Missy (Millicent) Mwendwa
Chief Product Officer (CPO)
Missy Mwendwa is the Chief Product Officer at Educate! She leads the organization's Product Operation function and Out-of-School Youth (OoSY) solution strategy across East Africa. Missy spearheaded the development of Educate!'s first OoSY product, NawiriPro, an African-led online skills learning, financing, and business advisory platform.
Missy is passionate about scaling African technology worldwide and developing African economies through mobile technology. She has built numerous businesses and products in countries including Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, and Somalia. Missy has partnered with regional and local telecoms such as Safaricom, Orange, MTN, Tigo, and Airtel to scale Eneza Education products to over 4 million African youth in four years. Her work in the product and geographical expansion of Shupavu 291 led Eneza Education to win the Best Mobile Innovation for Education category at the GSMA's Global Mobile (GLOMO) Awards in February 2018. She is also the Co-Founder of the Nairobi EdTech community.
In September 2020, Missy, in collaboration with Educate!, launched a new social enterprise unit called "NawiriPro" based in Kenya. NawiriPro currently serves the transport (boda boda) industry and has validated a 131% income boost for new youth business owners and a 36% income boost for existing boda youth business owners after using NawiriPro. This achievement was possible through partnerships with financial institutions, marketplace apps, and driving schools. Her work with Educate! was recognized by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for progress toward decent work and economic growth in 2020.
Missy has been with Educate! since 2019.
