NewLife Project
NewLife Project Inc. is a faith-driven, founder-led nonprofit founded in 1994 in Sierra Leone and now headquartered in Ottawa, delivering vocational training, language education, youth empowerment, and relief programs to at-risk women, youth, and diaspora communities across West Africa, Canada, and the USA.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersOttawa, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What NewLife Project does
NewLife Project Inc. is a faith-driven, founder-led nonprofit organization founded by Brenda Williams in 1994 in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and now headquartered in Ottawa, Canada (5-2000 Thurston Drive, operating out of a virtual office arrangement with Empowered 4x Offices). The organization delivers a five-pillar portfolio of programs — Youth & Women Empowerment (mentorship and leadership for ages 15–21), ESL & FSL Language Training (including exam prep for federal government employees), Sewing & Entrepreneurship (with mother-daughter intergenerational sessions), Internship & Experiential Learning, and a Relief/Diaspora Impact Program — serving at-risk women, youth, immigrants, federal employees, and the West African diaspora across Sierra Leone, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Canada, and the USA (where it holds 501(c)(3) status).
Its core products are program-based rather than technology-based, with technology limited to a Shopify-powered e-commerce storefront (NewLife Designs) shipping via FedEx, online learning adaptations introduced during COVID-19, and standard marketing channels (website, newsletter, social media, events such as Taste of Africa and the Black Business Expo). Sub-brands include NewLife Designs (handcrafted outfits and African artifacts, ~75% made locally in Canada by program participants) and the NewLife Global Women Leadership Forum (a leadership fellows and mentorship platform).
The business model is a hybrid of donations and grants (individual giving, corporate sponsorships, legacy giving, Employment and Social Development Canada federal funding, and Queen Elizabeth Scholarship partnership), modest pay-as-you-go program fees ($20–$75 per session for sewing, tutoring, and craft classes), and e-commerce product sales through NewLife Designs. A Board of Directors (Hervé Some, Irene Cummings, Abena Beloved Green) provides governance alongside founder and Executive Director Brenda Williams; the organization operates with 1–10 employees and reports touching 1,000+ lives across four countries over 30+ years.
NewLife Project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- NewLife Project
- Legal name
- NewLife Project Inc.
- Website
- https://newlifeprojectinc.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- NewLife Project Inc. is a faith-driven, founder-led nonprofit founded in 1994 in Sierra Leone and now headquartered in Ottawa, delivering vocational training, language education, youth empowerment, and relief programs to at-risk women, youth, and diaspora communities across West Africa, Canada, and the USA.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
NewLife Project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Education & Empowerment Services
- NAICS
- Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Child and Youth Services (62411), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK), Business Planning, Pitching & Competitions (Pitch Decks, Demo Days) (EDAMAHAB)
Keywords
Where NewLife Project is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ottawa
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
NewLife Project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Donations & Fundraising: Individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and legacy giving programs. Fundraiser events (Taste of Africa, tent sales, bazaar events) generate revenue to sustain sewing and French tutoring projects.
- Program Fees: Revenue from vocational training programs including sewing classes ($50-$75 per session), French/English tutoring ($25-$40 per hour), and craft classes ($20 per hour).
- NewLife Designs E-commerce: Income-generating division selling custom-made outfits, African artifacts, and accessories. 75% of products made locally in Canada by women and youth in the program. Percentage of proceeds donated to support programs.
- Government & Institutional Funding: Federal funding support (Employment and Social Development Canada) for vocational skills training. Queen Elizabeth Scholarship partnerships for West African initiatives.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sewing Group Session - 2 hour group class |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sewing Private Session - 2 hour one-on-one instruction |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mother & Daughter Sewing - Intergenerational session |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Kids French/English Tutoring - Group |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Kids French/English Tutoring - Private |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Adult French/English Tutoring - Group |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Adult French/English Tutoring - Private |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Afro-Canadian Craft Classes |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
NewLife Project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NewLife Project is a nonprofit organization that delivers education, vocational training, and empowerment programs for at-risk women and youth across West Africa and Canada. Its core offerings span youth mentorship, English/French language tutoring, sewing and entrepreneurship training, relief/diaspora support, and a women leadership forum, complemented by a handcrafts e-commerce shop (NewLife Designs) and community fundraising events.
Product overview
NewLife Project is a non-profit organization offering a portfolio of interconnected community empowerment programs and services. The core offerings include five main program pillars: Youth & Women Empowerment (mentorship and leadership development), ESL & FSL Language Training (personalized communication skills), Sewing & Entrepreneurship (vocational and business training), Internship & Experiential Learning (academic partnerships), and Relief & Diaspora Support. Complementing these programs are the NewLife Global Women Leadership Forum (annual conferences and mentorship), the NewLife Designs e-commerce shop (handcrafted cultural products), and Fundraiser Exhibitions (community events). The organization operates as a unified ecosystem where program participants can progress from skills training through to entrepreneurship and leadership opportunities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- NewLife Designs: An income-generating division that markets custom-made outfits, African artifacts, and accessories. Approximately 75% of products are made in Canada by women and youth in the project. Empowering women in Ottawa and creating self-employed opportunities for entrepreneurs.
