Rafiki Foundation 
The information on this page was last updated 9/21/2023. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
Helping Africans know God and raise their standard of living through orphan care, a widows program, and education.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Rafiki Foundation
PO Box 1988
Eustis, FL 32727
Website: rafikifoundation.org
Phone: 352-483-9131
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 742477089
CEO/President: Ms. Karen Elliott
Chairman: Dr. Rosemary Jensen
Board size: 10
Founder: Dr. Rosemary Jensen
Ruling year: 1988
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 12/31
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 2002
Purpose
The vision of The Rafiki Foundation is to cultivate a multitude of godly contributors in ten African countries.
To accomplish this, Rafiki established ten Rafiki Training Villages within the African countries of Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, and Ethiopia. These Villages provide living and educational facilities through Rafiki's five programs: Bible Study, Education, Teacher Training, Orphan Care, and Widows.
Rafiki's strategy is to equip Africans to cultivate a multitude of godly contributors by: caring for and educating orphans, providing Bible study and Classical Christian education to the African church, giving help to widows, and equipping thousands of church schools with high quality education and well trained teachers.
Mission statement
Turning youth and poor women into godly contributors by deploying a Christian classical education system and training in employable skills across 10 African countries
Statement of faith
I. We believe that God is one God who exists eternally in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (1), each holy and loving. God created everything that exists (2), upholds it by His power, and rules sovereignly over it (3). In relation to the creation, God's knowledge is exhaustive (omniscience) (4), His power unlimited (omnipotence) (5), and He is present everywhere (omnipresence) (6).
(1) 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 4:4-6; 1 Peter 1:2 (2) Genesis 1:1; Colossians 1:16-17 (3) Psalm 50:10; Proverb 21:1; Daniel 4:35; Isaiah 40:6-31; Acts 2:23; 4:27-28; 2 Thessalonians 2:11; Hebrews 1:3 (4) Psalm 139:1-6, 15-18; Hebrews 4:13 (5) Job 42:1-2; Psalm 115:3; Matthew 19:26 (6) Psalm 139:7-10; Jeremiah 23:23-24
II. We believe that Christ was the incarnate second person of the godhead, conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary, fully human (7) and fully divine (8) in one person. He died, rose from the dead, ascended to heaven (9) from whence He will return bodily and in glory (10). (7) Matthew 1:18-21; Galatians 4:4; Romans 1:3-4 (8) John 1:1-2; Philippians 2:6-11; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8-9 (9) Acts 2:33-36; Ephesians 1:20-22; Hebrews 1:3 (10) Matthew 24:30-31; Acts 1:10-11; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 4:15-16
III. We believe that all human life has worth and dignity because all people are made in God's image (11). As such, they have been created to know and serve Him, but this image is now marred by sin. In our fallen condition, we are in rebellion against God, His truth, and His law (12). We are alienated from Him and under His judgment (13).
(11) Genesis 1:26-27; James 3:9 (12) Romans 1:18; 3:10-20; 8:7 (13) Acts 17:31; Romans 2:5-8; Hebrews 9:27
IV. We believe that God the Holy Spirit inspired the Bible, giving us truth that is entirely free of error. It is an authoritative disclosure of God's character, will, and ways. It is by this Word that He instructs, corrects, guides, and nourishes believers (14). (14) Psalm 119:89, 160; John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:19-21
V. We believe that in His death, Jesus justified us when He was judged for our sin and we were credited with His righteousness (15). In this way, He affected our reconciliation with the Father (16). His death is the only means of salvation (17), provided solely by God's grace (18), and its benefits are received by faith alone, and those who are thus justified will never be separated from the love of God in Christ Jesus (19). (15) Romans 3:25; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13 (16) 2 Corinthians 5:19; Romans 5:8-10 (17) Matthew 10:32-33; John 5:24; Acts 4:12; 17:30-31 (18) Romans 3:24; 4:1-5; 11:6; Ephesians 2:8-10 (19) Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8; Hebrews 11:6
VI. We believe that as God calls His people to a knowledge of Himself through the gospel, the Holy Spirit imparts to them a saving understanding of Christ's death (20) and resurrection, giving spiritual life in place of spiritual death (21). The Holy Spirit then begins their sanctification, working in them His holy will, and giving them works to do as they serve others and take the gospel to the nations (22).
