Malengo has announced it has secured $12.9 million in funding from The Shapiro Foundation. The funding will support the NGO’s expansion across Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda. This will help low-income students and refugees access vocational and university education in Germany.
The new funding is structured as an impact investment and will allow Malengo to scale its programs and support over 700 students over the next three years. Malengo’s mission is to tackle extreme poverty by connecting East African students with higher education and skilled job opportunities abroad.
“International educational migration has the potential to dramatically and durably reduce extreme poverty not only for individual students, but for entire families and communities,” said Professor Haushofer, Malengo’s Founder and CEO. “This new investment by The Shapiro Foundation will enable us to expand into a new country, strengthen our existing programs, and transform thousands of lives.”
Since launch, Malengo has enrolled over 500 scholars, equipping them with skills in fields such as healthcare, IT, and skilled trades. Many of these students transition from living on less than $1.40 per day to securing graduate jobs in Europe, with starting salaries exceeding $40,000 per year.
The new investment builds on The Shapiro Foundation’s early partnership with Malengo, which began in 2024.
“Malengo is addressing one of the most pressing challenges of our time by creating a durable solution and a path to self-reliance for refugees, while demonstrating their contribution to destination economies,” said Ed Shapiro, Trustee of The Shapiro Foundation. “We are proud to stand alongside them at this pivotal stage in their growth.”
Unique Financing Model
Malengo operates using a sustainable Income Share Agreement (ISA) model. This is where scholars receive full financial support for tuition, living expenses and mentorship. Repayments only begin once graduates secure jobs earning above a set income threshold. This ensures no financial pressure during low-income periods.
With The Shapiro Foundation’s $12.9 million investment, Malengo plans to scale its initiatives in Kenya and Uganda and deepen its presence in Rwanda, where its first cohort of 53 refugee scholars has already launched.
“Being in the Malengo program has been one of the most exciting opportunities of my life,” said Hellen Akubac Lual, a Malengo scholar. “It’s more than just a scholarship — it’s a community that believes in young people from underprivileged backgrounds and gives them the tools to dream big and achieve those dreams in Germany.”
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