Eddah Gachukia is an educational entrepreneur the director and founder, Riara Group of Schools. Dr. Eddah Gachukia is one of the longest serving and respected educationist in Kenya.

Education

Eddah Gachukia graduated with a Diploma in Education from Makerere University College. After teaching for 3 years she advanced her education at Leeds University where she specialized in language teaching.
She then joined the University of Nairobi where she graduated with a Bachelor degree in 1971. Her Masters Degree was upgraded to PHD in 1973. She obtained a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Literature in 1981.

Eddah Gachukia Career

Between 1973 and 1987 Dr. Gachukia was a lecturer at the University of Nairobi. She was also a Member of Parliament between 1974 and 1983. During the period 1987 and 1990 Gachukia was National Advisor to UNESCO on Population Information and Development Communication for Kenya. In between she was also for over 10 years the Chairperson and Board of Governors of Kenya High School, which is one of the largest girls secondary schools with boarding facilities in Nairobi. She was also a member of Boards of several other schools including the Alliance Girls High School and State House Road Girls High School.

Eddah served as the Founding Executive Director of the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) 1993 – 1998 which is a non-governmental Pan African Organization based in Nairobi and serving over 30 African countries. FAWE membership comprises of Women Ministers of Education and University Vice-Chancellors in the African region. The NGO concentrates on the promotion of policies and practices aimed at enhancement of girls’ education in Africa countries.

In addition to being a Director and shareholder of RGS, Eddah Gachukia was the chairperson of Uchumi Supermarkets Ltd, a Director of the Institute of Policy Analysis and Research (IPAR). She has served on the Board of Kenya Airways and Nation Newspapers Limited, among others. She is a respected member of several Organizations of which she has served in various capacities. These include the National Council of Women of Kenya, the Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organisation (MYWO), the YWCA and the Collaborative Centre for Gender and Development.

Dr. Gachukia’s wealth of experience as an educationist, business executive and social worker have been useful in the development of The Riara Group of Schools. She has been a member of various education review task forces and chaired the task force that whose recommendations guided the implementation of the Free Primary Education in Kenya.

Political Career

Mrs. Gachukia also had a remarkable political career serving as a nominated Member of Parliament for two terms between 1974 and 1983.

Author

The Alliance Girls Alumni has authored numerous educational journals and books with ‘Accelerating the Education of Girls and Women in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Development Imperative’ being the most popular in her collection.
Some of the other publications include ‘Gender, education, and training: a case for affirmative action’; ‘Teaching of African literature in schools’ with S. Kichamu Akivaga; ‘The Women’s Grant in bilateral assistance: main report’ with Janne Lexow and ‘Notes on Ngugi wa Thiongo’s The River Between’.

Eddah Gachukia Awards

Eddah Gachukia

Eddah is the recipient of many honors and awards for her outstanding contributions in the realm of education. Here are a few of them;
In 1997, H.E President of Senegal Abdou Diouf honored her for service to Girls’ and Women Education in Africa.
In the 25th graduation ceremony of Kenyatta University held in December 2008, she was honored alongside Tanzania’s President Jakaya Kikwete with a Doctor of Humane Letters (honoris causa).
In 2009, The International Committee of the Fellowship of the Least Coin honored her, for exemplary effort in education development in Kenya.

Family, Husband and Children

Eddah Gachukia is married to Daniel Gachukia: Kenya’s longest serving Chief of Protocol who is the CEO and Chair of Riara Group of Schools. Together they are blessed with four children:

Alan Gachukia: The former banker is an alumnus of the University of Wisconsin (Political Science and Economics, class of 1982) and Strathmore Business School (Advanced Management). He is the Executive Director of Riara Group of Schools and board member of Nairobi Hospital.

Suzanne Gachukia-Opembe: Studied music in the US and formed the all-girl trio, Musikly Speaking,  comprising Susan Matiba and Joy Mboya in 1985 and later Afro-pop band, Zannaziki (where former hubby Gido Kibukosya was a guitarist) and music production via the defunct Samawati Studios and Serenade Music. Now married to Kenyan ambassador to Ireland, Richard Opembe, Suzanne runs the music label, Sub-Sahara Ltd. Son Marcus Kibukosya (Kcous) is a member of music group, Camp Mulla.

Tony Gachukia: For a decade to 2009, Tony was a TV sports anchor and voice over artist before the graduate of business and journalism hanged his lapel mic to run Thamuru Fish Farm in Kahaine village in Murang’a – where greenhouses and science have created ‘Lake Victoria-like conditions’ for 15,000 fish in 14 ponds on 13 acres.

Juju Gachukia-Muthama: The alumnus of Bridgeport University, USA, (Bsc, Merchandising) and Daystar (Diploma in Education) is an interior designer and operations director at Riara Group of Schools, as well as Council Member at Riara University.

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Eddie Gathegi

Eddie Gathegi is a clebrated Kenyan based in America where he is a film,stage and television actor.He appeared as recurring character Dr. Jeffrey Cole in the television series House, as Cheese in the 2007 film Gone Baby Gone and as Laurent in the films Twilight, its sequel The Twilight Saga: New Moon and Darwin in X-Men: First Class.

Eddie Gathegi Education

Although he was born in Born in Eastlands, Nairobi, Kenya, Gathegi grew up in Albany, California hence most of his education was done in the states.

He is an undeclared undergraduate at theUniversity of California, Santa Barbara.He was more interested in playing basketball and was good at it, until he injured his knee; this plunged him into depression, so he took up an acting class as an “easy course”. This is how he discovered his love for acting.Afterwards, studied at New York University’s Graduate Acting Program at the Tisch School of the Arts, graduating in 2005.

Eddie Gathegi Career

Gathegi graduated from from New York University in 2005 and landed his first major role the following year, appearing in Crank with Jason Statham and Amy Smart. The young actor quickly earned roles alongside Hollywood A-listers, performing opposite Kevin Bacon in Death Sentence and as Cheese in Ben Affleck’s Gone Baby Gone.