(20) John 15:26; 16:7-11 (21) John 3:3-8; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:3, 23 (22) Philippians 2:12-13; Matthew 28:18-20; Romans 13:8; Galatians 5:13, 16-23
VII. We believe that the Kingdom of God inaugurated at Christ's first coming will be consummated at His second coming (23) when the dead will be raised. At the final judgment, believers and unbelievers will be separated forever. At that time, evil will be eradicated, Satan will be punished, unbelievers will enter into an eternal, conscious separation from God but the people of God will serve joyfully in His presence forever in the new heavens and earth (24). (23) Revelation 19:20-21; 20:10, 14-15; 21:4 (24) Matthew 25:34-40; Romans 14:10-12; Jude 6; Revelation 22:1-5
Rafiki Statements Sanctity of Life and Sanctity of Marriage
Sanctity of Life
The Rafiki Foundation is committed to the teaching of the Bible, the Word of God, which affirms that every human being is made in the image of God, and therefore that every human life is to be valued and protected from the moment of conception, regardless of age, race and ethnicity, sex, and ability or disability (Genesis 1:26-28; 9:5-6; Psalm 139:13-16). Rafiki strongly believes that abortion, infanticide, murder, euthanasia, genocide, unjust war, state-administered execution without biblical grounds and evidence of guilt, and other departures from God's righteous norms for the preservation and protection of human life, are contrary to the holy will of our Creator, the Lord and Giver of life.
Sanctity of Marriage
The Rafiki Foundation is committed to the teaching of the Bible, the Word of God, which affirms that sexual intimacy is to take place only within the marital covenant between one man and one woman (Genesis 1:27; 2:18-24; Leviticus 18:22-23; 20:10-21; Romans 1:24-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10). Rafiki strongly believes that premarital sexual relations, adultery, homosexual/bisexual/lesbian relations, sexual abuse of children, bestiality, pornography, prostitution, and other departures from God's good design for human sexuality are contrary to the holy will of our Creator, who created marriage to reflect his covenant love toward his people (Isaiah 54:5-8; Jeremiah 2:1-3; Ezekiel 16:1-14; Ephesians 5:22- 33).
Donor confidence score
Transparency grade
A
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Foreign Missions
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 412 of 1106 | 54 of 144 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 237 of 1107 | 37 of 144 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 104 of 1107 | 12 of 144 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 1078 of 1106 | 142 of 144 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 6% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 5% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 99% | 99% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 101% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 5% | 2% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 1% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 0% | -1% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 84% | 92% | 91% | 90% | 91% | 92% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 99% | 119% | 92% | 95% | 118% | 110% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 82% | 110% | 84% | 85% | 108% | 101% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 1% | -19% | 8% | 5% | -18% | -10% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 2% | -8% | 4% | 2% | -6% | -4% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 8% | 6% | 6% | 8% | 6% | 6% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 1.33 | 0.51 | 0.42 | 0.38 | 0.42 | 0.39 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.23 | 5.19 | 4.79 | 5.98 | 10.42 | 10.04 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 2.02 | 2.64 | 2.00 | 2.29 | 4.40 | 3.95 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 19.87 | 76.56 | 98.49 | 90.18 | 55.20 | 16.12 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.05 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.06 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 5.62 | 4.49 | 5.95 | 5.19 | 2.68 | 2.85 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 7% | 3% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 67% | 191% | 240% | 261% | 237% | 253% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Cash | $3,924,491 | $4,547,377 | $3,189,452 | $740,128 | $1,536,890 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $278,354 | $266,127 | $227,705 | $215,129 | $257,091 |
| Short-term investments | $82,373 | $86,929 | $372,658 | $1,173,040 | $561,213 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $4,285,218 | $4,900,433 | $3,789,815 | $2,128,297 | $2,355,194 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $17,383,383 | $18,366,663 | $18,355,598 | $19,527,396 | $20,000,868 |
| Other long-term assets | $581,825 | $221,639 | $502,021 | $526,044 | $1,286,136 |
| Total long-term assets | $17,965,208 | $18,588,302 | $18,857,619 | $20,053,440 | $21,287,004 |
