Tom Osborn is the Co-Founder and CEO [of Shamiri Institute](https://www.shamiri.institute/), a data-driven public benefit organization that develops and scales mental healthcare to young people across Africa and especially Kenya. Tom is a [TED Fellow](https://blog.ted.com/meet-the-2021-class-of-ted-fellows/)—given to doers who have shown unusual accomplishment, exceptional courage, and are creating positive change around the world—and a global [Forbes’ 30 under 30](https://www.forbes.com/pictures/gkhd45gd/tom-osborn-19/?sh=75561add4be4) social entrepreneur.
Globally, Tom has developed a reputation as a community mobilizer, social entrepreneur, and global mental health innovator. At 18, he co-founded GreenChar, a social enterprise which provided 3,000 homes and institutions in rural Kenyan and urban slums with clean energy. For his trailblazing work in the clean energy sector with GreenChar, Tom became the youngest recipient of the [Echoing Green Fellowship](https://fellows.echoinggreen.org/fellow/tom-osborn/) – an award given to the leading emerging social entrepreneurs around the world. He has also other numerous national and international awards for his community-oriented entrepreneurship, including World Deliver Social Entrepreneur of the year in 2016, the Donors’ Circle for Africa Energy Prize and many others. Africa Youth Awards named him as one of the 100 Most Influential Young Africans.
Tom was born and raised in poverty in rural Kenya. His education was only possible because of $300,000 in academic scholarships and grants. He [graduated](https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/06/harvard-grad-returns-to-kenya-with-plan-to-help-teens-thrive/) from Harvard University with a Bachelor’s in Psychology (High Honors) with a secondary in Computer Science.