Gathegi was not only turning heads on the silver screen, he was finding success on television. He appeared on CSI: Miami, and earned much recognition and popularity for his reccurring role as Dr. Jeffery “Big Love” Cole on House M.D.

As Gathegi’s career began to flourish, he received a suggestion from a casting director about auditioning for a role as a vampire in the upcomingTwilight film. Although initially skeptical, Gathegi went to the audition and earned the role of Laurent in the film adaptation of Stephemie Meyer’s best-selling novel. Gathegi recalls that his skepticism completely dissipated after reading the first book, and falling in love with the story and its characters.

Twilight (2008) was an international success, and Gathegi went on to star in the franchise’s second film, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, in 2009. Gathegi earned another high-profile role in 2011, as Armando Muñoz/Darwin in the film X-Men: First Class.

Eddie Gathegi Family

Very little is known about Edi’s family ,the little known is that he comes from a family of three children where he is the second born and also the second boy child.He has a younger sister.

Eddie Gathegi Photos

Eddie Gathegi Video

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Ann McCreath is the Managing Director at KikoRomeo Africa (Kenya). She is Chair of FAFA (Festival of African Fashion & Arts), which she co-founded in 2008 to produce “Fashion for Peace”, and is currently the Kenya Coordinator for Fashion Revolution Day.

Ann McCreath Education

Ann McCreath has a MA Hons in General Arts from University of Edinburgh and a Diploma in Haute Couture from KOEFIA in Rome, Italy.

Ann McCreath Career

She quit her job at the NGO and founded KikoRomeo – which means ‘Adam’s apple’ in Kiswahili and is today one of East Africa’s leading fashion brands. The fashion house specialises in African-inspired contemporary clothing.

KikoRomeo

KikoRomeo has been a pioneer in Kenya. An Afrocentric fashion brand founded in Kenya in 1996 by Ann McCreath, it has been at the forefront of the Kenyan fashion industry, inspiring many young people to go into fashion. Born from a desire to do trade not aid. It has created jobs in rural communities and a strong fashion brand for Kenyans to be proud of. Fair trade since inception, KikoRomeo boasts a track record of working with community groups and crafts people around Kenya for close to two decades.

It has also had an impact on sports representation in and out of the country, by partnering with Kenya’s national teams in rugby and athletics to dress them for formal occasions. KikoRomeo shows all over Africa as well as Europe and the USA. It has won many awards at home and internationally and is regularly called at ministerial level to give advice on the fashion and textile industries. It has been in retail for 19 years, including 8 years in the upmarket Yaya Centre and is particularly knowledgeable about fashion retail in Kenya and East Africa. KikoRomeo is a household brand name in Kenya and beyond. KikoRomeo also manages the Kikoti brand, which is designed by Ann’s daughter Iona McCreath.

Festival of African Fashion & Arts (FAFA)

FAFA was founded by Ann McCreath in 2008 in response to post election violence. Recognising the position of an artist as a unifying force in society, FAFA was set up to show Unity in Diversity. Bringing

Ann McCreath

people of different political beliefs and cultures together, using fashion & arts as a medium to break the ice and start conversation. Using the glamour of fashion to counteract images of violence, gaining positive media coverage in every continent of the globe.

Shining a light on the immense creative talent that exists in Africa to change world perceptions of the continent. Breaking down stereotypes and generating positive energy. Sending a good news story from Kenya to the rest of Africa and Africa to the world. Activities include premium Fashion Shows in Kenya & outside (London especially), top Photoshoots, Designer Masterclasses by renowned fashion professionals, Neighborhood Markets every first Sat of the month, Kilimani Neighborhood Market, Pop Up shops, FAFA Insight Competition for Emerging Designers, Business of Fashion courses, Fashion parties and fashion apps.

Ann McCreath Awards

Ann has won many awards for her work in fashion and peace building, and was listed in the “Top 100 Women Influencing Africa” by Arise Magazine Read the Arise article , as well as being a finalist in the Ethical Fashion Forum Source Awards 2012 for “Outstanding Contribution to Sustainable Fashion”.

Ann McCreath Family, Husband and Children

Ann McCreath has a daughter called Iona McCreath.

Video

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Zahra Moi

Zahra Moi is the wife to current Baringo senetor Gideon Moi.She is a graduate of the United States International University with a degree in International Business Administration.

Zahra Moi Education

Mrs Moi was a student at the United States International University where she undertook Bachelor of Science in International Business Administration.

In the university’s recent graduation Mrs Moi was awarded with a Magna Cum Laude degree in Bachelor of Science in International Business Administration during the August 2015 graduation ceremony.

Magna Cum Laude is awarded to students with a GPA of above 3.7 out of 4.0. In the Kenyan and British systems, a GPA of 3.68 out of 4.0 is equivalent to a First Class Honors.

Zahra Moi Career

Not much is said about Zahra’s career however in the recent appointments,Mrs Moi has been appointed to the Tourism Research Institute board, a position previously held by Dr Margaret Wawuda Mwakima.

In a Kenya Gazette notice published on Friday, Tourism cabinet secretary Najib Balala stated that Mrs Moi’s “appointment was with effect from May 31 and revoked the appointment of Margaret

Zahra’s Family

Zahra is married to the current Baringo senator Gideon Moi who is the son to former president Daniel arap Moi.Zahra and Moi have three children Kimoi, Kigen and Lulu. Lulu studies in the UK whose upbringing led to an unconventional British accent.