- NewLife Global Women Leadership Forum
- ESL & FSL Language Training
Products and services
- Youth & Women Empowerment Program
Quantifiable outcome
- 1,000+ lives touched across Sierra Leone, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Canada
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use NewLife Project
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
NewLife Project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
NewLife Project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Employment and Social Development CanadacoreFederal government partner providing funding support for vocational skills training programs. Contributed to training over 120 women and youth in vocational skills from 2021-2023.
- Queen Elizabeth Scholarship (QES) ProgramcoreOfficial partner for Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Advanced Scholars West Africa (2022-2024). Provides opportunities for advanced scholars to engage in community initiatives in West Africa.
- Ontario Universities and CollegescorePartnership with top-tier universities and colleges across Ontario for student experiential learning placements, COOP programs, and research opportunities.
- It's Time Company (Black Business Expo)minorEvent partnership for Black Business Expo participation, enabling community networking and fundraising opportunities.
- Corporate PartnersminorCorporate partners supporting programs through sponsorship, event partnership, leadership initiative funding, and direct contributions. Benefits include brand visibility and employee engagement opportunities.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights5 records
NewLife Project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- YWCA Canada: Canadian nonprofit federation focused on women and girls' empowerment through education, employment programs, and advocacy. Comparable because both serve women in Canada with skill-building and leadership pathways and operate multi-location delivery models.
- CARE Canada: International humanitarian nonprofit focused on girls' and women's empowerment, food security, and emergency relief in West Africa. Comparable because both target women and youth in Sierra Leone, raise funds in Canada through events and individual donations, and run vocational/livelihoods programs.
- Children Believe (formerly Christian Children's Fund of Canada): Canadian international development charity funding child education and sponsorship in West Africa including Sierra Leone and Ghana. Comparable because both channel Canadian-raised funds into Sierra Leone/Ghana school sponsorship and relief supplies and target vulnerable children and youth.
- Plan International Canada: International NGO running girls' empowerment, education, and child sponsorship programs across West Africa. Comparable because both fundraise in Canada, deliver education/vocational programs in Sierra Leone and Côte d'Ivoire, and use sponsorship models to engage diaspora donors.
- Right to Play International: International nonprofit using sport and play to empower children and youth, with operations in West Africa. Comparable because both run youth-development programs targeting ages 15-21 and combine education with leadership/mentorship components.
- Frontier College: Canadian nonprofit delivering literacy, tutoring, and education programs to children, youth, and adults. Comparable because both offer community-based tutoring (ESL/FSL), youth programming, and operate across Canadian sites with lean staffing.
- CultureLink - Newcomer Services: Toronto nonprofit providing settlement, language training, and newcomer employment programs. Comparable because both deliver ESL/FSL tutoring, run group and private class models, and serve immigrant communities pursuing career advancement.
Emerging players
- Sistering: Toronto-based nonprofit supporting women experiencing marginalization through drop-in services, training, and economic opportunities. Comparable because both target at-risk women, offer skill-building pathways (sewing, language), and rely on donations plus program fees.
Broad incumbents
- United Way East Ontario: Regional umbrella nonprofit funding community services across Eastern Ontario including Ottawa. Comparable because both operate in the Ottawa funding ecosystem, support women and youth programs, and serve as intermediaries between donors and grassroots organizations.
Regional players
- Dress for Success Ottawa: Ottawa-based affiliate of an international nonprofit supporting women's economic independence through professional attire, career coaching, and job readiness. Comparable because both serve women in Ottawa on economic-empowerment pathways and connect vocational skills to employment outcomes.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
NewLife Project social profiles
Digital presenceNewLife Project compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
NewLife Project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
NewLife Project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
NewLife Project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
NewLife Project 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 NewLife Project
What does NewLife Project do?
NewLife Project is a nonprofit organization that delivers education, vocational training, and empowerment programs for at-risk women and youth across West Africa and Canada. Its core offerings span youth mentorship, English/French language tutoring, sewing and entrepreneurship training, relief/diaspora support, and a women leadership forum, complemented by a handcrafts e-commerce shop (NewLife Designs) and community fundraising events.
Is NewLife Project a public or private company?
NewLife Project is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was NewLife Project founded?
NewLife Project was founded in 1994. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is NewLife Project based?
NewLife Project is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, in the North America region.
How does NewLife Project make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations & Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are program Fees, newLife Designs E-commerce and government & Institutional Funding.
Who are NewLife Project's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are YWCA Canada, CARE Canada, Children Believe (formerly Christian Children's Fund of Canada), Plan International Canada, Right to Play International, Frontier College and CultureLink - Newcomer Services. Sistering is listed as an emerging player. United Way East Ontario is listed as a broad incumbent. Dress for Success Ottawa is listed as a regional player.
Does NewLife Project have an API?
No public API is recorded for NewLife Project.
What industry is NewLife Project in?
NewLife Project's product category is Community Education & Empowerment Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAJ, Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits, with a secondary code of EDAAAFAK, Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education. Its NAICS code is 813410 and its SIC code is 8200.