Who We Are

After 30 years as founder and CEO of the successful property development venture Lordship Group, Jonathan Jackson desired to do more for others. He had a heart for the vulnerable and had explored different philanthropic opportunities across the world throughout his lifetime. Born and raised in Kenya, he had seen first-hand how hard the plight of poverty plagued underserved communities. This made him uncomfortable.

In 2010, Jonathan returned back home (Kenya) to replicate the successful property development business he practised in Central and Eastern Europe. In the course of establishing his business in Kenya, he could not help but notice the baffling number of youth who lacked the ability to earn a decent living. Jonathan was reminded of the walks he took as a teenager with his mother in Kibera, training women on weaving, beadwork and tailoring that provided dignified sources of income and improved livelihoods. These experiences influenced and now shape the work of the Foundation.

Jonathan decided to make the first move towards lasting transformation for youth. In early 2019, he founded the Jonathan Jackson Foundation (JJF) and acquired a community football club, the Nairobi City Stars (NCS). Using sports, events and aid drives as tools for positive change and economic empowerment, Jonathan and a lean team ventured into the communities within the informal settlements and began mobilising youths for training, reform and rehabilitation.

The core values of the Foundation stem from Jonathan’s commitment to making real change in Nairobi informal communities by empowering the youth in starting and managing businesses