Meet Wambui S. Njoroge, the Founder and Director of PadsDrive Africa, a Faith-Based Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) dedicated to safeguarding human dignity by fighting period poverty, offering sex and menstrual health education, supplying stationery, and evangelizing. She also works as the Partnership and Advancement manager for Hope Alive Initiatives. Burdened by the desire for human service since high school, Susan, who was pursuing a course in project management, began PadsDrive Africa in 2020.
You may also encounter her mentoring and birthing leaders through her crash course tips and lessons on her social pages. She is well-informed on principles and strategies used in large companies and conglomerates. Her teaching methods are engaging and easy to grasp. She is the first person I’ve met who approaches leadership as a hobby. She embraces her roots and prides herself on being an African lady, as is justified by the names she prefers going by.
History & Progress
At the time, with numerous colleagues who were just as young as her, she took a leap of faith to fill a gap that she felt the government failed at the time. She believed that she could only find meaning when she did something beyond herself.
“We make a meaning out of life when we serve something,” were her words as she explained the growth she has witnessed since their onset.
| Email: Padsdriveafrica@gmail.com |
| Phone Number: +254 792 690619 |
PadsDrive Africa, which has recently made a mark through a combined effort. Their recent report on September 6th :
- Service to 179 girls, 113 women, 145 boys, with 30 lives won to Christ.
- Resources donated include a 6-month supply of pads, distribution of undergarments, sex and menstrual health education, distribution of stationery,
Her target community, being the Maa community, she has seen the Olekemunke, Eremit, and Enkoireroi communities benefit from PadsDrive Africa. She finds their unison and simplicity something to behold. Wambui recalled encountering a couple dressed neatly in Maasai shukas on their way to a wedding and compared it to the modern way and expectation for fashion. Even as she serves them, she was taught well not to liken their living standards to poverty. Competition, anxiety, and discontentment are among the things birthed in a culture-robbed city!
Just recently, they have raised funds to purchase 5000 sanitary packets, among other resources, ahead of the next academic year to help girls and women in Kajiado transition the year well. This is just a glimpse of the aid PadsDrive Africa is planning just for 2026 alone. The visionary leader recalled comparing her potential to generational organizations and often doubted herself.
Reflections
“The other day, I was stopped by some girls who I found out we had trained in our first project. I at first could not recall them, even as they leaped with joy on meeting us. They were not the young girls we knew, and I could tell they kept all that we taught them. That day, I tried imagining what if we never helped out?”
The most rewarding part of her journey was finding a new meaning in charitable work. She finds herself a beneficiary of service through moments shared and lessons learned. Her character, attitude, perspective, and integrity have also evolved over the period.
My observation concerning the organization was that Ms. Wambui embraces collaboration and teamwork. The effectiveness of her projects is primarily due to their unity. PadsDrive Africa includes a vast majority of volunteers who have the same goal: Mimi na Wewe for a Comfortable Dada [A Swahili catchphrase meaning ‘me and you for a comfortable sister’]. The team has seen its fair share of obstacles, including tight schedules, in giving back to humanity. If you have a heart for the community or a tradable skill, PadsDrive Africa is the place to be.
Wambui’s Two Cents On Her Struggles:
“Leadership was the biggest obstacle I faced,” Wambui narrates. The organization’s maturity stood on the very actions she chose every day. She learned to be cautious when it comes to criticizing leaders. Initially, she never proposed to be a leader, though she had a desire to serve the community, but not to run a whole organization! A journey of 6 years with 3 close calls of total despair as she tried to make sense of her destiny. She always leaned back on her faith, where she found relief and peace to pursue again.
Call to Action
Ms. Njoroge emphasized taking action towards any dream or desire, bearing in mind that people invest in what they see life in. “People will never be convinced of your dream if you just talk about it. PadsDrive Africa grew when people saw our consistency.” She honors the youth for their stand against oppression and reveres them as innovators of change. To walk in her steps, you only have to identify a gap and come in as the solution. This year, the organization celebrates its 6th anniversary, still being impactful, just as they envisioned it.