Zahra Moi Photos

Zahra Moi Video

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Eric Muthomi a Kenyan lawyer who built a successful business from a simple ‘banana idea’ is Founded and CEO of Stawi Foods (Kenya).Stawi Foods and Fruits Limited is an award winning food processing business based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Education

Eric Muthomi holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Law from Catholic University of Eastern Africa. He also has a certificate from the prestigious United States International University Nairobi where he was awarded a Certificate in Management and Innovations for Agribusiness Entrepreneurs.
Eric has also has a Certificate in Enterprise Management.

Career

Eric Muthomi,-CEO-Stawi is Behind the glitz of a well furnished banana processing plant, over 50 dedicated staff and a host of coveted accolades that define Kenya’s Stawi Foods and Fruits company, is the inspiring tale of 26 year old Agripreneur with the tenacity of a hawk, who has provided ready market for hundreds of banana farmers in Kenya while redefining value addition in a country that boasts of over 400,000 smallholder banana farmers.

Stawi Foods and Fruits has become the popular brand and an important model on the African agriculture scene. Started in 2010 by 26-year-old Kenyan entrepreneur Eric Muthomi, Stawi Foods and Fruits is already a three-time award winning initiative. world wide It won the Nature Challenge competition geared at promoting the sustainable use of natural resources in 2011, and, in the same year, bagged the winning prize for agro-processing in the Chase Bank Enablis ILO Business Plan competition.

Eric Muthomi, founder of Stawi Foods and Fruits, totally redefined value addition. His company is making effort to reconnect society, and provide genuine benefit to surrounding communities. In providing a major buying culture change, he appears to have called time on the model where middlemen served their own interests.

To create sustainable growth, banana farmers in Meru, one of the largest banana producing regions in Kenya, needed buyers willing to purchase their produce at responsible prices. Eric says, ”It has been the same cycle over and over. Farmers would invest heavily in banana farming, only to end up disappointed by an oversupply in the market or poor pay by middlemen. I thought farmers deserved better.”

Middlemen were profiteering at the expense of the farmers because of the low market prices caused by an oversupply of bananas to the market during harvest time. Muthomi believed this situation required a shift.

Farmers reacted positively to this change, as they saw the replacement of opportunistic minded middlemen with a more modest entrepreneur at the top of what is becoming a major institution, Stawi Foods and Fruits.

Partly due to the shadow cast by bananas not being available all year, they usually become cheap during harvest time and expensive in the dry season. Furthermore, the volatility in price was dangerous for bananas, as it was a crop used to avoid famine and served as food buffer in times of scarcity between cereal harvests. Due to this, thousands of farmers remained poor as a result of waste and poor yields from their banana harvests. Lack of storage and processing facilities, bad roads and poor access to markets, also did not help matters.

“I was looking for ways of providing a market for small-scale farmers and increasing the shelf life of bananas, which would rot in farms, especially those belonging to farmers who could not reach the collection centres set up along the tarmac road on market days,” says the CEO of Stawi Foods and Fruits.

Eric Muthomi

The farmers held their breath for many years, as about half of the bananas harvested in Kenya either got rotten, wasted or never got sold. Several farmers were left teetering on the brink of poverty, as they suffered serious losses as their produce go to waste or was sold at throw-away price. Muthoni’s Stawi Foods and Fruits changed that cycle. His company improved farmers lives by gauranteeing an income for them.

Muthoni’s banana flour is big business. On how he came up with his innovative idea, he says, ”My business idea was simple to come up with because in my home community back in Meru bananas were grown in plenty, and also it is not like banana flour is something common in the country. It is a unique product for the market.”

Awards and Recognitions

Eric has received four awards for his outstanding work including an international award by Forbes Africa for Top 30 under 30 best young entrepreneurs in Africa.

• Stawi was featured on CNN in January 2014 as a promising company that is impacting smallholder farmers in Kenya and creating jobs for youth.
• Top 30 under 30: Africa’s best young entrepreneurs, Forbes Africa, February 2013.
• Stawi founder and CEO, Eric Muthomi was honoured in February 2014 by Forbes Africa Magazine as a Top 30 under 30 entrepreneur who is making a great impact across Africa.
• National winner in Nature Challenge Africa, World Wide Fund for Nature, wi.December 2011, Nairobi, Kenya
  Recognition was received for positive environmental impact of Stawi Foods and its potential to create employment opportunities for Kenyans while reducing post-harvest losses.
• Stawi Foods won this award because it had enriched several banana farmers in rural Kenya whose abundant produce would otherwise have gone to waste or sold at a throw-away price to brokers. The business idea of turning bananas into flour was unique as it incorporates value addition, commercial viability because of its scalability, food security promotion, employment provision to Kenyans and markets for surplus agricultural produce.
• Eric was the top winner in the agro-processing category in this competition because his business idea for turning bananas into flour would improve food security, reduce post-harvest losses, create incomes for farmers, create jobs, and support Kenya in achieving Vision 2030

Twitter

https://twitter.com/muthomistawi

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Jennifer Barassa, 63, is an accomplished Kenyan entrepreneur, Founder, Owner and CEO Top Image Africa Ltd. She runs Top Image Africa, a below-the-line advertising agency with operations in Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Zambia, Congo Brazzaville, Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, Mali, Senegal, Nigeria and Niger.

Jennifer Barassa Career

Jennifer Barassa is a self made entrepreneur whose advertising agency was in 2008 ranked the leading midsized SME Company ran by a woman. Ms Barassa sits on the boards of several financial development trusts.

It all started in the mid-1990s. At the time Barassa was group account director at an advertising agency. One of her clients was a major East African brewery company. The brewer was worried about the entry of canned beer into the market, a type of packaging their company was yet to introduce.

Barassa told How we made it in Africa that for Kenyans, who were used to bottled beer at the time, cans seemed classy and was a novelty. Her client was concerned they would lose ground in supermarkets to their competitors who were selling beer in cans.

Barassa advised her client to have merchandisers at outlets to protect its shelf space and to fight off competition. The beer manufacturer needed someone with the skills and expertise to execute this proposal.

