Kizazi

What Kizazi does

Kizazi is a UK-registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation (registration number 1187749) founded in 2019 and headquartered in London. The organization supports local education leaders to design, implement, and scale breakthrough school models in under-resourced communities across South Asia, West and Central Asia, and Africa. It operates with a small core team of approximately 5-10 staff led by CEO Rhoda Odigboh, Founder Nick Canning (formerly COO of Teach For All), and Co-Founder Romana Shaikh (formerly Director of Training and Impact at Teach For India). The name "Kizazi" means "generation" in Swahili.

Kizazi's core offering is the Kizazi School Model Design Program, a cohort-based accelerator that builds the capacity of local NGO partners to codify and strengthen their school models. The methodology is a whole-school transformation framework addressing outcomes, curriculum, assessment, pedagogy, and culture as an integrated system, grounded in the science of learning and the developing brain. Complementary services include workshops, direct coaching, knowledge resources (tools, templates, case studies), and external collaborations. The organization maintains a content library of codified local school models (e.g., SEF Centres of Excellence in India, NYAF in Sierra Leone, Seroond in Armenia) that can be shared across geographies.

Kizazi's go-to-market is purely partnership-driven and the organization charges no fees for its services. Programs are funded by philanthropic donations from institutional and individual donors including UBS, Vitol Foundation, Rockdale Foundation, Boston Consulting Group, Jacobs Foundation, Peter C. Moody, and Susan and Thomas Dunn. Core strategic partners include Simple Education Foundation (India, since 2018), Seroond Schools/Teach For Armenia (since 2020), National Youth Awareness Forum (Sierra Leone, since 2020), Akanksha Foundation (India), African Leadership Academy (pan-Africa), Eke Schools (Ghana), and ERIT (Nigeria). Through these partnerships, programs directly serve over 35,000 students and reach more than 2 million children through government adoption. Documented outcomes include 76% Maths and 70% Language proficiency in SEF Centres of Excellence schools (3x higher than comparable Delhi government schools), 25% growth in Maths and 30% in life skills at Seroond Schools within one year, and Armenia's Ministry of Education endorsement of the Seroond model for national public-school implementation in March 2022.

Name

Kizazi

Legal name

Kizazi

Website

https://kizazi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kizazi is a UK-registered charity that supports local education leaders to design, implement, and scale breakthrough school models in under-resourced communities across South Asia, West and Central Asia, and Africa through a cohort-based accelerator program funded entirely by philanthropic donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Capacity Building Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Research, Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Partnerships (EDADALAK), Education Partnerships for Equity, Inclusion & Gender (EDADALAF)

Keywords

• Education capacity building
• School model design
• Whole-school transformation
• Education nonprofit services
• Government school partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Donations: Kizazi is a UK registered Charitable Incorporated Organization (registration number 1187749). Philanthropic support plays a vital role in enabling the organization to support visionary school networks to develop breakthrough school models. Donations accepted via PayPal.
2. Philanthropic Partnerships: Partnerships with forward-thinking philanthropists who believe the world needs leapfrog solutions to enable thriving lives for children. Initial philanthropic partners support the organization's mission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kizazi supports local education leaders and partner NGOs to design, implement, and spread breakthrough school models in under-resourced communities. Through its Kizazi School Model Design Program (a cohort-based accelerator), ongoing workshops, direct coaching, and knowledge resources, it helps partner organizations codify and scale evidence-informed school models that can be adopted within government school systems across South Asia, West & Central Asia, and Africa.

Product overview

Kizazi is a UK-registered Charitable Incorporated Organization (registration number 1187749) focused on catalyzing innovation in school design for under-resourced communities globally. Rather than a traditional software product company, Kizazi offers an integrated portfolio of educational programs and capacity-building services. The core offering consists of the Kizazi School Model Design Program, a cohort-based accelerator that helps school operators codify and scale their models, complemented by direct support services including workshops, coaching, knowledge resources, and external collaborations. Kizazi partners with and supports multiple school network models including Simple Education Foundation's Centres of Excellence (India), Seroond Schools (Armenia), NYAF's community-rooted model (Sierra Leone), Eke Schools (Ghana), ERIT partnership schools (Nigeria), and African Leadership Academy operators (pan-Africa). These partner programs collectively serve over 35,000 students directly and reach more than 2 million children through government adoption.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kizazi School Model Design Program A cohort-based accelerator program that builds the capacity of high-potential school operators to strengthen and codify their school models, enabling them to scale and reach more children within government systems. Designed for visionary partners operating government, charter, and low-cost private schools in Asia, Africa and other high-need communities.
• Capacity Building Services Support services including workshops for team capacity building, direct ongoing coaching and support, knowledge resources (tools, templates, case studies), and external collaborations with school networks and educators. Delivered to partner NGOs and local education leaders.
• Simple Education Foundation (SEF) Centres of Excellence A whole-school transformation program partnering with government schools in Delhi, working with existing teachers, principals, and communities to improve holistic learning outcomes through evidence-based practices. Achieved 76% Maths proficiency and 70% Language proficiency in 2019 — 3x higher than other government schools.
• Seroond Schools Model A government partnership school network model developed with Teach For Armenia to reimagine government schools across the country, with a focus on social and emotional learning and family engagement. Within one year of launch, student enrollment doubled from 47 to 105 students, with 25% growth in Maths, 15% in literacy, and 30% in life skills. In March 2022, the Ministry of Education recommended implementation of the Seroond model in public schools across Armenia.
• National Youth Awareness Forum (NYAF) School Model A community-rooted school model supporting government and community schools in disadvantaged regions of Sierra Leone, focusing on improving literacy and numeracy outcomes. Currently working with 97 primary schools. Students in 30 NYAF-supported schools outperformed control group schools in literacy and numeracy in 2021 state-sponsored midline evaluation.
• Eke Schools An innovative school network established in Ghana, supporting a group of educators to develop a breakthrough school model.
• ERIT Partnership Schools A government partnership school network in Lagos state, Nigeria, launched in partnership with ERIT, a national consortium of education leaders.
• African Leadership Academy (ALA) Anzisha Program Support Support for ALA's Anzisha Education Accelerator Program, assisting school operators across multiple African countries (Nigeria, Senegal, Burundi, Egypt, DRC, Uganda, Malawi, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Botswana) to strengthen and codify their school models. First cohort reached ~2,000 children; second cohort supports 3,500 children.

