Dr. Joan Ruguru Kimani: Meet JKUAT student featured in Forbes Africa’s Top 30 under 30 list

Dr. Joan Ruguru Kimani, a student at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, recently made headlines when she was named in Forbes Africa’s list of the top 30 under 30 individuals in Africa, alongside three other Kenyans.

The list, released for the eighth consecutive year, shines a light on Africans under the age of 30 who are contributing to the continent's growth.

Ruguru, comedian Elsa Majimbo, e-gamer Sylvia Gathoni and Mukuru Clean Stoves founder Charlot Magayi were the only Kenyans who made the list this year.

The doctor, who is set to graduate from JKUAT with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) degree on June 28, was lauded for her outstanding work in child health and parenting.

Kimani’s whole aim, through her company ‘Exciting Parenting’, is to bring back the positive spin on parenting and educating parents on children’s health.

“I started the business with Ksh.3,000 that I used for the name search and domain registration,” she told Forbes Africa.

“I saw this as an opportunity to offer professional information in regards to parenting and child health. Other topics such as marriage and real estate have information sources from people who have dedicated their whole lives to doing this kind of work. I realized the field of parenting was pretty scarce.”

Speaking on her accomplishment, Ruguru, an alumna of Maryhill Girls, noted that the recognition was an inspiration to youth that passion and hobbies can be turned into professional ventures.

“I feel it is a validation of my work, and a lesson on consistency in projects that one is interested. The fact that I have been doing it pro bono shows that people can be rewarded from giving back freely to the community. I have been blogging for 7 years and growing my audiences and numbers,” she said.

The doctor is also of the opinion that her writing is what endeared her to the panelist of editors from Forbes Africa who sifted through thousands of nominations to research, verify and vet all candidates.

According to Dr. Ruguru, some of her works on parenting have been published in a number of mainstream media platforms but she intends to better her writing skills in future so that she can effectively use the digital space to raise more awareness on the benefits of good parenting.

Dr. Ruguru is also set to represent Kiambu County in the upcoming battle for “Ms. President Academy and Competition,” which is sponsored by the European Union and the United Nations.  

In 2020, she won the ‘Top 35 Under 35 Youth of the Year’ award in the Health Services category for her compelling phenomenal youth engagement accomplishments, particularly her exquisite exposition of child health and parenting issues.

The annual competition targets participants under the age of 35, with compelling ideas in the areas of youth leadership, governance, economic empowerment and gender development.