Barassa decided to quit her job.

Jennifer is a vivacious Marketer, extraordinaire and a graduate of University of Nairobi. Her career has

Jennifer Barassa

spanned from being a Sales Representative, Marketing Education Coordinator, Brand Manager, Business Development Manager, Country Manager to a Group Account Director. In 1995, Jennifer left McCann Erickson to start Top Image Africa.

Top Image Africa Ltd is a Below the Line Agency with its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. The company has been in operation for the last 20 years offering quality and extensive Below the Line activities and Marketing Consultancy, and as its tag line suggests, injecting life into brands both locally and across Africa.

Jennifer Barassa Family, Husband and Children

Jennifer Barassa is a mother of one and her only child, Bidanya, is now managing director, and being groomed to take the business through the next chapters.

Jennifer Barassa Awards and Recognitions

Some of the awards and recognitions she has received include:
• 2006, Innovation award in the 2nd National Women in Business Excellence by Purple Images & Chandaria Foundation.
• In the 1st Kenya Top 100 medium size companies Top Image was ranked position 10, service category champion and Ms. Barassa was recognized as the Leading lady entrepreneur of 2008/09.
• In the 2nd Kenya Top 100 Top Image Africa was awarded 1st runner up and Category Champion in Kenya Top 100 Small medium enterprises 2009/10, Jennifer Barassa named the leading lady entrepreneur again for the second time.
• 2012, Africa Businesswoman of the Year award by All Africa Business Leader Awards (AABLA).

Other Positions

• Immediate former Chairperson Constituencies Development Fund Board (CDF),
• Board member of Business Advisory Board – United States International University (USIU).
• Former board member National Council Women of Kenya (NCWK).
• Former Chairperson Women in Business Kenya National Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
• Trustee, Kenya National Chambers of Commerce & Industry (KNCC&I).
• Trustee College of Insurance
• Board Member Business Advocacy Fund for the Danish Embassy.

Video

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Alison Ngibuini is an award winning film/television entrepreneur with over ten years experience. As CEO of Al Is On Production Ltd, Alison has been involved public education, sensitisation and awareness rising campaigns such as Siri and Shuga. As well well pioneering shows such as Zain Africa Challenge and Mali the First East African Daily Soap Opera.

Education

Alison Ngibuini holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from University of Liverpool.

Career

Alison Ngibuini gave up her job with an advertising agency to pursue a passion in producing Kenyan-made soap operas. She was getting increasingly disturbed by the huge number of Nigerian, Mexican and other foreign dramas dominating the Kenyan scene and decided to pursue an opportunity in producing Kenyan programmes for the local audience.

Using money she had saved up during her employment with the ad agency, Alison set up Al Is On Productions sometime in 2003 with the weight of her advertising experience and marketing background firmly behind her.

The great thing she loves about her business is that it’s very flexible and she only needs a telephone and computer to operate. As a Smallstarter, she worked out of her house in the early days of the business which has now grown into a complete studio with its own staff and a large number of affiliated freelancers.

Alison Ngibuini

Alison also does a lot of TV Commercial advertising jobs for clients. She is credited with a number of successful productions including the Zain Africa Challenge, Mali (a Kenyan drama series) and Siri (an education-entertainment series that focuses on HIV related issues and the position of women in Kenyan society).

Alison’s believes her determination not to return to paid employment kept her focused on achieving success in her new business.

Alison is also involved in policy matters pertaining to the creative industry. Recognised by the Business Daily’s Top 40 under 40 women, Alison is as an Entrepreneur to watch in Africa

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Vava Angwenyi is the Founder & Chief Coffaholic – Vava Coffee, IVLP Alumni. Angwenyi has dedicated her time and energy to building her own coffee company, Vava Coffee. For a long time colleagues in the industry did not take her seriously and assumed she would give up the ‘hobby’ after a few months and get a ‘proper job’.

 Education

Vava holds a Master’s degree-MSc in International Finance and Management from University of Groningen as well as Certificate in Global Asset Management from Warrington College of Business, University of Florida and a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics & Actuarial Science from University of Western Ontario- Canada.

Vava Angwenyi Career

Vava Angwenyi started VAVA COFFEE in 2009 .Ms. Vava Angwenyi has created a sustainable and ethical coffee brand that sources coffee from farmers in Kenya and around the region .Most recently she has gained recognition from the U.S. Small Business Administration, Young Innovators in Agribusiness, and the UNDP’s Business Call to Action.

Vava is a CQI trained and qualified Q grader – course and exam taken October 2016 at Atlas Coffee Seattle. Ms. Vava Angwenyi was part of the 2015 African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program, a prestigious Department of State-sponsored program coordinated in conjunction with African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA) and International Visitors Leadership Program.

Vava Coffee Limited

Vava Coffee is a Kenyan social enterprise started by Vava J, a Kenyan woman passionate about all things coffee. At Vava Coffee, we produce, package and sell high quality Kenyan coffees in Kenya and around the world. As a boutique Kenyan coffee company, we work directly with small holder coffee farmers, women and youth from informal settlements in Nairobi, creating high quality products ranging from our coffees, tote bags and other related coffee accessories.

Vava Angwenyi

Through engaging and training marginalized community members to become suppliers within our supply chain, we are providing them an opportunity to move out of poverty and take a step, maybe a first step, on their path towards self-sufficiency.

Vava Coffee identified a problem in the Kenyan coffee industry where Kenya’s small holder coffee farmers produce generally great beans, but amongst every great harvest there lies truly exceptional beans; some of the best in the world. Rather than letting these exceptional beans get lost amongst the average beans Vava Coffee extracts these directly from the farmer and gives the farmer an above market price for them. We get superior coffee, the farmer gets a higher price where deserved.

