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About Sage Africa
Sage Africa is a registered Non- Governmental, Non-Profit organization that is addressing the youth unemployment challenge in Kenya by tapping into the under-explored potential of youth apprenticeship.
In Kenya, youth account for over 50% of the working-age population. As of 2016, an estimated 67% of Kenya’s youth were unemployed or under-employed.
The focus of the Sage Africa is underserved out-of-school youth not in employment, education, or training. These youth are vulnerable to engagement in crime, recruitment into terrorism, drug and alcohol abuse, and mental health challenges.
Through our apprenticeships in technical and vocational skills and our training and mentoring in entrepreneurship and life skills, we are empowering, engaging and inspiring the youth to positively craft their lives and future.
OUR VISION
A world where youth are engaged, empowered, and inspired to craft their future with confidence and excellence.
OUR MISSION
To prepare youth for success in entrepreneurship and in life.
OUR VALUES
Our values are represented by the acronym “DESTINE” which stands for:
Diligence
we are deliberate and committed to our work of engaging, empowering, and inspiring youth.
Empowerment
we equip and support youth to take charge of their own destiny
Service
we exist to serve and support the youth with all they require for success
Transformation
our programs provide a platform for youth to shape and reshape their future while connecting with others for inspiration and support.
Integrity
our DNA is service with integrity. We strive to keep our promises and to ensure that all our operations are straightforward and above board.
Network
we work with like-minded organizations and individuals to pursue our vision and mission
Excellence
we aspire for high standards in all facets of our work.
Implementation Team
Dr. Juster K. Waweru
Founder & Executive Director
Juster is the founder and current Executive Director of Sage Africa. She is tasked with providing strategic direction while leading in all the aspects of the organization. Juster has over 20 years’ experience in social entrepreneurship and nonprofit work. She has an unquenchable passion for youth and women socio-economic empowerment that has led her to found and lead various social enterprises including Shoe Me Africa; a program for supplying shoes and other school essentials to children living in poverty, and Women Enterprise Solutions (WESO); a women microfinance institution whose work mainly involved supporting women at the bottom of the pyramid in starting and running MSMEs. WESO did this through provision of finances and business development services such as training. Juster holds a Doctorate degree in Biblical Studies and a Master of Science in Entrepreneurship. She also holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Project Planning and Management and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Micro, Small, & Medium Enterprise (MSME) Business Mentoring.
Ms. Nancy W. Kimani
Training & Development
Nancy is an experienced entrepreneur, having founded and worked with several business enterprises. She is currently the co–founder and co-director of Leofresh Beverages Ltd, a Water Packaging Company. Nancy is a highly energetic and articulate trainer and consultant with extensive experience in training people from diverse backgrounds. For over 10 years, Nancy has been involved variously in consultancy and training. Her experience includes training on core business skills for Lutheran world Relief, Carolina for Kibera and Astute Consulting. She has also worked as a trainer in business management and entrepreneurship for Kenya Rural Road Authority (KERRA), Light for Life (a project funded by OSRAM, European Union, Global Nature Fund and Siemens), and The Youth Banner. Her work also extends to working as a trainer with the Enablis ILO Safaricom Foundation Business Plan Completion of 2012 and for KYEP Entrepreneurship Training of youths under KEPSA, a World Bank Funded Project. Nancy holds a Master of Science degree in Entrepreneurship as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree (Economics & Sociology).
Mr. Benedict Muyale
Partnerships & Resource Mobilization
Benedict has over 10 years of experience in mobilization of resources, project management, green startups investment, energy, waste, and agribusiness. He works at National Environment Trust Fund (NETFUND) and is tasked with spearheading business development. He works closely with the green startups in energy, waste management, water, urban mobility, climate resilience and smart agriculture. Benedict combines experience gained in government, private sector, and non-profit organizations with the ability to identify and implement strategic innovative opportunities, to provide Sage Africa with strategic operational leadership in growing partnerships for business continuity, resource mobilization, community engagement and project management. Benedict holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Planning and Management. He is currently pursuing Master of Business Administration with a focus on Conservation Sustainable Leadership, at the African Leadership University, Kigali, Rwanda.
Our Founder’s Story in Her Own Words
I have a burning passion for empowering economically marginalized youth and women that stems from my childhood experiences. Born in a poverty-stricken family in rural Kenya, I experienced first-hand the desperation and hopelessness that comes with extreme poverty. Growing up, my parents struggled with the basics of life including the ability to put food on the table. My siblings and I were often out of school because of lack of school basics. While in Form Three, I dropped out of school for the entire year and only resumed to finish my Form Four and to sit for my final exams. By the hand of God, I managed a good grade that qualified me to join university. I currently hold several academic qualifications including a doctorate degree.
I use my experiences and qualifications to craft homegrown solutions to help others especially youth and women like my mother, who would not give up on her children’s education despite the dire circumstances. In 2019, I ran a program for homeless street youth in Pangani/Thika Road area of Nairobi. As I helped meet their basic needs such as a shower, change of clothes, and a meal, I often spent sleepless nights wondering what more I could do to help them re-craft and transform their lives. Many of them had a desire to move out of the streets but there was simply no way out.
In my search for answers, I saw the wisdom of leveraging my passion for helping youth and my previous training and experience in entrepreneurship, business mentoring, life skills and leadership development to start Sage Africa Foundation, an NGO that is committed to helping youth in Kenya transform their lives through entrepreneurship.