Schmidt Future, in partnership with the Rhodes Trust, announced the second cohort of 100 Rise Global Winners.
This year five winners are hailing from Kenya. Apart from Kenya, the winners belong to countries such as India, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Libya, Myanmar (Burma), Paraguay, Poland, Romania, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tunisia and Vietnam.
The five Kenya winners are:
- Edith Chemutai from Thika, Kenya: Edith started a movement on water conservation and created a water filtration system that reduced the dirty water swamp behind her school. She aims to curb water shortage in the world and develop better conservation and purification methods.
- James Nyaga Ngatia from Nairobi, Kenya: James is working to create an app called iGuide, which aims to eradicate pornography.
- Marietta Halima Kazungu from Kilifi, Kenya: Marietta developed the Rapidcovix Breathalyzer to help those in rural areas who cannot afford the expensive testing costs better detect infectious diseases.
- Natasha Njoki Ndai from Kahawa West, Kenya: Natasha created an environmentalist’s club that aims to show people that cleaning and taking care of the environment is not a punishment; instead, it can encourage teamwork and create awareness as well as be enjoyable.
- Wema Wambugo Marandu from Nairobi, Kenya: Wema’s Rise project aims to develop a reading culture by using storybooks and stocking up libraries in underprivileged communities in Kenya.
The winners were announced as part of the flagship programme of Schmidt Futures and the anchor of a broader $1 billion philanthropic commitment from Eric and Wendy Schmidt.
Candidates who apply to Rise join a global community and gain access to opportunities from partners in at least 40 countries worldwide.
The Rise Global Winners receive additional personalised support to empower them to achieve their goals as they work to serve others.
The programme aims to find brilliant people who need opportunity and supports them for life as they work to serve others.
It seeks to bet on exceptional people between the ages of 15-17.
This year applications were received from candidates from over 170 countries, with over 22 new countries participating.
“Our partnership with Rise supports our mission to nurture young Kenyan women into transformative African leaders,” said Diana Njuguna, Head of Programs for Akili Dada.
“We believe that the answers to the world’s toughest problems lie in the imagination of the world’s brightest minds,” said Eric Braverman, CEO of Schmidt Futures.
“Rise is integral to our mission to create the best, largest, and most enduring pipeline of exceptional talent globally and match it to opportunities to serve others for life.”
Applications for the next class will open in October 2022.
