since 2020.
The organization delivers its educational program through local implementation partners—including schools, churches, missions, and NGOs—rather than through direct-to-consumer acquisition. Programs are provided at no charge to beneficiaries; funding comes entirely from individual donations, organizational giving, and fundraising events (Kilometers for Kids, Trekking for Change, Ditch Your Desk Day). Donors fund education at $60 per child for the full basic education program, with tiered monthly recurring options ($20-$60/month covering 4-12 children annually). Donations are processed via the TeachBeyond-powered platform accepting USD, CAD, GBP, and EUR, with tax-deductible receipts available across five jurisdictions (USA, Canada, UK, Germany, South Africa).
Open Schools maintains a lean 1-10 employee core team supplemented by country directors across operating geographies (Bangladesh, Brazil, Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe/Zambia/Uganda/Malawi) and relies on its volunteer tutor network for last-mile delivery. Its intellectual property—curriculum, tutor manuals, student workbooks, manipulatives, and training materials—is registered exclusively to the organization. The organization has no app, no API, no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, and no public funding rounds or investor ownership, consistent with its nonprofit ministry structure.
Open Schools Worldwide firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Open Schools Worldwide
- Legal name
- Open Schools Worldwide
- Website
- https://osww.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Open Schools Worldwide is a Canadian-incorporated nonprofit, founded in 2002 and headquartered in South Africa, that delivers faith-motivated basic literacy and numeracy education to educationally marginalized children aged 7-18 through volunteer tutors and local implementation partners across 22 countries, serving 14,806 children in 389 projects as of 2024.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Open Schools Worldwide industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Educational Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Literacy & Numeracy Intervention (Reading/Math Support) (EDAJALAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools (EDAJABAC), Adult Literacy, Numeracy & Second-Chance Education (BPADAKAF)
Keywords
Where Open Schools Worldwide is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Knysna
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices6 records
Markets served
Open Schools Worldwide business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute one-time or recurring monthly donations to support the education of marginalized children. USD$60 provides one child with the full basic education program.
- Fundraising Events: Organization hosts fundraising events including Kilometers for Kids (running/walking/biking event), Trekking for Change, and Ditch Your Desk Day to raise funds from participants and their donor networks.
- Organizational Giving: Groups, churches, schools, and organizations can support specific project sites or participate in fundraising campaigns.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | $20/month provides education for 4 children annually |
| Subscription | Monthly | $40/month provides education for 8 children annually |
| Subscription | Monthly | $60/month provides education for 12 children annually |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | $60 provides one child with full basic education program |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Open Schools Worldwide product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Open Schools Worldwide delivers free, faith-motivated basic education (literacy and numeracy to grade 3 standard) for marginalized children aged 7-18 who are shut out of traditional school systems. The program is delivered through trained volunteer tutors using two proprietary curricula—Write Me In (literacy) and Count Me In (numeracy)—supported by portable School-in-a-Bag materials, in partnership with local schools, churches, missions, and NGOs across 22 countries.
Product overview
Open Schools Worldwide is a Christ-centered educational organization offering a unified curriculum-based program designed to bring basic education (equivalent to third-grade standard) to marginalized children aged 7-18 who are shut out of traditional schooling. The core offering consists of the Open Schools Curriculum with two tracks: Literacy ('Write Me In') and Numeracy ('Count Me In'), each comprising tutor manuals, student workbooks, and numeracy manipulatives for hands-on learning. The program is delivered through trained volunteer tutors using a 'School-in-a-Bag' portable kit, working in partnership with local schools, churches, missions, and NGOs. Supplementary fundraising initiatives including Kilometers for Kids (KM4K), Trekking for Change, and Ditch Your Desk Day support program funding.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Kilometers for Kids (KM4K): A fundraising initiative where participants run, walk, or bike a number of kilometers and commit to donate a specific amount per kilometer to support Open Schools Worldwide projects for marginalized children.
Products and services
- Write Me In Literacy Curriculum A two-level proprietary literacy curriculum specifically designed for educationally marginalized children aged 7-18. Level 1 covers phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary development, handwriting, reading literature and informational texts, writing composition, grammar, speaking and listening skills, and biblical worldview development. Level 2 (in development) adds decoding multi-syllable words, advanced grammar, and application to vocational and life skills.
- Count Me In Numeracy Curriculum A proprietary numeracy curriculum using the CPA (Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract) approach, covering number and operations, measurement and data, geometry, patterns, functions and algebra, with collaborative math activities, formative and summative assessments, math projects, and financial education lessons. Available in Portuguese, Spanish, Bangla, and Afrikaans translations.
- School-in-a-Bag Program A portable education delivery program containing essential learning materials including tutor manuals, student workbooks, chalkboards, lap-desks, and numeracy manipulatives, enabling volunteer tutors to deliver literacy and numeracy education to children in any location.
