Maggie Mwai

A Kenyan social innovator who empowered marginalized women through sustainable entrepreneurship programs.

Maggie Mwai is a Kenyan social entrepreneur whose work uplifted thousands of women through economic independence. Founding Mama's Groceries in 1999, she created a cooperative model where rural women could sell produce directly to urban markets. Her initiative increased household incomes by 300% for over 15,000 participants by 2005. Mwai pioneered microfinance programs tailored for illiterate women, using mobile money platforms before they became mainstream. Her 2002 book "Seeds of Change: Empowering Women in Agriculture" became a blueprint for gender-sensitive economic policies. In 2000, she established the first women-led agro-processing factory in Eastern Kenya, cutting food waste by 65%. Explore her work at Mama's Groceries or watch her interview on Al Jazeera's Africa Focus.