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BIRTHRIGHT AFRICA INCORPORATED
New York, NY · EIN 474649952 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE Q20 · International Affairs · Micro (<$100K) · birthrightafrica.org
revenue
$75K
expenses
$135K
net assets
$-3K
employees
1
program ratio
38%
mission · from form 990

BIRTHRIGHT AFRICA IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING A FREE EDUCATIONAL TRIP TO AFRICA FOR YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS OF AFRICAN DESCENT.

profile · synthesized from sources

Birthright Africa Incorporated provides free educational trips to Africa for youth and young adults of African descent in the U.S., with a focus on cultural connection and personal development. The organization offers pre-travel virtual programming to engage scholars while on a waiting list and partners with education providers to facilitate travel experiences in countries including Ghana, South Africa, and Kenya. It emphasizes heritage, innovation, and diasporic identity through immersive experiences.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $0
    None.
  2. #2 $0
    None.
named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Birthright Travel Program
Free educational trips to Africa for youth and young adults of African descent, facilitated through partnerships with Education Partners in countries including Ghana, South Africa, and Kenya.
Birthright Virtual Community
Digital community on Mighty Networks for Birthright alumni and scholars to continue engagement with African heritage and innovation after travel experiences.
Pre-Travel Virtual Program
Virtual programming for registered scholars on the waiting list, including self-exploration activities, cultural site visits, and family story projects to prepare for travel experiences.
activities · 3 groups

What they do

  • Youth Cultural and Educational Travel Programs 3 activities
    • Free international travel experiences to Africa for members of the African Diaspora
      Provides fully funded educational and cultural trips to Africa for youth and young adults of African descent in the U.S., resulting in high rates of self-reported life-changing experiences, increased self-belief, intent to return to Africa, and interest in Africa-related careers. The organization facilitates logistics including referrals to Black travel operators, support with passports, visas, vaccinations, and access to travel discounts.
    • Heritage-based leadership and cultural exploration program for youth and young adults of African descent
      Operates a leadership development program for youth and young adults of African descent (ages 13–30) that centers on exploring Black/African cultural heritage, innovation, and personal legacy through pre-travel virtual programming, domestic and local cultural explorations, and international travel experiences in Africa. The program includes a 10-day international trip, preceded by 2–5 days of local exploration and a structured virtual curriculum.
    • Pre-Travel Virtual Program for cultural and self-exploration
      Offers a virtual program for registered scholars that includes self-guided activities, virtual events, and peer connection opportunities to explore Black/African culture and innovation in preparation for travel. Activities include the Birthright Self-Exploration (video creation), Family Story Exploration (genogram and family interviews), and Cultural Site Exploration (research, visit, and reflection on cultural sites), with access open to both U.S. citizens and non-citizens who have previously traveled to Africa after age 12.
  • Nonprofit Capacity Building Services 1 activity
    • Capacity building and technical support for Education Partners and alumni engagement
      Provides strategic guidance, fundraising tools, and technical support to Education Partners to help launch and sustain local, national, and global Birthright programs, including assistance with itinerary development and travel logistics. Engages alumni as volunteers, staff members, and interns—particularly in marketing, program support, and finance roles.
  • College Access and Success Support 1 activity
    • Scholar referral and cohort facilitation system
      Maintains a database of over 27,000 registered potential scholars of African descent (ages 13–30, primarily U.S. citizens) and refers eligible individuals to Education Partners when programs are available. Ensures a high support ratio by providing one facilitator for every five scholars in each cohort.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$75K
Contributions & grants$75K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$108
expenses
Total expenses$135K
Program expenses38%
Admin / overhead56%
Fundraising6%
Salaries & benefits$28K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$1K
Cash$1K
Investments$0
Liabilities$4K
Net assets$-3K
Liquid reserves0.1 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -58.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
WALLA ELSHEIKH DIRECTOR/CEO 40 $26K
board members · 8
  • CHERAE ROBINSON — DIRECTOR
  • DIALLO SHABAZZ — DIRECTOR
  • ERICA LEE — DIRECTOR
  • JAY TAYLOR — DIRECTOR
  • JETALI BELLANTON — DIRECTOR
  • JIDENNA MOBISSON — DIRECTOR
  • KEVIN BEDEAU — DIRECTOR
  • PATRICK KODJOE — DIRECTOR
relationships · 29

