Mary Ngechu


Mary Wanjugu Ngechu is a Kenyan social entrepreneur and industrialist. She is the managing director of Line Plast Group, a manufacturing company based in Nairobi, and the founder and patron of the TakaTaka Ni Mali Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on waste management and circular economy initiatives. In 2024, she was awarded the Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear by President of Kenya William Ruto.

Early life and education

Ngechu studied telecommunications engineering at the Kenya College of Communication Technology from 1994 to 1996. She later obtained a qualification in information technology from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology between 2004 and 2006. She undertook executive training at Strathmore Business School between 2015 and 2016. In 2019, she completed an online course in Entrepreneurship offered by Harvard University through edX.

Career

Ngechu is leader at Line Art Solutions Limited, a labels printing company she co-founded in 2006. In 2017, Ngechu was featured in an International Labour Organization article about her approaches to skills development and workforce inclusion.
Ngechu chaired the Women in Manufacturing initiative under the Kenya Association of Manufacturers until September 2024. She also chaired the MSME sector at the Kenya Private Sector Alliance in 2022 and as a board member of the East African Business Council since 2019. She is also a member of the board of directors of the Kenya Producer Responsibility Organisation. In 2024, she was appointed as an ambassador at International Solid Waste Association.

TTNM Foundation

Ngechu founded the TakaTaka Ni Mali Foundation in 2017, to focus on waste segregation, recycling, and circular economy approaches in Kenya, TakaTaka Ni Mali means Waste is Wealth.
In 2022, the organization launched a mobile app to connect households with waste collectors, aggregators, and recyclers. In 2023, TTNM launched Ecoloop, a technology-driven system designed to improve waste management and promote circular economy practices in Kenya.
Ngechu was involved in launching the Africa Waste is Wealth Series, a regional waste management conference organized through the TakaTaka Ni Mali Foundation and partners. It brings together policymakers, industry stakeholders, and environmental actors to discuss on waste management in East Africa.

Recognitions