Vava Angwenyi Awards

In February 2014, Vava Coffee won a marketing challenge organized by the Fair Trade Organization in conjunction with Progresso International for having come up with the best idea of how a business can set up a value chain that benefits the small holder farmer.
In December 2013, Angwenyi was named one of Kenya’s 50 most successful and influential business people by the Msafiri magazine. Also in December 2013, she received the Pillar Awards Africa – entrepreneur category.
In 2011, Vava Coffee was nominated as one of the top 12 social enterprises worldwide by the BBC program World Challenge.
In 2009, Angwenyi herself was named to Business Daily Africa’s top 40 under 40 women in 2009.
Angwenyi was awarded the Young Alumni Award in the 2014 Western Alumni Awards of Merit.

Vava Angwenyi Family, Husband and Children

Vava Angwenyi is not married but she is a mother of one.

Video

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Mary Okelo is the Founder, Kenya Women Finance Trust and Makini Schools (Financial services; Education) and is the first woman in East Africa to head a Barclays Bank branch. She is one of Kenya’s foremost entrepreneurs

Education

Mary Okelo graduated with an Honours degree in History from Makerere University in Uganda.She also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education from Froebel College in Dublin,as well as a Diploma from the Institute of Bankers,in London.She is a fellow of the Kenya Institute of Bankers.She is a Holder of 2 honorary Doctrates one from United Graduate College and Seminary in U.S.A for her contribution to humanity,and the other from Africa Nazarene University Nairobi for distinguished service to the community.

Mary Okelo Career

Dr. Elizabeth Mary Okelo was the Founder and first Chairman of Kenya Women Finance Trust. She serves as the Executive Director of Makini Group of Schools. Prior to that she had a long career in banking serving as the first Bank Manager of Barclays Bank Kenya Ltd in East Africa.

Mary Okelo

With a background in banking, she would have been most suited for a career in the financial world but opted, in 1978, to set up her first kindergarten. Since that beginning, Makini has grown into one of East Africa’s most eminent educational institutions. Okello is however still involved in micro-financing, where she chairs the board of the Kenya Women Finance Trust.

Dr Okelo has also had numerous other positions like Senior Advisor to the President of the African Development Bank,founder of Makini Group of Schools,and first regional representative of Women’s World Banking.

She is a Lay Canon of the Anglican Church of Kenya,and is working on building Kibos Community Church with Friends.

Mary Okelo Awards

She has been celebrated for her life-long work by being recipient of Golden Jubilee Award presented by H.E President Uhuru Kenyatta to mark Kenya @50 to 50 distinguished Kenyans,and the following year she was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2014 Africa Bankers Awards in Kigali.

Mary Okelo Family, Husband and Children

Mary Okelo was was married to the late Dr Pius Okelo and together they had two children.

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Jane Macharia is the Managing Director, Shian Tours & Travel Ltd. Shian Tours and Travel Limited strive to provide you with superior service which makes for a truly memorable trip

Jane Macharia Career

Jane Macharia set up a tours and travel agency in October 2003 with a starting capital of Sh300,000 and one employee. With her wealth of experience in the airline industry where she rose through the ranks to serve as sales manager at Air France, she was determined to be her own boss.

This is how Shian Travel was born, a firm that offers ticketing, tour packages and travel solutions. The business now grosses more than Sh500 million in revenues, has employed 18 people and has two offices in Nairobi and another in Thika.

She says it was not easy getting into business as she had a mortgage, a three-year old baby and no steady source of income.

However, due to challenges in the industry such as travel advisories by Western

Jane Macharia

countries and the volatile nature of the Kenya shilling, the entrepreneur is looking to diversify her income sources.

To cut reliance on service fees charged on clients making airline bookings, Ms Macharia-Gituto wants to develop more tour packages which offer higher returns.

Already, airlines have withdrawn paying commissions to travel agencies hence the businesswoman has to devise innovative streams of income.

Jane Macharia Awards

Last year, Shian Travel was ranked fourth in the annual Top 100 Mid-sized survey which ranks the fastest-growing SMEs in Kenya. The firm also bagged the overall award in the tours and travel category.

Ms Macharia-Gituto’s firm has also been recognised by several airlines for posting high ticket sales.

Video

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Shivani Radia is the Managing Director at Zen Garden, Restauranteur and Entrepreneur. Zen Garden is the ultimate venue, captured in the scenic surroundings of Nairobi’s Spring Valley.

Shivani Radia Career

Shivani Radia Patel (27) quit her high-flying job at a UK law firm to heed her parents’ advice of settling back in Kenya and doing something of her own. Today she is one of the founders and managing directors of Zen Gardens, a leading restaurant in Nairobi, Kenya.

Shivani Radia is a young entrepreneur, who owns and runs a restaurant establishment in Nairobi called Zen Garden. The 31 year old has a background in Business Management, Marketing & PR and has been instrumental in building the Zen Garden brand. Zen Garden is made up of 3 business units; Bamboo Oriental – A Pan-Asian Inspired Restaurant that seats up to 200 people daily, as well as an all day Tea & Coffee House, with large conference facilities that cater to the growing corporate clientele in Kenya.

Shivani Radia

Shivani’s passion for food encouraged her to start the business at the age of 25. Zen Garden has since become one of the most popular eateries in Nairobi. Bamboo Oriental Restaurant received a Taste Award for ‘Best Pan-Asian Restaurant’ in Kenya and was also nominated as one of the ‘Top 10 Restaurants’ in Kenya. Shivani has also been instrumental in launching the first ever restaurant cookbook in Kenya; ‘The Zen Garden Cookbook – Bamboo Edition’.

Shivani Radia Awards and Recognitions

Zen Garden was nominated for 2 peoples choice awards – ‘Most Popular Pan Asian & Most Popular Coffee House in 2015.