Quantifiable outcome
- 14,806 children currently enrolled in 389 projects across 22 countries
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Open Schools Worldwide
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Open Schools Worldwide technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Open Schools Worldwide partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- TeachBeyondcoreOpen Schools Worldwide is a ministry of TeachBeyond and joined the TeachBeyond family in 2010. TeachBeyond serves as the parent organization, powering donations and providing operational infrastructure. Open Schools operates under TeachBeyond's global center in Horsham, England.
- Beyond Borders (TeachBeyond Ministry)minorBeyond Borders is a ministry of TeachBeyond serving refugee children on the Greek island of Lesbos. Open Schools explored helping this ministry during 2010-2018.
- TWR (formerly Trans World Radio)minorPartnership established in 2006 between ACSI Children-at-Risk Project and TWR to serve children in Swaziland through local tutorial groups supported by radio broadcasts.
- Kerus Global EducationminorPartnership established in 2006 between ACSI Children-at-Risk Project and Kerus Global Education to serve children in Swaziland through local tutorial groups supported by radio broadcasts.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Open Schools Worldwide competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Street Child: UK-based NGO focused on education for street children and children in conflict-affected regions, particularly in West Africa and South Asia. Directly comparable beneficiary population (street children, marginalized youth) and education-first intervention model.
- Room to Read: Global nonprofit focused on literacy and gender equality in education across low-income countries. Comparable in mission (literacy instruction for marginalized children) and proprietary curriculum development for developing-country contexts.
- Pratham: One of the largest NGOs delivering low-cost, volunteer-supported literacy and numeracy programs to out-of-school and marginalized children across India and Africa. Directly comparable mission (basic literacy/numeracy intervention) and similar volunteer-driven delivery model.
- LitWorld: Global literacy nonprofit that trains teachers and community members to deliver literacy programs to marginalized children. Comparable mission, volunteer-trainer delivery model, and curriculum-based approach to literacy intervention.
- War Child: International NGO providing education and protection to children living with the effects of armed conflict. Comparable in serving educationally marginalized children in fragile contexts and operating across multiple developing countries.
Broad incumbents
- ChildFund International: Large international child-focused NGO with sponsorship-based funding model serving children in more than 20 developing countries. Comparable in mission (education for marginalized children in developing countries) and country footprint, but operates at much greater scale with broader programming.
- Plan International: Major international development organization with significant education programming for children, particularly girls, in developing countries. Overlapping beneficiary population (children shut out of schooling) but much larger and broader programmatic scope.
- Save the Children: One of the world's largest children's rights organizations with significant global education programming in conflict-affected and low-income countries. Comparable beneficiary population and country footprint, but vastly larger scale and broader program mix.
- Caritas Education Programs: Catholic international development network operating education and social programs for marginalized populations in developing countries. Comparable faith-motivated framing and beneficiary population, though much larger and broader programmatic scope.
Others
- TeachBeyond: Parent organization and global Christian education ministry of which OSWW is a member ministry. Provides operational infrastructure, donation platform, and tax-deductibility for OSWW across multiple jurisdictions.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Open Schools Worldwide social profiles
Digital presenceOpen Schools Worldwide financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Open Schools Worldwide leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles21 records
Open Schools Worldwide funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Open Schools Worldwide 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 Open Schools Worldwide
What does Open Schools Worldwide do?
Open Schools Worldwide delivers free, faith-motivated basic education (literacy and numeracy to grade 3 standard) for marginalized children aged 7-18 who are shut out of traditional school systems. The program is delivered through trained volunteer tutors using two proprietary curricula—Write Me In (literacy) and Count Me In (numeracy)—supported by portable School-in-a-Bag materials, in partnership with local schools, churches, missions, and NGOs across 22 countries.
Is Open Schools Worldwide a public or private company?
Open Schools Worldwide is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Open Schools Worldwide founded?
Open Schools Worldwide was founded in 2002. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Open Schools Worldwide based?
Open Schools Worldwide is headquartered in Knysna, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does Open Schools Worldwide make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are fundraising Events and organizational Giving.
Who are Open Schools Worldwide's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Street Child, Room to Read, Pratham, LitWorld and War Child. Broad incumbents are ChildFund International, Plan International, Save the Children and Caritas Education Programs. TeachBeyond is listed as an others.
Does Open Schools Worldwide have an API?
No public API is recorded for Open Schools Worldwide.
What industry is Open Schools Worldwide in?
Open Schools Worldwide's product category is Nonprofit Educational Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJALAD, Literacy & Numeracy Intervention (Reading/Math Support), with a secondary code of EDAJABAC, Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools. Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.