The TED Fellows Program announced the names of 20 fellows who will be joining the Class of 2021, and among them are three Kenyans.
Each TED Fellow was selected for their remarkable achievements, the potential impact of their work, and their commitment to community building.
The lucky Kenyans who made it to the list were identified as Jim Chuchu, Kaz, and Tom Osborn.
Jim Chuchu
Jim Chuchu is a filmmaker and founder of The Nest Collective, a Nairobi-based artist group. His film Stories of Our Lives celebrates the narratives of Kenya’s queer community in the midst of pervasive societal censure. He is also the founder of the HEVA Fund, the first organization in the region dedicated to making capital investments in the creative sector and building financial infrastructure around creative pursuits in East Africa.
Kaz
Kaz is an educator who is keenly building a positive and safe space for sexual discourse in Kenya through her podcast and TV segment The Spread. Through these platforms, Kaz illuminates and confronts the pleasure gap, challenges restrictive LGBTQ+ policy, and emphasizes reproductive rights.
Tom Osborn
Tom is the founder of Shamiri, a youth-led organization providing mental health care solutions to teens across Kenya, where 45 percent of young people report clinical depression. In a region where mental health professionals are scarce and disorders are stigmatized, Shamiri implements evidence-based, low-cost wellness interventions in Kenyan schools.
The program convenes young world-changers, academics, and trailblazers who have shown unusual accomplishment and exceptional courage in their respective disciplines, selected through an intensive application, interview, and research process. This year’s selection spans five continents and represents 14 countries — including, for the first time, Peru.
The program celebrates its twelfth year with a network of 512 Fellows from 100 countries.
To be eligible for the TED Fellows Program you will need to be 18 years or older by the time you apply as well as have a track record of achievement in your field. You must also be someone with fine character and be able to show impressive accomplishment when it comes to producing original work.
When it comes to the selection process, TED Fellows are selected by the program staff, with extensive reference checking and consultation with experts across all fields.