| Total assets | $22,250,426 | $23,488,735 | $22,647,434 | $22,181,737 | $23,642,198 |
| Liabilities | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $55,969 | $49,758 | $42,024 | $38,554 | $146,092 |
| Other current liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current liabilities | $55,969 | $49,758 | $42,024 | $38,554 | $146,092 |
| Debt | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $580,215 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $580,215 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total liabilities | $636,184 | $49,758 | $42,024 | $38,554 | $146,092 |
| Net assets | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Without donor restrictions | $19,565,759 | $20,577,978 | $19,242,641 | $19,729,724 | $20,681,428 |
| With donor restrictions | $2,048,483 | $2,860,999 | $3,362,769 | $2,413,459 | $2,814,678 |
| Net assets | $21,614,242 | $23,438,977 | $22,605,410 | $22,143,183 | $23,496,106 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Total contributions | $9,417,876 | $10,572,716 | $9,174,287 | $7,945,740 | $8,544,803 |
| Program service revenue | $57,475 | $44,310 | $30,612 | $0 | $0 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $15,708 | ($339) | $13,306 | $18,515 | ($22,074) |
| Other revenue | ($1,287) | $2,472 | ($71,330) | ($42,578) | ($52,150) |
| Total other revenue | $71,896 | $46,443 | ($27,412) | ($24,063) | ($74,224) |
| Total revenue | $9,489,772 | $10,619,159 | $9,146,875 | $7,921,677 | $8,470,579 |
| Expenses | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Program services | $10,429,410 | $8,904,976 | $7,786,766 | $8,554,954 | $8,521,986 |
| Management and general | $628,532 | $612,958 | $653,004 | $557,276 | $529,360 |
| Fundraising | $256,565 | $267,658 | $230,441 | $244,122 | $248,788 |
| Total expenses | $11,314,507 | $9,785,592 | $8,670,211 | $9,356,352 | $9,300,134 |
| Change in net assets | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Surplus (deficit) | ($1,824,735) | $833,567 | $476,664 | ($1,434,675) | ($829,555) |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | ($1,824,735) | $833,567 | $476,664 | ($1,434,675) | ($829,555) |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Karen Elliott | CEO/Exec Dir | $115,415 |
| Dr Rosemary Jensen | President | $18,470 |
Compensation data as of: 12/31/2022
Response from ministry
No response has been provided by this ministry.
The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 9/21/2023. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
Rosemary McEachern Jensen, born July 20, 1929, is the fourth of six children born to Don and Mayhoward McEachern. Raised in a log house on the banks of the St. Johns River near Jacksonville, Florida, Rosemary knew at an early age that she wanted to tell others about God. In the summer of 1946 when a pastor challenged a group of youth to give their lives to the foreign mission field, Rosemary felt compelled to step forward and answer the call. That one step began a seven-decade journey in God's service, first as a missionary to Tanzania, then as the executive director of Bible Study Fellowship International, and most recently as the president of The Rafiki Foundation, Inc. The years from 1987 to 1991 saw the expansion of Rafiki's work into Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, and Ghana. An increasing number of doctors, dentists, teachers, and business people answered God's call to bring medical care, vocational assistance, and Bible teaching to the African people. Funding for these projects was borne by private donors and the biblical studies were provided by Bible Study Fellowship. By 1992, however, the African continent was overwhelmed with the needs of millions of orphans due to the AIDS epidemic. In response to pleas from government and church officials to help the children of Africa, Rosemary expanded the role of the Foundation from that of a sending organization to one that provided for the physical, spiritual, and educational needs of orphans and vulnerable children. Since then, the Foundation has established Rafiki Training Villages in ten of the poorest countries in sub-Saharan Africa to help meet that need.
The Foundation has again responded to requests for help from African church and government leaders by providing educational curriculum for their schools. In 2009, Rafiki began to publish and distribute its school curriculum (including the Rafiki Bible Study) to African church schools. In countries where educational materials are in short supply, the curriculum is a tremendous gift and is another tangible way that Rafiki is befriending the children of Africa.
In 2015 the capstone piece of Rafiki's education came to fruition. The Rafiki Institute of Classical Education (RICE) is a teachers college founded to equip the next generation of classical educators. These colleges train students in math, science, history, philosophy, theology, pedagogy, and more. Graduates are integrated into local and church schools, supplied with Rafiki curriculum, and ultimately set to bring classical education to schools across Africa.