Learning Outcomes

This case study can be used to analyse Kennedy School’s strategic evolution within an emerging-market education context, evaluating how resilience and adaptive pivots supported survival and growth. Learners will assess the role of founder leadership and decision-making approaches in scaling and sustaining the organization, examine how external ecosystem factors shape strategic choices, and critique human resource and organizational design strategies in relation to scalability and quality. They will also be able to formulate strategic growth options for mission-driven ventures, balancing trade-offs between scale, institutional values, talent management, and financial viability.

Case synopsis

The Kennedy School, founded in 2008 by Njeri Wachira-Ochieng in Kenya, is not merely an educational institution but a testament to entrepreneurial grit in the face of systemic challenges. Born from Njeri’s childhood fascination with leadership and shaped by her father’s legacy as a teacher, the school has survived two near-collapses, financial crises, curriculum overhauls, and a global pandemic. This case explores Njeri’s journey from idealistic founder to adaptive strategist, highlighting challenges in human resource management, curriculum changes, and the delicate balance between educational vision and business pragmatism. As Kennedy School enters its third phase of stability and modest growth, Njeri faces a defining strategic question: should she scale the school to meet rising demand and expand its impact —or preserve its small, mentorship-driven model to protect quality and coherence?

Complexity/ Academic level

This case is suitable for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students in MBA and master’s programs in Strategic Management, Entrepreneurship, and Organisational Behaviour or Human Capital Management. It is also appropriate for executive education and professional development programs for founders, NGO leaders, and SME managers who are navigating growth decisions while seeking to preserve core organizational values.

Supplementary Materials

Teaching notes are available only to educators upon request from the Case Centre at cases@strathmore.edu

Keywords

Strategic Management, Entrepreneurship, Organisational Design and Human Capital Management, Social Enterprise and Values-Driven Strategy, Leadership and Decision-Making, Holistic Education.

Citation

Nthei, L. M. (2026). Surviving Three Lives Through Resilience and Reinvention: The Kennedy School. Strathmore Africa Case Center. https://doi.org/10.70268/sacc-06-25-62

Publisher: Strathmore Africa Case Centre

Copyright © 2026, Strathmore Africa Case Centre

Category : Case

Author : Lydia Muthoki Nthei

Publisher : Strathmore University

Document ID : SACC-06-25-62