Mercy Karanja International Development Expert

Born into a rural farming family in central Kenya, Mercy made an intentional choice early in life to pursue a career dedicated to uplifting those often left behind. She earned a degree in Agriculture from the University of Nairobi and later an MSc in Rural Development from the University of Reading, UK. Her career has spanned shaping agricultural policy with the Kenyan government, developing human capital as a lecturer, and holding executive roles at both national and international non-governmental organizations. Most recently, Mercy served as a Senior Program Officer at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, where she supported partners focused on increasing access to productive resources for marginalized communities, particularly women.

Mercy is also the founder and president of Mpatapo, an organization committed to empowering emerging leaders to address global challenges. In addition, she serves on several boards dedicated to the economic empowerment of smallholder farmers.