Our Story
Who we are
We are a team of change-makers who believe that the measure of a life is not its length, but its reach. Through this Foundation, we will extend much needed resources into the lives of women who will survive cancer because they were screened, children who will discover the world through a book, and young people who will build something of their own with a hand up, not a handout.
On 26 May 2012, the world lost Jane Adewa- a woman of extraordinary conviction whose life was a quiet testament to the power of preventative health, the transformative reach of education, and the dignity found in economic self-sufficiency. She believed, with an unwavering certainty, that the greatest gift one could give a community was the tools to save itself. The Jane Adewa Foundation is built on that belief. Founded by her family, the Foundation was created to translate a mother’s values into measurable, lasting change for the women, children and youth of Ugenya and Siaya, the communities Jane called home. We begin modestly, anchored by three pillars that mirror the three priorities Jane championed throughout her life: saving lives through preventative health, opening minds through accessible education, and strengthening families through economic empowerment. Every programme we design, every partnership we build, and every dollar we raise is in service of those three ideals- and in honour of the woman who first articulated them.
Our approach
Our Mission
To reduce the burden of preventable cancers, fostering a culture of literacy and research, and catalyzing economic empowerment for women and youth in Ugenya and Siaya through community-driven infrastructure and partnerships.
We want to prevent unnecessary deaths and elevate lives in rural Western Kenya by delivering community-rooted programmes in preventative cancer health, accessible education, and grassroots economic empowerment- guided by the enduring values of Jane Adewa and the communities she loved.
Our Vision
To create resilient, self-sustaining rural communities in Western Kenya where health is accessible, education is a lifelong pursuit, and economic opportunity is a local reality.
Our entire team wants to see a Kenya where no woman dies of a preventable cancer, every child has access to knowledge beyond the classroom, and every family in rural Ugenya and Siaya has the resources to build lasting prosperity.
Our Board
Behind every legacy worth reviving stands a circle of people willing to carry it forward. Meet the dedicated individuals who steward Jane’s vision with purpose, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to the communities she loved.
Joseph F. Adewa
Co-Founder/ Board Chair
Joseph Adewa has spent more than five decades at the forefront of East Africa’s commercial and public-interest landscape. A seasoned commercial executive with over four decades of leadership across East Africa’s petroleum, FMCG and road safety sectors, Joseph served as Deputy Managing Director of Total Kenya Limited and founded the Safeway Right Way initiative- a joint World Bank and Total Group programme that advanced road safety across the African continent. He currently chairs the Road Safety Management Systems Limited.
The JMAA Foundation was established in memory of his late wife, Jane. He brings to the Foundation’s governance the same qualities that defined his executive career: strategic clarity, institutional discipline and an unshakeable commitment to community.
Beverly E. Adewa
Co- Founder/ Executive Director
A communications and public relations strategist with over two decades of experience across East Africa, Elsie has held senior roles at Brand Kenya Board, WPP Scangroup, Nation Media Group and BusinessCom Consulting among others, delivering integrated communication strategies for some of the region’s most prominent multinationals, corporates, government and media organisations. She has designed large-scale training programmes, led complex multi-stakeholder campaigns, and advised institutions ranging from commercial banks to national ministries. She holds a Bachelor of Communication from the University of Canberra, Australia, and holds certifications in ESG, Google Cloud digital leadership and AI.
Elsie brings to the Foundation’s leadership a rare combination of strategic acumen, digital fluency and creative vision- underpinned by a deeply personal commitment to the community and the cause she co-founded in memory of her mother, Jane.
