Senator Crystal Asige and microinsurance CEO Thomas Njeru have been named as part of Time Magazine’s 100 Next which celebrates emerging leaders from around the world.
Announcing the new group of leaders, Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs said the list would celebrate those “not eager to respect the status quo.”
“Now in its fifth year, the TIME100 Next list was created to recognize many of today’s most influential leaders,” said Mr Jacobs. “Individuals who are not waiting long in life to make an impact nor are they eager to respect the status quo by following the traditional power structures and pathways that have determined what influence looked like in the past.”
Thomas Njeru
Listed under advocates, the founder and CEO of microinsurance company Pula, Thomas Njeru, earns his spot for creating a company that provides insurance to farmers and their livelihoods.
Speaking to Time, Mr Njeru said that he created the company to help small-scale farmers.
“After a drought, it would take farmers up to five years to get back to where they were because they don’t have money to replant,” said Mr Njeru.
According to Time, Pula’s insurance payouts, totalling over KSh. 15.4B ($120 million), allow farmers to bounce back quickly.
Pula leverages on-the-ground and satellite data with its own AI models to calculate premiums, keeping costs low.
This innovative approach gives financial institutions the confidence to extend credit to farmers—leading to a 16% rise in investment and an impressive 56% yield boost for Pula-insured farms.
Pula operates across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Crystal Asige
Senator and musician Crystal Asige earned herself a spot on the list for advocating for people with disabilities in Kenya.
Explaining her spot Time wrote, “Since taking office, she has helped pass bills to uplift people with disabilities, including a tax break for parents and caregivers of kids with disabilities, and new support for Kenyan sign language.
“Senator Asige is a true Renaissance woman, proving what I have always known—being disabled is compatible with an extraordinary life.”
Reacting to the news, Ms Asige was elated with the honour.
“I have no clue how my work travelled around the world and landed in front of TIME, but naming me in their 2024 #TIME100NEXT list of influential leaders shaping the future of their fields and defining the next generation of leadership is wild,” she said.
She went on to thank her followers for their support and reiterated how passionate she was about her work.
“Thank you for helping me show the world that young, quirky people can also create impact! I just want to speak to the underdogs who feel like what they want is impossible.”
The two featured in the list that included musician Sabrina Carpenter, actress Anna Sawai and entrepreneur Aisha Nyandoro.
