Founder’s Story

The Forests of His Forefathers

The seeds of environmental stewardship were sown even earlier. On his family’s ancestral land in the Aberdare Range, Wilfred observed his grandfather Charles Gichina dedicate a vast tract of fertile land, not to commerce, but to the preservation of a natural forest. At the time, he didn’t fully understand why. Later, he would learn that this was a tradition passed down from his great-grandfather, Mwangi Gichina, a deeply held conviction that sacred land and flowing rivers must be preserved for future generations. To Wilfred, this was not just conservation; it was a spiritual inheritance. The image of antelope grazing freely at the foot of the farm became etched in his memory, a symbol of harmony between people and the planet.

Wonder and Loss in the Wild

During the school holidays, Wilfred spent time near Nyana Hills and the Sagana State Lodge, fascinated by the black and white colobus monkeys that danced among the trees. He and his childhood friends would make adventurous trips into the Mt. Kenya forests to catch glimpses of elephants and other wildlife. But those same forests would later become a source of heartbreak, as illegal logging and degradation tore through Hombe and Nyana forests, places that had once felt enchanted and eternal. It was here that Wilfred first encountered the work of Professor Wangari Maathai, whose passion for forest protection mirrored his own growing conviction. Her courage inspired him and deepened his belief that conservation is not just about trees. It’s about justice, dignity, and generational responsibility.

STEM and the Spirit of Design

Wilfred’s intellectual path was equally formative. In high school, he developed a deep fascination with power mechanics, an applied science subject that honed his technical mind and instilled a lifelong appreciation for STEM. That early curiosity now informs how he collaborates with engineers, architects, and scientists to design green, community-centered social infrastructure spaces that integrate environmental sustainability, education, and public well-being.

Formed by Faith and Community

Wilfred’s childhood was also steeped in community compassion. Influenced by Christian teachings on social justice and nurtured by the Kenyan tradition of harambee, he joined his faith community in caring for the sick, supporting the elderly, and cultivating a culture of collective responsibility. He witnessed how neighbors built schools with their hands and hope and how acts of solidarity could shape an entire generation. These experiences, simple, consistent, and profound, laid the foundation for a life devoted to service.

A Life of Global-Local Impact

For over 30 years, Wilfred’s commitment to philanthropy has spanned local, national, and global platforms. From partnering with grassroots movements and churches in urban informal settlements to working with international organizations across Sub-Saharan Africa, he has always remained anchored in one belief: education transforms everything. In every corner of his work, Wilfred has seen how access to quality education gives children in distressed communities the power to rewrite their family’s future in a single generation.

The Birth of The Gichina Trust

The Gichina Trust was born from this legacy, a culmination of values lived, lessons learned, and impact witnessed. It is a vessel to carry Wilfred’s vision into the 21st century and beyond. But he insists that this story is not his alone. Across the globe, countless individuals and organizations care deeply about the same causes. And in true African spirit, “I am because we are.” The Gichina Trust believes that philanthropy, like culture, is generational. It is inherited, nurtured, and passed on.

A Gardener Still

Today, The Gichina Trust stands as a testament to what is possible when empathy, vision, and collaboration come together. As for Wilfred, he still gardens. What began as a childhood hobby has blossomed into a love for landscaping and ecological restoration. In every tree he plants or trails, he walks. He is reminded of his roots and of the future he continues to shape.