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Hamed Ehsani Iran-born entrepreneur is the Managing Director at Greenhills Investments Ltd Village Market(Kenya). Hamed Ehsani arrived in Kenya shortly after the 1979 Iranian Revolution, business was the last thing on his mind. Ehsani and his family were visiting his brother, a lecturer at the University of Nairobi, after which they planned to travel to Australia. Their Australian visas delayed, they fell in love with Kenya and decided to stay.

Education

Hamed Ehsani earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA), Marketing from the Iran Centre for Management Studies and a Bsc (international business) from the University of San Francisco.

Hamed Ehsani Career

Ehsani is managing director of The Village Market, a large shopping centre located in Gigiri, one of Nairobi’s top neighbourhoods. The shopping centre neighbours the UN headquarters in Africa, the US embassy and a host of other diplomatic missions.

In 1992, as Ehsani and his brother Mehraz drove to a golf course through Gigiri, which he tells me was then under a coffee plantation, the idea of constructing a shopping and recreation facility in the area hit them.

Having grown up in the Middle East and studied in the US, Ehsani had been exposed to large shopping centres and malls, a concept that was fairly new in Kenya at the time.

Hamed Ehsani

“One of the arts of entrepreneurship is to see an idea and try and adapt it for a different environment,” said Ehsani.

The Ehsani brothers instructed architects to come up with 30 shops and a small supermarket.

The Village Market has since expanded and now has 150 shops, and the 137-room luxury Tribe Hotel. The Village Market is currently under expansion that will see an additional 70 shops constructed. A $1.5 million budget hotel will also be established to capture increasing demand. According to Ehsani, this is the fifth expansion since the establishment of the shopping centre.

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Stephen Chorio is the Managing Director Lace Group, which has interest in luxury beauty products, chain of salons, Real estate, supply of electricity poles in Uganda and South Sudan and Car hire.

Education

Stephen holds a Marketing degree form Methodist University.

Career

Chorio first Worked at Barclays for five years before venturing into business. His first business venture was a Hair salon along Ngong Road before starting Lace Group.

Family, Wife and Children

He is Married with one daughter.

Photo

Stephen Chorio

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Faraz Ramji is the Managing Director at Norda Industries Ltd, Marafiki Africa Foundation and Les Enfants De Dieu.Faraz grew up in London (UK) He studied Development Studies and Politics at SOAS (2005) before moving to Rwanda to run a rehabilitation project for former street children (Les Enfants de Dieu).

Career

Faraz Ramji isn’t like your typical manufacturing executive. Young, articulate and charming, the 31-year-old managing director of Norda Industries has an easygoing, guy-next-door manner about him, and his personality is evident in his company’s leading brand, Urban Bites Potato Crisps.

The crisps have been marketed as a cool, funky snack for teenagers and young adults to become one of Nairobi’s most popular snack brands, in a market where munching on snacks is seen as something only for younger children.

Ramji’s family is from Rwanda, where his grandfather, Tajdin Hussain Jaffer, founded Sulfo Industries, which began in 1962 as a small soap-making cottage industry to become one of Rwanda’s leading manufacturers of soap, detergents and cosmetics.

In the UK, where Ramji grew up, like much of the West, snacking is seen as something for everybody, both young and old, with overall consumption of crisps, crackers and confectionery going up.

In fact, recent studies have shown that the older demographic in the West is currently consuming more sweet and salty snacks than they used to when they were in their 20s, as eating regular meals has become a thing of the past for many middle-aged people.

Snacking is now mainstream, and industry executives have worked hard to make sure that potato crisps, for example, have become part of the regular restaurant menu—crisps with sandwiches, crisps with soup, crisps as a topping for salad, and so on.

In 2008, when he founded Norda Industries with capital from his grandfather, Ramji was just 26, and he immediately thought of making crisps appealing to not just children, but older teenagers and young adults.

But the first thing he had to get right was the flavour—and trial, error and lots of research would quickly teach him that what appeals to Kenyan taste buds is a very culture-specific thing.

Getting the mild flavour just right needed a series of rigorous trials with flavour

Faraz Ramji

manufacturers, who are based in South Africa, as flavour manufacturing is not done in Kenya.

“We realised that Kenya is more of a market for sweet snacks and not savoury flavours—biscuits and sweets outsell salty snacks in every kiosk. So we thought of incorporating a sweet taste in our crisps, and that’s how the Fruit Chutney flavour was created.”

It worked, and Fruit Chutney is one of Urban Bites’ best selling brands. The other thing that the brand had to get right to distinguish itself was the packaging, adopting a matte packaging with a striking Nairobi skyline design in the background—a move that has proved to be very popular with consumers.

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Kevin Muringa is Group Chief Executive Officer of several companies with interests in construction, transport, real estate, import and export of cereals, large scale farming in Sudan and Angola. Dealing with Petroleum Products.

Background

As a high school pupil he started buying cows and selling them to Kenya Meat Commission. He made his first million at 20 years. He bought his first car at 21 and it was a Mercedes S Class. At 23 years he bought his first house in South B.

Advice to youth

Nothing comes easy. Dreams can only be true if you wake up and work on them. I am a staunch Catholic and prayers work miracles. I thank God for all I have. And as Steve Jobs said, why should I be the richest man in the cemetery? I give back to the society as well.

Residences

Several homes in Kenya but currently moving to a Sh270 million house with expansive gardens in Westlands area.

Ride

Owns a cargo Boeing 767 and a 10,000 tonnes ocean liner. His collection of cars includes BMW 3 Series, BMW X5, Range Rover Sports, two Ford Off Road, a H2 Hummer and convertible Mustang.

Family and wife

Married.

Net worth

His war chest to campaign for Nairobi Governor is Sh2 billion, so you can guess my net worth.

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Brian Gacara is the Managing Partner at Property Reality and Cape Gardens, a real estate firm. He is also involved in commodity importation. His other businesses include packaging and selling locally produced rice as well as large-scale farming.

