Kenyan Wawira Njiru named in TIME100 Next list for 2026

Wawira Njiru founder and Chief Executive Officer of Food4Education. [Njiru, X]

Kenyan social entrepreneur Wawira Njiru, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Food4Education, has been named in the 2026 TIME100 Next list, which recognises emerging leaders shaping the future across various fields.

Njiru, a nutritionist and philanthropist, founded the non-profit organisation in 2012 to address hunger and poor nutrition among schoolchildren, which she identified as major barriers to learning.

While studying in Australia, she organised a Kenyan-themed fundraising dinner that raised about Sh126,000, which she used to establish a school feeding programme in Ruiru, Kiambu County.

The initiative started with 25 children receiving meals prepared in a makeshift kitchen but has since grown into one of Kenya's largest school feeding programmes, providing more than 600,000 meals daily to children in over 1,500 schools across 13 counties.

Food4Education has developed a model that combines technology, centralised kitchens, partnerships with farmers and efficient food distribution to provide affordable, nutritious meals while creating employment opportunities and supporting local economies.

The organisation coordinates thousands of employees, hundreds of kitchens, farmers and distribution networks to sustain its expanding operations.

Other Kenyans who have received international recognition for their work include Equity Group Chief Executive Officer James Mwangi, world 1,500-metre champion Faith Kipyegon, environmentalist Wanjira Mathai and historian Chao Maina.

President William Ruto was also named in TIME magazine's 2024 list of the world's 100 most influential people, recognising his place among global political and public figures.