Quantifiable outcome

• 76% Maths proficiency, 70% Language proficiency achieved in SEF Centre of Excellence schools - 3x higher than other government schools in Delhi
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Teach For Armenia / Seroond SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Together with Teach For Armenia, Kizazi developed the Seroond Schools model to reimagine government schools across the country. The first school launched in September 2020 in conflict-affected Tavush province. Within one year, student enrollment doubled from 47 to 105 students, with 25% growth in Maths, 15% in literacy, 30% in life skills. In March 2022, Ministry of Education recommended implementation of Seroond model in public schools across Armenia.
• National Youth Awareness Forum (NYAF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020NYAF is a leading local NGO in Sierra Leone supporting government and community schools in disadvantaged regions. Kizazi is working with NYAF to strengthen and implement their community-rooted school model. In 2021 state-sponsored midline evaluation, students in 30 NYAF-supported schools outperformed control group schools in literacy and numeracy. Partnership also selected for UNICEF's Education Outcomes Fund program working in 67 more schools.
• Akanksha FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Kizazi is supporting Akanksha, one of the largest partnership school networks in India, to develop foundational learning and literacy programs across 21 schools in Mumbai and Pune.
• Eke SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Kizazi is supporting a group of educators to establish an innovative school network called Eke Schools in Ghana, with launch planned for 2020.
• ERIT (Nigeria)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Kizazi is partnering with ERIT, a national consortium of education leaders, to launch a government partnership school network in Lagos state, Nigeria.
• African Leadership Academy (ALA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020As part of the Anzisha Education Accelerator Program, Kizazi is supporting ALA's school operators across Nigeria, Senegal, Burundi, Egypt, and DRC. First cohort supported ~2,000 children with five operators. Second cohort launched with operators from Uganda, Malawi, Kenya, Zimbabwe, and Botswana supporting 3,500 children.
• Simple Education Foundation (SEF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018SEF is a not-for-profit organization based in Delhi implementing a whole-school transformation program called Centres of Excellence. Since 2018, Kizazi has been working with SEF and the Delhi government to develop, test and codify the whole-school transformation model. In 2019, proficiency in Maths (76%) and Language (70%) in SEF's Centre of Excellence Schools was 3x higher than other government schools. SEF is now working with Government of Delhi to apply learnings to strengthen in-service training for 80,000+ teachers.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• African Leadership Academy: Pan-African secondary school and education entrepreneurship institution; Kizazi's formal partner through the Anzisha Education Accelerator. Operates school models across multiple African countries with similar under-resourced-community focus and accelerator-style support.
• Teach For All: Global network of independent organizations developing educational leadership in 50+ countries. Kizazi's founder was COO of Teach For All, and its whole-school capacity-building model mirrors TFA's network-spanning approach to educational change.
• Pratham: One of India's largest education NGOs operating school improvement and literacy programs at scale across under-resourced communities. Highly comparable on mission (improving learning outcomes in low-income contexts) and methodology (school-level capacity building).
• Education Development Trust: UK-registered education nonprofit working internationally on school improvement, teacher development, and system reform. Direct comparable as a UK-based, internationally-operating education-improvement nonprofit with similar methodology.
• Teach For India: India-based fellowship and school-network organization; Kizazi's Co-Founder Romana Shaikh served as Director of Training and Impact here for 7 years. Operates similar school-network-improvement programs in under-resourced Indian communities.
• PAL Network: Global network of organizations measuring and improving foundational literacy and numeracy outcomes across low-income countries. Comparable on cross-country learning assessment, capacity-building, and evidence-based school improvement focus.

Others

• Jacobs Foundation: Swiss philanthropic foundation focused on child and youth development through learning; a current Kizazi funder. Thematically aligned as a fellow investor in international education improvement with comparable evidence-based focus.

Broad incumbents

• NewGlobe: Global education company running government-partnership school improvement programs (EdoBEST, EKOEXCEL) across Africa and Asia at much greater scale; Kizazi's CEO Rhoda Odigboh is an alumnus. Comparable on whole-school transformation methodology and government-school focus.
• Bridge International Academies: Large-scale school operator in Africa and India; comparable on school-improvement methodology in under-resourced communities and on large teacher-training operations (Ubadire Ike, Kizazi's Africa Lead, trained teachers at Bridge).
• UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning: UN institution promoting lifelong learning, literacy, and education policy worldwide. Operates in many of Kizazi's geographies and addresses similar problems of children lacking foundational literacy and numeracy skills.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/KizaziSchools
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kizazieducation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Kizazi