Esther Ogrin

Kenyan tech entrepreneur who revolutionized girls' education through online platforms

Esther Ogrin (b. 1989) is a visionary Kenyan educator and founder of Edushare, a groundbreaking online learning platform that has empowered over 250,000 girls in rural Africa since 2015. Growing up in a remote village without electricity, Ogrin understood first-hand the barriers faced by girls seeking education. Her innovative use of solar-powered tablets and mobile networks created accessible learning opportunities in regions where only 1 in 5 girls complete secondary school.

Edushare's unique 'Digital Learning Kiosks' now operate in 14 African countries, providing STEM-focused curricula developed with MIT Media Lab collaboration. The platform's AI-driven adaptive learning system adjusts to individual student needs, a feature highlighted in TechCrunch's 2020 Global EdTech Report. Ogrin's work has been recognized with the 2021 Women in Tech Africa Award and inspired similar initiatives in South Asia.

Her 2018 TED Talk "How I Brought Internet to Rural Schools" has over 3.5 million views. Ogrin's philosophy emphasizes "education as a ladder, not a privilege" - a principle driving her current efforts to expand into AI-powered teacher training programs through her nonprofit Future Teachers Africa.