Kenyan social entrepreneur Wawira Njiru has won the 2026 German Africa Prize for demonstrating how school feeding programmes can improve education outcomes while creating jobs and supporting local economies.
Njiru, 35, received the award on November 4, 2026, at a ceremony held at the Allianz Forum in Berlin, Germany. The award was presented by Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Reem Alabali Radovan.
Through her organisation, Food4Education, Njiru provides approximately 730,000 children in Kenya with affordable and nutritious meals every school day, helping address barriers to education while creating economic opportunities for local communities.
The initiative's impact extends beyond nutrition, with participating schools recording increases in attendance of up to 10 per cent, enrolment of 27 per cent and national examination performance of 20 per cent.
The model also connects school feeding programmes with local agricultural supply chains, creating a market for farmers and other food suppliers.
According to the German Africa Foundation, approximately 80 per cent of the food used by Food4Education is sourced from producers and suppliers in Kenya and the surrounding region.
The organisation has created more than 6,000 jobs and facilitated the flow of more than $200 million into the Kenyan economy. It expects to generate an estimated $150 million in income for local farmers by 2030.
The figures highlight the potential of school feeding programmes to serve as instruments of economic development, particularly when public service delivery is linked to local production and employment.
Presenting the award, jury president Claus Stäcker said Njiru's approach stood out because it treated school feeding as part of a wider development system rather than an isolated intervention.
He said the model benefited children and their families while generating economic opportunities for businesses involved in the food supply chain.
German Africa Foundation president Uschi Eid said the initiative demonstrated how economic development could reach communities through cooperation between local businesses, civil society and public authorities.
In her remarks, Ms Alabali Radovan said school meals represented more than a plate of food, describing them as an investment in the future of entire societies.
She commended Njiru for developing sustainable structures that could expand according to demand, including beyond Kenya.
Njiru said African-developed solutions had the potential to address challenges both on the continent and globally.
“African solutions can serve as a blueprint not only for Africa, but for the entire world,” she said.
She stressed the importance of investing in young people and strengthening their participation in economic activities, arguing that Africa's growing population presented significant opportunities that required targeted investment and partnerships based on local expertise.
The German Africa Prize has been awarded by the German Africa Foundation since 1993. It recognises individuals from African countries who have made outstanding contributions to democracy, peace, sustainable development, environmental protection, research and innovation, cultural exchange and human rights.
Recipients are selected by an independent 20-member jury. The award seeks to highlight African initiatives and individuals whose work offers lessons for addressing development challenges beyond their countries of origin.