Background

At 23 years, was the regional director for Tetra Pak, West Africa. Ventured in timber business, before eventually branching into real estate. Currently building a 120 units estate along Mombasa Road valued at Sh800 million. Also building luxury apartments in Kiambu and Nakuru. Gacara has also spread his wings to Rwanda where he is building a hotel.

Advice to the youth

As a young person you bubble with energy and ideas and it is the best time to get into business.

Family and Wife

Brian Gacara is not yet married. He says that he is too busy and it will be unfair to have a girlfriend whom he never get time to spend with. But definitely, he plan to get married and raise a family. However, he must be able to provide for them.

Wealth

Below Sh600 million.

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26-year-old Mike Muthiga (Michael Muthiga) is CEO of Fatboy Animations and the man behind Faiba fame. Mike is one of the most sought after men in animations.

Education

He has always had the passion for animation but society pressure led him to pursue engineering. Initially, Mike followed the traditional career path after leaving High School, and completed an engineering degree although he explains that the well kindled animation passion was cemented at Alliance when he took the Art and Design option.

Mike Muthiga Career

After working with the BBC & Disney channels in the popular TingaTinga Tales animation production (Citizen TV), Mike, together with his friend Sen Kanyare, set up Fat Boy Animations. an animation company with an aim to provide content for the advertising and entertainment industry.

He was stunned by the reception. The extremely popular advert featuring the skinny character clad in leopard skin dancing saying, “Eish. Mboss. Is that your wife calling?” gave way to Mbugua, the businessman who is a miser; Jalis, the Olympics champion who describes himself as a racist (he means runner) and other animated characters such as Mazgwembe and Wafula.

Muthiga’s illustrious career in animation and advertisement had been cemented. Forbes magazine recognised him as one of 30 Most Promising Young Entrepreneurs In Africa 2014. He was 27 at the time and his company, Fatboy Animations had only existed for three years.

Now at 29, Forbes magazine has listed him again as one of Africa’s Top 30 under 30 Entrepreneurs for 2016. To be nominated under this category this year, the person had to have been an entrepreneur under the age of 30, have a legitimate registered

Mike Muthiga

business in the continent that is two years or older, must have risked his or her own money and have made a social impact.

Inherited businesses did not count. Being listed twice in Forbes magazine is a worthy accomplishment but is by no means an accident. With his staff of nine, he works on an average seven projects per month and charges between Sh1 million and Sh 1.4 million for a 60-second advert. Muthiga still does a lot of the work himself and is more creative at night. “I wake up at 8 or 9am, animate, animate, animate until 2 or 3 in the morning and then I go to sleep. Every single day,” he says.

Mike Muthiga Facebook and Twitter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mmuthiga
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikemuthiga

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Pius Ngugi, is a Kenyan Entrepreneur who makes millions from exporting nuts. He is one of the biggest producers of processed macadamia nuts that are exported to foreign markets, especially Europe and North America.

Career

Macadamia nuts are the most expensive nuts in the world, fetching very high prices on the international market.

Over the years, Pius has grown his nut processing business into one of the biggest on the African continent. On the export market, his macademia nuts are traded and sold under the brand name: ‘Out of Africa’.

In this short video, you’ll hear Pius tell the story of his interesting journey from macadamia farming into major processing operations.

Pius Ngugi, the businessman who owns Kenya Nut as well as Thika Coffee Mills, had tried making wine from vines at his farm north of Lake Naivasha in the Rift Valley in the 1990s.

After deciding he was never going to achieve a wine of constant quality, he put the project on the backburner. His son Mbugua Ngugi, knowing how close the project had been to his father’s heart, revived it – but this time seeking out a professional viticulturist and winemaker who knew Africa.

The vineyard’s geographical situation – at 2,000 metres (6,500 feet) right near the Equator, 90 kilometres (55 miles) northwest of Nairobi – as well as Kenya’s climate provide Farquharson with several challenges.

But he knew extreme winemaking was working elsewhere, including in Argentina which has some of the world’s highest vineyards at more than 3,000 metres along the Andean mountain range.

“We’ll never produce the sort of ‘great wines’ that the French do,” said Farquharson, but “we try to keep it simple and respect the fundamental principles of wine production.”

Woman sues billionaire Ngugi for Sh9 million upkeep

28th July 2014

A woman has sued tycoon Pius Ngugi for Sh9.6 million annual maintenance. Lynette Buddery says she gave birth to Ngugi’s daughter in 2001, but he has abandoned her.

“Ngugi is one of the wealthiest men in the country, owning various business enterprises and properties in and around the city. He is capable of catering for the needs of our daughter but he has refused,” says Buddery in a sworn affidavit filed in court.

“He has intentionally and willfully neglected and, or, refused to provide for his biological child, putting her life at risk as she is not able to go to a good school, have enough food and seek medical treatment.”

The case came up for hearing last Thursday but was postponed to September 4.

Pius Ngugi

However, Ngugi has rejected the demands accusing the woman of using the child to extort from him.

“I do not have any income or resources that would enable me to pay the grossly exaggerated annual sum of Sh9.6 million for the maintenance of the child,” Ngugi says in his affidavit filed in court.

“At any chance the mother is not entitled to demand an affluent standard of living for the child, who is like any other. “The wealth of the a parent is not a justifiable issue in a suit for the maintenance of a child, rather the best interest and justifiable needs of a minor are the test to be applied.

“The use of the child in pursuit of financial and or material gain is an improper motive and purpose that is not sanctioned by law. It is a violation of the minor’s right rights under Article 53 of the constitution and the provisions of the Children’s Act.”

This is not the first time a woman has sued Ngugi. Ngugi, the wealthy owner of Thika Coffee Mills and Kenya Nut Company (which controls 10 per cent of the world nut market) was sued by politician and businesswoman Esther Passaris in 2003.

