Editor's Review

29-year-old Nelly Cheboi won the CNN Hero of the Year Award and will pocket Sh74 million. 

President William Ruto has congratulated 29-year-old Nelly Cheboi after she won the CNN Hero of the Year Award.

Speaking during Jamhuri Day celebrations on Monday, December 12, Ruto thanked Nelly for connecting and inspiring thousands of Kenyans. 

"We also congratulate 29-year-old, Nelly Cheboi, the founder of Techlit Africa who this morning was declared the CNN hero of the year, for her work in creating computer labs for Kenyan children to access the opportunities in the digital world.

"Congratulations Nelly for connecting and inspiring thousands of Kenyan children," the Head of State said. 

Cheboi quit her software job to create tech labs for Kenyan schoolkids. The win saw her pocket Sh74 million cash prize.

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Nelly Cheboi and her relative on the red carpet in the US. PHOTO | Nelly Cheboi.

Cheboi's win confirms her as the recipient of the Elevate Prize.

The Elevate Prize Foundation includes USD 300,000 (Sh37 million) grant and additional support worth USD200,000 (Sh24.6 million) for her nonprofit organisation.

Speaking after receiving the award, Cheboi said:

"Every year, people are graduating into the corporate world without ever using a computer. This forces them to go back to the village with their education," she stated.

"I want to get to 100 schools which translates to 40,000 school-going children. We need to rewrite what it means to grow up in rural Africa because people can work glamorous jobs and still work in your community."