The fourth annual Zuri awards were held on Friday at a glamorous gala dinner at the Kempinsky Hotel, Nairobi.
Since its inception in 2017, the awards seek to celebrate women and organizations who are bringing change through their work in their community.
Celebrated annually to coincide with the International Women’s Day, this year’s theme was “An Equal World Is an Enabled World.”
Speaking at the Zuri Awards Gala dinner on the 6th March 2020, Prof. Margaret Kobia, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Public Service and Gender said the Zuri Awards initiative is in line with Kenya’s National Gender Development Policy which expressly advocates for the “establishment of an awards and recognition system for individuals and institutions that have attained high gender equality standards and best practices.”
“In pursuance of this goal my ministry has committed to partner with Zuri Awards so that these rewards form part of the awards schemes that are mainstreamed into our annual calendar of activities,” Prof Kobia said in a speech read on her behalf by Rachel Shebesh, Chief Administrative Secretary in the Ministry of Public Service and Gender.
This year’s 15 Zuri Awards Fellows will bring the total number of those awarded to 30 since inception three years ago.
The winners in the 2020 cohort include:
STEM – Ruth Kaveke
Public Service – Jackline Odhiambo
Agriculture – Lilian Amina
Healthcare – Pasqueline Njau
Media – Lilian Kaivilu
Renewable Energy & Innovation – Jacklyne Namadi Obago
Education – Eunice Njoki
Young Achiever – Abby Chebet
Sports – Mary Mbaka
The honorees will take part in activities within their fields to raise more awareness about their causes, including offering mentor-ship to young and upcoming women in various fields.
The CS challenged those awarded to go out into the communities and share their expertise with other women. “Be a mentor to a sister and strive to inspire others to excel as much as you have.”
The awards are the brainchild of Go Gaga Experiential Ltd also running Digital Media Awards (DMA) and Social Media Week.
This article was written by Moses Muoki.
