Role of WE Charity Foundation in the funding ecosystem
WE Charity Foundation (WCF) is a Canadian registered charitable foundation created to carry on the international development work started by WE Charity Canada. Its core role is to steward a sustainability fund and endowment that provide ongoing financial support to key regional projects in Kenya, ensuring that community-serving infrastructure and programs remain viable for generations.
Funding model and sustainability fund
According to its FAQs, WCF manages a sustainability fund invested through experienced third parties. The fund is capitalized primarily through the sale of the WE Global Learning Center and related Canadian charitable real estate assets, as well as donations from supporters. Proceeds are dedicated to long-term operating and program costs of selected projects, rather than short-term campaigns. An independent Board of Directors and a finance committee oversee major financial decisions, compliance with Canadian regulations, and the overall financial health of the foundation, with annual independent audits and public financial statements.
Flagship projects and sectors supported
The foundation’s endowment provides financial support to a portfolio of flagship projects in Kenya that extend beyond the original five-pillar WE Villages model. These include Baraka Hospital, which offers preventive, curative, rehabilitative and maternity care; the Kisaruni Group of boarding secondary schools that provide quality education and scholarships; the Women’s Empowerment Centre, which delivers financial literacy and business training to female entrepreneurs; and WE College. Collectively, these initiatives target health care, education, women’s economic empowerment and food security.
Geographic focus and partnership approach
WCF’s primary geographic focus is rural communities in the Maasai Mara and other regions of Kenya, where it works in partnership with local leaders, families and government. The foundation emphasizes that many projects are increasingly managed and operated locally, with WCF’s role centred on providing the financial resources and governance needed to sustain services such as hospitals, schools and training centres.
Governance, transparency and accountability
The website highlights a strong commitment to transparency and accountability. An independent, multinational Board of Directors composed of Kenyan and Canadian professionals governs the foundation and oversees the distribution of funds to programs. WCF continues WE Charity Canada’s practice of engaging external legal and accounting experts for reviews, and publishes audited financial statements. Donors can contribute via cheque or wire transfer and receive Canadian tax receipts, along with periodic impact updates on how their support sustains these essential projects.
Publics served and overall impact
Through its funding, WE Charity Foundation supports health services for hundreds of thousands of rural residents, secondary and post-secondary education for youth, and income-generation opportunities for thousands of women. By focusing on long-term financing of essential community assets rather than short-term relief, the foundation aims to help partner communities maintain and grow local capacity in health, education, livelihoods and food security well into the future.