Beyond Two Decades: ANF’s 21 years of excellence

Models during beach cleaning activities in Busia

They say if you want to go fast, go alone and if you want to go far, go together.

Hon. Ababu Namwamba knew this too well when he first came up with the idea of the Ababu Namwamba Foundation (ANF) back in 2000.

More than two decades later, the foundation has steadfastly adhered to its guiding motto of 'opening doors of opportunities.' It has become a transformative force, unlocking doors of opportunities for hundreds of individuals.

The foundation takes pride in bringing positive change to communities, central to its mission of promoting education, economic empowerment, and talent growth.

Through strategic initiatives and collaborative efforts, it continually empowers individuals with the tools they need to thrive.

Brief history of the ANF

Following his top performance in KCPE, Hon. Ababu was awarded the Jomo Kenyatta Foundation (JKF) scholarship which supported his secondary school education at Kolanya Boys Secondary School.

As a young determined soul, the scholarship served as a turning point for his academics, and it was then that the ANF idea first crossed his mind. He was only 13 years old.

“The moment I clinched that scholarship, I was so grateful that I remember telling myself that if someone somewhere has the grace and generosity to impact my life without even knowing me, then what a beautiful thing it would be for me to do a similar thing if in a position,” Ababu Namwamba said.

The scholarship set the ball rolling for his academic life, where he proceeded to the University of Nairobi, Kenya School of Law, and eventually to the American University in Washington DC.

The vibrant Ababu then came back to Kenya to practice law, and it was his first awe-inspiring task that rekindled the ANF dream.

“I was in Kajiado as a young attorney holding briefs for a friend who could not appear in his case. I ran into this young woman, a mother of five children who was having serious family conflicts, and on the verge of losing her children.

I offered a bit of free legal services, and as we moved on and she got her children into her care, she ran into the challenge of educating the children, uniforms, and books, and that experience rekindled that dream of being there for someone. And so, the foundation kicked off,”

he averred.

ANF 12th anniversary

Beyond his law career, Ababu went on to serve in the Sports and Youths docket under the late President Mwai Kibaki who appointed him in 2012, before becoming the Member of Parliament for Budalangi and the Labour Party leader.

He has since risen through the ranks to be appointed the Cabinet Secretary in charge of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy, and Sports by President Ruto in September 2022.

Philanthropic by nature, Ababu has been committed to making a positive impact, which extends far beyond his official roles. He has demonstrated his dedication by continually channeling a significant portion of his earnings towards the foundation.

The donations have propelled the foundation to different charity events like the construction of classrooms at Kamasengre Secondary School, distribution of seeds to farmers in Busia, sponsoring drama festivals across the country, assisting the Budalangi flood victims, giving scholarships to students, and offering motivational talks among other activities.

Busia County Drama Festival

This year, the foundation turns 21. Our 21st birthday offers us a great opportunity to look back and celebrate all the work we have done with our partners to support young people to be the best they can be.

By evaluating our successes so far, we can learn from and build on our achievements to deliver even more positive social change over the next 21 years.

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