Nationality Ugandan Occupation Social Entrepreneur Known for empowering people | Years active 2004 – present | |
Born 16 June 1985 (age 31) ( 1985-06-16 ) Jinja, Uganda Alma maters Makerere University, London School of Economics and Political Science | ||
Aaron kirunda tednairobi2017
Aaron Kirunda, is a social entrepreneur and public figure. He is a co-founder and Chief Executive at enjuba where he dedicates his work to empowering people to reach their full potential through a financial service company enjuba Credit and an education initiative the enjuba Spelling Bee a catalytic program that reaches millions of pupils in primary schools, helping them improve their literacy, develop key life skills and develop a reading culture.
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Background and education
Aaron was born in Jinja District and he attended Katira Primary School and Kasokoso Trading Centre Primary School before joining Kakira High School, for his O-Levels and Muljibhai Madhvani College, Wairaka for his A-Levels where he emerged the best student in Jinja District. In 2004, he got a government scholarship to Makerere University to study a Bachelor of Mass Communication. He graduated in 2008 with Honors. He spent most of his after school time engaging with youths on leadership, community activism, especially for the Children in Northern Uganda during the LRA War, mostly through GuluWalk and others, empowering entrepreneurs to produce quality products and designing communication materials for the Ugandan Government, Rwandan Government and World Bank funded projects. In 2009, he worked with others to develop radio programs for a university radio station to enable university students to make the most important decisions of their lives. He later moved to Kihwoko - Nakaseke District to start and manage Musana Fm, a community Radio station aimed at creating community transformation. While here, he designed radio programs that gave people hope and inspired several to start income generating activities, to go back to school, and take practical steps towards living better lives. He spearheaded planting of over 20,000 trees in the community as well as using the radio as a platform to engage and educate people on financial inclusion, helping people learn to use of their mobile phones as a tool for not just money transfers but also savings. He later launched enjuba Credit, a financial service company that helps individuals access emergency funding and for high growth entrepreneurs to get funding and business growth support for their businesses. In 2013, he was awarded a Commonwealth Scholarship to study social policy at the London School of Economics.
He also runs the enjuba National Spelling Bee in Uganda and is part of team putting together the Africa Spelling Bee an annual spelling competition for primary school children with the aim of improving literacy, unlocking children’s imagination and developing key life skills such as confidence, teamwork, critical thinking and presentation. Aaron is a receiver of a Positive Inspiration Award from YALDA (Youth Alliance for Leadership and Development in Africa; He was recognized as one of the 101 Young African Leaders at the 5th African Business Leaders Forum. He is a winner of the Global Young Social Entrepreneurs Competition, 2007 and a finalist for Young Achievers Award, 2010. Aaron is also an MIT GSW Fellow, an LSE Programme for African Leadership Fellow and Acumen East African Fellow for 2016
Community activism
Aaron has served in the following positions: