Shamiri Institute

Shamiri means “thrive” in Kiswahili. We are a data-driven public benefit organization that combines cutting edge social science research with a deep contextual knowledge of the communities that we serve to build a future where young people can thrive. Based in Nairobi, Kenya, Shamiri was founded in 2018 at Harvard University by award-winning Kenyan entrepreneur and community – mobilizer Tom Osborn and rising global mental health research Katherine Venturo-Conerly. Since our founding in 2018, we have worked with more than 7,500 youths in secondary schools across Kenya. Through our work, young people have experienced a 40% improvement in mental health and wellbeing, a 14% improvement in social relations, and a 3% improvement in academic grades. Our goal is to bring Shamiri to 100,000 youths by the end of 2023.