Who they work with

  • Birthright AFRICA Partner — Provides facilitation and support services to partner programs for an additional fee.
  • CUNY Partner — Collaborates with CUNY to deliver the Birthright AFRICA program to students.
  • CUNY Partner — Collaborates with CUNY to identify and support Birthright AFRICA scholars.
  • CUNY Partner — Collaborates with CUNY to support Birthright scholars.
  • CUNY Partner — Education Partner facilitating Birthright programs for scholars.
  • CUNY Partner — Education Partner facilitating Birthright travel programs for scholars.
  • CUNY Partner — Education partner that co-hosts Birthright travel programs for scholars.
  • Classroom Inc. Partner — Kevin Bedeau serves as a product consultant to Classroom Inc., a national nonprofit.
  • Eden Salon Partner — Hosts community conversations and gatherings for Birthright AFRICA participants in Ghana.
  • GrowHouse Partner — Education Partner facilitating Birthright programs for scholars.
  • GrowHouse Partner — Education Partner facilitating Birthright travel programs for scholars.
  • GrowHouse Partner — Education partner that co-hosts Birthright travel programs for scholars.
  • GrowHouse Partner — Partners with GrowHouse to offer the Birthright AFRICA experience to participants.
  • GrowHouse NYC Partner — Education partner that collaborated to select and support participants in the Birthright AFRICA program
  • GrowHouse NYC Partner — Education partner that selected Nathaniel Page for the Birthright AFRICA program.
  • GrowHouse NYC Partner — Partner organization that selected a scholar for the Birthright AFRICA program.
  • Jidenna Partner — Collaborated on a cultural exploration program in NYC focused on Black/African heritage and orientation for travel to Ghana.
  • Kokrobitey Institute Partner — Collaborates with Birthright AFRICA to host creative programming and community engagement for participants in Ghana.
  • Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Partner — Cultural site featured in a live-streamed virtual tour for Birthright Scholars.
  • Mighty Networks Partner — Platform used to launch and host the Birthright AFRICA virtual community for alumni and scholars.
  • Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture Partner — Site visited by Birthright Scholars as part of cultural heritage programming in New York City.
  • Tastemakers Africa Partner — Collaborates with Tastemakers Africa as a Birthright Travel Partner and refers individuals over 30 to travel through them.
  • Urban Sankofa Project Partner — Collaborates with the Urban Sankofa Project to deliver the Birthright AFRICA program.
  • Urban Sankofa Project Partner — Education Partner facilitating Birthright programs for scholars.
  • Urban Sankofa Project Partner — Education Partner facilitating Birthright travel programs for scholars.
  • Urban Sankofa Project Partner — Education partner that co-hosts Birthright travel programs for scholars.
  • Urban Tech Hub Company Partner — Center of innovation visited by Birthright Scholars as part of programming in New York City.
  • W.E.B. DuBois Center Partner — Cultural site featured in a live-streamed virtual tour for Birthright Scholars.
  • Weeksville Heritage Site Partner — Site visited by Birthright Scholars as part of cultural heritage programming in New York City.
strategies · 3

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Heritage-Based Identity and Leadership Development
    methodology: heritage-based_leadership
    By engaging youth in cultural identity development and legacy-of-innovation practices, the organization fosters pride, confidence, and self-determination, because connecting personal identity to a legacy of African and diasporic innovation strengthens empowerment and long-term agency.
  • Structured Virtual-to-In-Person Cultural Readiness Pipeline
    methodology: virtual_to_in_person_pipeline
    By using a pre-travel virtual program to build cultural awareness and community connection, the organization prepares scholars for transformative in-person experiences in Africa, because early engagement through digital platforms fosters readiness, sustained connection, and deeper impact during travel.
  • Transformative Heritage-Based Travel
    methodology: transformative_travel
    By providing immersive travel experiences to Africa combined with pre-travel cultural preparation, the organization fosters personal transformation, identity reclamation, and empowerment among youth of the African Diaspora, because direct ancestral and cultural reconnection strengthens self-affirmation, belonging, and belief in personal agency.