Michael Babu
Manager
Strathmore University
Michael Babu is a transformative leader in education and community development at Strathmore University, where he heads the Community Service Centre. With over a decade of experience, he has designed and scaled programs that empower marginalized groups – mentoring vulnerable youth, equipping prison inmates with professional skills, and nurturing leadership in rural schools through the award-winning e-Msingi Program. His work bridges local action with global networks, earning international recognition such as the 2024 MacJannet Prize for Global Citizenship, ReImagine Gold Award and exemplifies his belief that education must inspire service and drive lasting social change.
Michael Babu is a dynamic leader in education and community development, serving as the Head of Community Service at Strathmore University. For over a decade, he has pioneered transformative programs that blend academic learning with civic engagement, empowering thousands of students to make meaningful contributions to their communities. From mentoring vulnerable youth in Nairobi’s informal settlements to establishing the Prison Education Program, which equips inmates with professional skills, and from co-leading the award-winning e-Msingi Program to fostering leadership in rural schools, Michael has consistently turned vision into impact.
His collaborative approach has connected local communities with regional and international networks, including partnerships with Kenya’s Department of Correctional Services, East African universities, and the global Talloires Network of Engaged Universities. In 2024, these efforts earned Strathmore the prestigious MacJannet Prize for Global Citizenship. A simple yet powerful philosophy drives Michael: education must not only inform but transform, shaping leaders who lift others as they rise.
"You may not change the whole world, but you can change someone's world; and that world is big enough"- Michael Babu
