French billionaire donates books to MKU
Mohed Altrad a French billionaire businessman has donated 3000 books to Mount Kenya University worth Ksh.4 million . The books are the world’s first English version of Badawi, an autobiographical novel that is part of the literature curriculum taught in French schools
Badawi reflects the life of Mr. Altrad, the CEO and Founder of Altrad Group, Europe’s biggest dealer in scaffolding and an assortment of construction materials. Born to a single mother in the desert, Mr. Altrad was dissuaded from going to school but struggled through, earning a scholarship to study in France before venturing into entrepreneurship.
French billionaire donates books to MKU
According to Forbes Magazine his company has annual revenues of 1.6bn Euros (Ksh1.7 trillion) and employs over 17,000 people, according to Forbes magazine. In 2015, Mr. Altrad won the coveted EY World Entrepreneur of the Year Award. MKU Chairman Prof. Simon Gicharu, who represented East Africa was inducted into the World Entrepreneur of the Year Hall of Fame at the same ceremony.
“Knowledge is universal and this story teaches us that everyone can be successful, in spite of their humble beginnings,” said Prof. Gicharu.
Mount Kenya University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Stanley Waudo who received the books at Thika Main Campus thanked Mr. Altrad for the donation, saying Badawi will go a long way in encouraging university students to become entrepreneurs, and impart in them attributes such as persistence and hard work. “We will also share the books with other universities and public libraries in Kenya,” said Prof. Waudo.
