Social Impact Lab 4/2: Wanjiru Koinange on Libraries as Social Impact in Kenya

In partnership with the Yale Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage.

Join us for Social Impact Lab with Wanjiru Koinange: The Book Bunk Blueprint: Using Public Libraries to Deliver Sustainable Social Impact in Nairobi.

This talk explores the transformative journey of Book Bunk, a Nairobi-based social impact organization dedicated to restoring public libraries into inclusive, culturally vibrant, and sustainable spaces. Through a blueprint that combines heritage conservation, community engagement, and innovative funding models, Book Bunk demonstrates how public infrastructure can be reimagined for social good. Attendees will gain insights into the unique challenges and opportunities of creating long-term impact in emerging markets, particularly in the cultural and civic space.

Speaker’s Bio: Wanjiru Koinange, a Fellow of the Yale Directors Forum, co-founded Book Bunk with Angela Wachuka in 2017, an independent non-profit organization that renovates and manages some of Nairobi’s iconic public libraries. Wanjiru is a writer, and entrepreneur from Nairobi, Kenya. Her debut novel, The Havoc of Choice, was a national bestseller from 2020 to 2022 in both Kenya and the UK. The novel chronicles events surrounding Kenya’s 2007 general election and has been described as “one of the best accounts of the new Africa in years.” Wanjiru’s writing has been published in several journals and magazines across the African continent including Commonwealth Writers where she served as a cultural correspondent for East and Southern Africa in 2015. She received her BA in Journalism and Literature from Nairobi’s United States International University and her MA in Creative Writing from the University of Cape Town.

Lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m., please try and arrive early to grab food so we can get started right at 11:45!

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