About Our Founder
Jacob Macharia Chege is not just one of ambition he has deep purpose.
Born and raised in the rugged hills of Ndaragwa, Jacob was no stranger to hardship. He saw the struggles of his people up close: children walking long distances to reach under-resourced schools, brilliant minds going to waste due to lack of opportunity. Even as a young man, he carried a fire inside a determination that one day, he would come back and do something about it.
In his twenties, Jacob left Kenya, carrying nothing but a suitcase and a hunger to learn. Over the course of 18 years, he worked in some of the most advanced economies in the world: the U.S., Japan, Iceland, South Korea, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and more. He pursued higher education, earning two degrees and a master's, and soaked in knowledge from diverse global systems. But while his hands built a life abroad, his heart never left home.
He watched from afar as Ndaragwa struggled, CDF funds increased year after year, yet the people remained stuck in a cycle of poverty. Development was slow and the gap between potential and reality widened. Jacob realized something painful but true: money alone won’t change a place. Vision, integrity and action do.
And so, he came back. Not to retire, but to rebuild.
The Jacob Macharia Chege Foundation was born out of that calling. It is more than a charitable organization, it is a mission to shift the mindset, unlock opportunities and rebuild Ndaragwa with dignity and determination. The Foundation supports youth through sports and training, uplifts women with entrepreneurial programs and ensures persons with disabilities are not left behind. It connects the community with global opportunities and seeks to empower people to believe in themselves again.
Jacob returned not just as a man, but as a bridge. A bridge between what is and what could be.
“I’ve seen the best the world has to offer but none of it compares to seeing your own people thrive.”
That is the legacy he’s building not just for Ndaragwa, but for Kenya.