Passaris demanded Sh200,000 and a good car to ferry their children to and from school. The two had lived together in Springs Valley in the 1990s. Buddery says Ngugi married her in 1990 under customary law and she gave birth to the baby girl in 2001.

“Every child has a constitutional right to access basic needs. The duty of parents to provide for a child exists, whether the parents are married, living together, divorced or separated,” she says.

“Ngugi is a serial womaniser and he sired many children from other women. It is therefore in the best interest of the child that a Trust Fund be put in place to cater for the future interests of the child.” But Ngugi has denied all the charges levelled against him and demanded that the suit be dismissed.

“The prayer for the monthly remittance of Sh805,000 to the mother has no relation to the needs of the minor but is an attempt by the plaintiff to obtain unjust enrichment and amounts to an unlawful attempt to abuse a minor for the plaintiff’s unjustified material and financial gain. Ngugi says he is not responsible for Buddery’s daily upkeep.

Family, Wife and Children

Ngugi is the father to Ms Passaris daughter.

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Ben Kiruthi is Kenya’s Best Photographer who is charming many with his alluring ‘light and play’ via the camera. He’s quietly cutting out a niche for himself in this growing industry. Through his work, he takes ordinary settings and scenery transforming them into extraordinary images.

Education

HE started his earliest education in Thika Road Christian School. From baby class all the way to upper pre-unit (smiling) he then changed schools to hospital hill from standard 1 to 4, and was later transferred to a boarding school for a year or so this was Musa Gitau primary school in Kikuyu, He went back to Hospital hill where he completed his primary school. In high school he went to Moi Forces Academy (MFA) and thereafter he was called to Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology where he did a thoroughly long six year degree in Electronics and Computer Engineering. He worked a bit in a smart card company then signed up for an MBA in Entrepreneurship which he cleared in 2010.

Career

Ben Kiruthi well known in wedding photography industry. According to his biography, is is a Christian photographer who uses his God given talents to make a difference in this world. His desire is to come up with custom made professional photos to suite the different tastes and preferences of their clients.

Ben Kiruthi

Ben Kiruthi is rated as one of the best wedding photographers in Kenya now. The couple prides itself as the best international and destination wedding photographers in Kenya. The couple who tied the knot in 2014 are quoted saying, that their photography is a journey to joining the league of World’s most sought after wedding photographers. If you have a wedding coming up soon definitely these are the guys to check out.

Family and Wife

Ben is 31 years old and is married to his beautiful wife Gathoni Mwathi who also doubles as his business partner and second shooter. Together they have been able to shoot over 100 weddings around the country & have a passion to share their knowledge, skill & experiences with the world.
They have been conducting photography workshops all over the country and are currently doing them all over EA. Gathoni Mwathi is currently a Horticulture & Landscaping technology graduate while Ben is a graduate Computer Engineer from JKUAT and also holds a Masters in Entrepreneurship.

Awards

Ben won Best Photography Blog 2014, BAKE Awards.

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Gina Din Kariuki born 23 October 1961 is the founder and chairwoman of Gina Din Corporate Communications (GDCC), a professional communications consulting firm.

Career

With over 29 years of service and experience providing state of the art media and communication strategy to corporates, governments and NGOs both in Africa and abroad, Gina has built a reputation as a leading PR authority. She is an advisor to many blue chip organisations and politicians in Africa, and is credited with playing a leading role in the development of the Kenyan mobile industry in her capacity as the strategic advisor to Safaricom, a brand she managed for 12 years.

As founder of the Gina Din Group (GDG), formerly Gina Din Corporate Communications, Gina has overseen the firm’s growth and development under the tagline “Shaping African Conversations”. GDG is the most awarded PR agency in the region with over 130 local and international awards. It has achieved this feat by filling a market niche with comprehensive crisis management, corporate communications strategy and major events planning for blue chip and international companies.

As a philanthropist, Gina serves as a Goodwill Ambassador for the Kenya Red Cross and runs her foundation, the Gina Din Foundation. The Foundation empowers youth and women with high potential by connecting them to global resources, media platforms, and mentors in order to help them reach their goals. Through leadership training, entrepreneur workshops, job opportunities and if they wish, support to launch their own businesses, youth and women are given the opportunity to excel and fulfil their potential.

Gina has a real passion for Africa and considers herself a “Made in Africa” brand. She has contributed to many entrepreneurs in Africa with the aim of ensuring the “Made in Africa” brand is internationally competitive in terms of quality and price. She is also

Gina Din Kariuki

a board member of the Africa Yoga Project and the James Jordan Foundation, and Brand Africa- an NGO aimed at driving Africa’s growth, reputation and competitiveness from Africa for Africa.

Insightful and unflinching in her vision for a peaceful Africa, Gina worked closely with the Kofi Annan Foundation during the 2007/2008 post election crisis in Kenya. In 2013 under the banner of the Kenya Red Cross, a peace campaign entitled “Chagua Amani” was launched and all presidential candidates pledged to ensure there would be no violence during the 2013 general election.

Gina is dedicated to playing a pivotal role in the growing energy sector in East Africa and serves as a director of Erin energy in Kenya. Erin energy is listed on the NYSE and has energy intents in Nigeria, Ghana, Gambia and Kenya.

An avid traveller, a well-known speaker and a serial entrepreneur, Gina is also what she terms “a philanthropreneur”. She asks the question “what if one was to bring entrepreneurial hustle to philanthropy, would Africa be a different place?”

Gina Din Kariuki Awards and Recognitions

Her efforts to realise a better Africa have not gone unnoticed. In 2015, Gina was named East Africa’s most outstanding business woman of the year by CNBC. She was also named one of 2015’s most influential Africans by New African Magazine.

Gina Din Kariuki Family and Husband

Gina Din is married to Christopher Kariuki.

Video

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