Wawira Njiru

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Wawira Njiru
Born (1991-01-27) January 27, 1991 (age 30)
NationalityKenyan
CitizenshipKenya
Alma materUniversity of South Australia
(Bachelor of Nutrition Science)
OccupationNutritionist, Entrepreneur, Businesswoman and Philanthropist
Years active2011 – present
Known forBusiness acumen, and philanthropy
TitleFounder & Executive Director of Food 4 Education

Wawira Njiru, is a Kenyan businesswoman, entrepreneur, human nutritionist, and philanthropist, who serves as the executive director of Food 4 Education, an organization that cooks, prepares and distributes nutritious meals, at subsidized prices to over 2,000 school children from humble backgrounds in Ruiru, a suburb of Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya.[1]

Background and education[]

She grew up in the town of Ruiru, in Kiambu County, immediately northwest of the capital city of Nairobi.[2] She attended local schools for her primary and secondary education. In 2010, she was admitted to the University of South Australia, in Adelaide, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Nutrition Science degree.[1][2]

Career[]

In 2011, at the age of twenty, Wawiru then an undergraduate in Adelaide, Australia invited 80 friends to a Kenyan themed meal. She charged $20 per plate, raising the equivalent of KSh126,000 at that time.[3]

With those funds, Food 4 Education (F4E) was founded. Starting with the construction of a makeshift kitchen, F4E started feeding their 25 first students. That was followed by fundraising campaigns on the internet. Over time, the number of children receiving subsidized school lunches increased.[3]

According to Wawira Njiru, it costs Ksh25 (approx. US$0.25) to provide a meal to an elementary school child in Kenya. The parents or guardians are asked to contribute KSh10 (approx. US$0.10). F4E provides the balance.[4]

To bridge the financial gap, F4E hired a full-time chef, constructed a new modern kitchen and began to deliver cooked-to-order-meals to corporate clients in the nearby Nairobi neighborhoods of Kilimani, , Westlands, Upper Hill and the central business district of the city.[4]

Other considerations[]

In 2018, Business Daily Africa, a Kenyan daily English newspaper named Wawira Njiru, one of the 40 Under 40 Kenyan Women for the year 2018.[1] In December 2018, she became the first person to win the Global Citizen Prize for Youth Leadership.[5] In 2018, Wawira was also named among the 100 Most Influential Young Kenyans, by Avance Media.[6]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c Business Daily Staff (September 2018). "Top 40 Under 40 Kenyan Women 2018" (PDF). Business Daily Africa. Nairobi: Nation Media Group. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
  2. ^ a b Transformnutrition.org (2014). "2013 Nutrition Champions: Ann Wawira Njiru: Kenya". United Kingdom: Transformnutrition.org. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
  3. ^ a b Marketer, Carrie (7 December 2015). "Inspire! With Wawira Njiru: Food 4 Education". Voicesofyouth.org. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
  4. ^ a b Arunga, Abigail (20 June 2017). "Take 5: Founder of Food 4 Education, Wawira Njiru". Daily Nation. Nairobi. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
  5. ^ "This Activist Wants to Provide School Meals So No Child Learns on an Empty Stomach". Global Citizen. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  6. ^ Murugi Gichovi (4 February 2019). "Larry Madowo, Natalie Tewa, Njugush celebrated in the Most Influential Young Kenyans List". Nairobi: 98.4 Capital FM. Retrieved 11 January 2020.

External links[]

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