Say Hello to EFAC's Growing Leadership Team in Kenya!
Education For All Children (EFAC) is pleased to announce an expanded leadership team with the addition of John Opiyo as Chief Executive Officer and Beth Wokabi as Director of Programs. As the organization plans for unprecedented growth and continued expansion of services, long-time Country Director Mary Kiguru has assumed the role of Director of Strategic Partnerships and Business Development.
EFAC’s mission, to provide an education-to-employment program for bright, disadvantaged Kenyan youth to foster leadership, economic opportunity, and social progress, calls for continual scaling and development. Since its inception in 2008, nearly 1,200 students have been accepted into the program and plans for expansion continue as EFAC bridges the gap between poverty and possibility in Kenya. Now in its 16th year, EFAC increased the program intake in 2024 by 150% and the number of students accessing the Career Resource Center leading up to and after post-secondary graduation increases 20-30% each year as students complete the program.
Professor Robert Gateru, Vice Chancellor of Riara University and Chair of the Board of Directors in Kenya, shares, “These new appointments will drive deeper partnerships with local and global organizations, expand the mentorship network, and enhance the sustainability of EFAC’s model. On behalf of the Board of Directors, I look forward to seeing a stronger, more resilient EFAC that continues to impact the lives of our scholars long into the future.”
John Opiyo comes to EFAC following 23 years at Africa Nazarene University, where he served as Director of Finance for more than a decade. He brings a wealth of leadership experience and business management acumen to the team. John holds an MBA (Finance) from the University of Nairobi. He is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of both the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK) and the Institute of Human Resource Management (IHRM). He also holds a Certificate in Fundraising Management from Indiana University in the United States.
Beth Wokabi comes to EFAC from Africa Nazarene University, where she worked for 25 years in various positions, most recently as Director of the Center for Academic Excellence. As a long-time champion of EFAC, Beth brings institutional awareness about the development of the EFAC model and a hands-on approach to working with EFAC Scholars. Beth holds a Bachelor’s in Education from Egerton University and a Master’s in Environmental Economics from Moi University. She also earned a post-graduate certificate from the Maastricht School of Management in Sustainable Development.
Mary Kiguru served as Country Director of EFAC from 2015 to 2024. As Director of Strategic Partnerships & Business Development, she is heading up EFAC’s commitment to being a valued partner in the Kenyan employability program ecosystem, together with EFAC Program Manager Benson Masero. As EFAC is poised for continued growth, Mary brings her keen understanding of the model she helped develop, passion for supporting young professionals, and awareness of the landscape to this new role.