Peter Tabichi is a science teacher and a Franciscan friar from a very poor village in Kenya. He teaches at Keriko Mixed Day Secondary School in Pwani Village in Nakuru County, Kenya. Tabichi makes very little money from his job, but he gives away 80% of his salary to help his students.
Many of them are orphans or have families so poor they lack food or even books. Tabichi gives what little he has so his students can keep coming to school.
Even though his school has only one computer, no steady internet, and too many students in each class, Tabichi's students beat schools that have more resources. They won science contests at both the national and international level. They were also honored by the Royal Society of Chemistry.
On March 24, 2019, Tabichi was chosen from over 10,000 teachers across 179 countries to win the Global Teacher Prize in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Actor Hugh Jackman present the award to Tabichi. He was the first African to win the prestigious $1 million award. It was his first time on a plane, and he had never left Kenya before.
Even though teachers who win the award can use the money however they choose, Tabichi used it to build a library and a science lab. He hired more teachers, made sure students had food, and taught communities how to grow drought‑resistant crops in a garden.
"To be a great teacher, you have to be creative and embrace technology. You really have to embrace those modern ways of teaching. You have to do more and talk less," Tabichi told the World Economic Forum.
Tabichi earned a bachelor’s degree in science from Egerton University and a master's degree in education and international development from University College London. Growing up, he said he knew he was lucky to get the education he did.
After winning the Global Teacher Prize, he started a the Peter Tabichi Foundation. The nonprofit equips teachers across Kenya to co-design inclusive, curriculum-aligned resources and foster professional learning communities, according to Tabichi.
The Peter Tabichi Foundation's programs have raised over $400,000 for water, classrooms, laboratories, and ICT infrastructure in underserved schools.
On October 23, 2025, Tabichi was appointed to the Global Schools Prize Council, and he will help select which schools win the Global Schools Prize award. The 18 member council is made up of some of the most respected and influential figures in global education, technology, and philanthropy, who will guide the prize and provide strategic insight, according to the Varkey Foundation.
As of December 2025, Tabichi continues to teach at Keriko Mixed Day Secondary School. He still earns a teacher's salary and remains a Franciscan friar, a member of a Catholic order whose vows call on adherents to live simply, serve their communities, and give up personal wealth.
Tabichi didn't wait until he had a million dollars to start giving. He was already giving when no one was watching.
