This archive report was first published on 1 November 2019.
On a typical day, Wawira Njiru, the founder and Executive Director of Food 4 Education, is a picture of calm and determination. Her words, 'I may be young, but my mind is old,' echo through her mind as she works tirelessly to feed the school-going children who cannot afford a meal a day.
Founded in 2012, Food 4 Education has come a long way since its humble beginnings, feeding just 25 children. Today, the organization has grown to feed over 10,000 children, thanks to Wawira's unwavering dedication and passion.
Wawira's campaign to feed school-going children has been progressive, and last year, it received a significant boost when it received global recognition from Cisco and a cash prize of KSh. 25M. The prize, awarded for the first time in 2018, honours one young change-maker helping to create a better world for all, every year.
Food 4 Education's innovative approach to feeding children is through its digital mobile platform, Tap2Eat. Parents pay Ksh 15 for the subsidized lunches using mobile money, which is credited to a virtual wallet linked to an NFC smart wrist band that students use to tap and eat in under 5 seconds.
The meals are cheap because of international and domestic grants and donations. Food 4 Education has four head chefs and eight assistant chefs working around the clock to prepare enough food for thousands of children. The kitchen only hires locally and partners with local farmers who supply their crops, enabling community members to earn more income.
