The Lamu Girl making moves as president of Kenya Youth Organisation

Who is Jennifer Waruingi ‘Waridi’?  

I am a philanthropist and the President of Kenya Youth Organisation. I also work for Huduma Xpress Company. I am a media personality, I've worked on TV for five years, then two as a radio host. I also had a two-year stint on a TV programme called Sanura.

I am the CEO of Kwetu Inn Africa, a tours and travel agency in Kenya specialising in African coastal safaris, holidays and flight bookings. 

Tell us about your journey in pageantry.

I represented Lamu County for the first time in 2016 at the Miss Tourism Kenya competition. It was a defining moment for me as I was hitting the runway for the first time at the national level.

It gave Lamu visibility nationally because since then, I have been a great ambassador of tourism for the county and Kenya in general with great interest in coastal counties.

You are passionate about menstrual health for girls, what efforts have you made towards this?

I am the founder of Waridi Foundation, where we advance sustainable development goals, which aim at empowering girls and women. We offer quality education by donating reusable sanitary towels to girls.

This is a sustainable solution because the cotton-made pads last for five years and are eco-friendly and durable enough hence ending period poverty, stigma and period shame.

At Waridi Foundation, we donate reusable sanitary towels; though they are expensive, we still donate because we believe in investing more in girls for a brighter future as the theme for this year goes.

What other activities does the Waridi Foundation take part in?

We have several projects ongoing; there is the Lamu 7s where we normally host a rugby tournament in the county to empower youths and help them to shun drug abuse. Our first edition was in 2017 when I was the reigning Miss Tourism Kenya Lamu County.

The second project we have is the Coast Green Football Women’s Tournament, where we play football as we provide the girls with eco-friendly reusable pads, and empower women as we advocate for climate change in coastal counties.

Our third project is called Kenya Go Green, where, in partnership with Kenya youth organisation, we envision planting one million trees in each county hence 47 million trees as we create awareness on adaptation and mitigation of climate action in general.

Tell us a little about Kenya Youth Organisation

Kenya Youth Organisation is a national NGO that champions the youth agenda in the country through advocacy for meaningful youth inclusion, governance and leadership. We are committed to serving over 11,680 youth leaders who were elected online for the first time.

We are an umbrella of county chapters hence we work countrywide, where we have ongoing projects in partnerships to champion for greener future as well as fight drug abuse and substance through sports.

You have interacted with government officers, how has it been?

I interacted with prominent personalities in the creative industry when I was active on TV, radio and film. Some are people I have interviewed and hosted in my shows and I am always glad when I knock on doors and they open them for me. Unfortunately, most turn a deaf ear when the issues of youths are presented to them.

This disappoints me because I am simply a representative voice. How I wish they could give more listening ears and actions to make sure youth inclusion is met and youths no longer beg for support and help from them. 

You were recently called the Gen Z president during the protests. What do you say about that?

The allegations of being the Gen Z leader are not true. It was all a misunderstanding when I did the media interview. I am only the president of the Kenya Youth Organisation.

You had your ‘Anguka Nayo’ moment when you were captured on camera with former CS Ababu Namwamba, how did that happen?

Oh! We did the Anguka Nayo challenge, which went viral with CS Ababu and some ministry officials when Dr Ofweneke called us on stage during the launch of Whoz Next. The project will be scouting for talents in all 47 counties and rewarding them, connecting them internationally and supporting upcoming talent.