Five Kenyans are set to benefit from a $50 million (Sh5 billion) program by a US-based private organization, Ford Foundation.
The organization said it will invest $50 million for the next 10 years in Ford Global Fellowship in which the five Kenyans have been selected to join alongside 24 other people from various countries.
The New York-based foundation uses Ford Global Fellowship to invest in people and institutions that initiate a change in society.
The five Kenyans include researcher and policy analyst Nanjira Sambuli, Wawira Njiru who runs Food4Education, Savannah Informatics CEO John Muthee, criminal justice advocate Teresa Njoroge and Nairobi Women Hospital’s Dr. Melsa Auma Omaya.
The fellowship will help the five to build up the capacity of their institutions to connect and support the next generation of leaders.
“The program will run for 18 months with an emphasis on shared learning, building and strengthening connections, and developing a supportive, interconnected cohort. Our hope is for the fellowship to serve as a catalyst for the fellows to accelerate the impact of their work, individually and collectively,” a statement by the fellowship read.
Dr. Omaya hopes to use her capacity as a medical doctor to help the vulnerable and end gender violence while Muthee seeks to use his skills in the world of technology to help Kenya achieve Universal Health Care (UHC).
On the other hand, Sambuli hopes to use her vast experience in ICT to promote digital equality and address the digital gender divide.
Wawira wants to use her Food4Education program to feed one million people in Africa by 2025 from the current 10, 000 school-going children who she feeds.
Ms. Njoroge seeks to address the problems facing women in prison and former inmates through her company Clean Start Solutions.
Anecdotally, the above is a…
Anecdotally, the above is a correct reflection of excellent accomplishments of women in ALL sectors of the Kenyan economy. We men are still pounding our chests with illusions of grandeur while the women are empowering themselves economically. We are more likely to be motivated to watch a game of football, chase as many skirts as possible and build many castles in the air over a huge bottle of mzinga.
I am in Kenya quite often and tables turned quietly eons ago. Not sure why we men keep finding new ways of racing to the bottom.
Go go go girls, the sky is the limit. However, I cry for the boy child whose future security is seriously in doubt.
Besides “crying” – what…
Besides “crying” – what actions are you taking to elevate the boy child?
Formal mentoring programs…
Formal mentoring programs. Whenever I am in Kenya, I see many many dads sitting in pubs with fellow men and hardly ever make time for the boy child. Women on the other hand have perfected the art of being advocates for the girl child. Challenging issues such as access to sanitary pads, early marriages, FGM, access to education all have vocal spokespersons. Very few men take the plight of the boy child seriously.
What do you do to all those…
What do you do to all those men born in single families where a father was never available!? Are women not contributing to this new generation of Kenyans? They have these boys and keep telling them a man is a useless element in the family union! What do you do to help them out??
I have worked very hard to…
I have worked very hard to educate myself past the graduate levels in a foreign country.
When I was coming up, No woman wanted to look at me when I was struggling to make the ends meet. I walked to the University for classes while some females I knew drove past me and laughed.
Now, with a reliable employment, small businesses running, and nice clothes, and a new Benz, the same women are now calling me “Jimmy’ instead of calling me James!
Let me say this, most women have a way of discriminating on men when they are more educated or have more money! I want to marry a woman who can pay her way through and not be a leach on me.
I will be very keen on my selection for a women to be my significant other when that time comes!
Congratulations ladies! Hope you are fair minded in your association with men; all men!
For a long time, men used to…
For a long time, men used to support women! Now here are more well learned ladies who won’t mind to support some men financially. On the other hand, there is a shortage of men world wide, and therefore the successful ladies will have to compete in a very men scarce environment to meet a Mr Right! Sisters, you all looking good on top of all the accomplishments! Please don’t be stolen by wazungus! Uplift the brothers at home, but I also challenge to get off the Karumaindo places, work very hard, get many PhDs so they can complement you in marriage!
I have been looking for a…
I have been looking for a wife material for sometime now!! Aaah, aaaah, I think I am close to finding one very soon! Heeeuh, I’m sweating bullets, jameni!!!!
I pull mukokoteni from…
I pull mukokoteni from Nyamakima to Donhalm every morning to sell farm produce – mostly kales, waru, Njugu, minji, matunda, Mananathi, Bebe, etc! I have thought of a wife but I’m too busy because of my business work schedule.
I have to feed many hungry people. Business is doing good and I need to settle down. I want a highly educated lady with potentials!
Are any of these well educated and good-looking ladies looking for a hard working man? I finished standard Seven, and I have a Certificate to show!
@njora – my fren!!! Do I say…
@njora – my fren!!! Do I say how I feel your pain my Bronda!! Nataka kucheka warakini!! Mungu akubariki wewe very sana!! A very hard working man. God have mercy!
Which of the three ladies here would you like to pick? Amen!
I love all of them! They are…
I love all of them! They are all beautiful and they can all support me because they’are rich! One in the middle have very good smiles and she is a doctor! But you know @Vivian, Kenya allows polygamy. I will be better with all of them!!
Very nice! You deserve the…
Very nice! You deserve the best in everything!
Wow @njora. I like your…
Wow @njora. I like your daring. Can you describe yourself as a person? And are you tribal?
@Adhiambo – thanks for…
@Adhiambo – thanks for asking. first I’m a shroud business man! I earn my living doing honest business with my mukokoteni selling agricultural produce. I live in Kawangware and I have a small nice house there, a very nice place. I’m 6’2” tall and well built like a Moran! I think I weigh 192 lbs. I’m a quite dark and very handsome man. I look like a Masai Moran. May I add that part? Very hard working drug free kikuyu man as you can tell by my name. I don’t drink alcohol or smoke. I will be 29 years young in Dec 2022.
One more thing; I’m not…
One more thing; I’m not tribal! All my customers look like Kenya! People need to eat you know!!