Adelle Onyango is a Kenyan media entrepreneur, poet, published author, and women's rights activist who has gained international recognition for her efforts to empower African women and youth. She has been celebrated as one of the 50 Most Influential Women Shaping Africa, 2025, according to Africa Policy Conversations; Top 100 Kenyans 2023; MIPAD's Top 100 Africans 2020; Facebook's 2019 Icons of Change; Africa Youth Awards 100 Most Influential Young Africans for 2019; OkayAfrica’s 100 extraordinary African women for 2018; and BBC's 100 inspirational and innovative women in the world for 2017.
RADIO CAREER
Adelle Onyango has over 10 years experience in the radio industry. She begun as a drive show host on 1FM where she was instrumental in bringing in a digital arch to the Kenyan radio scene.
Adelle then moved to Kenya's top media house; Radio Africa Group as a presenter on their radio station, KissFM. She hosted the mid-morning show and created a show dedicated exclusively to African music which was a first of its kind on the station. She later moved to host their prime breakfast show until June 2019.
During her time on the KissFM breakfast show it was the 3rd most listened to show in Kenya. She then left to start her new media network, Legally Clueless Africa
Legally Clueless Africa is a new media platform created by Adelle Onyango that documents the human journeys of everyday African people through an audio podcast, video series, and tour series.
The platform has recorded over 300 African stories and toured across Kenya, Zimbabwe, Paris, Dubai, Ghana, Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, New York, Chicago, Addis Ababa, Dakar, and more.
Legally Clueless Africa also runs a digital content curriculum that has impacted over 500 participants. Over 200 African women have gone through its group therapy sessions, more than 150 have attended wellness talks, and 1,500 members are signed up for the monthly newsletter.
In line with its mission to give Africans agency over their own stories, Legally Clueless expanded in 2025 with For MannerlessWomen (FMW) — a bold, unfiltered interview series and growing community for African women redefining womanhood on their own terms. Through honest conversations, wellness events, and collective experiences. FMW creates space for authenticity, healing, and freedom.
Adelle Onyango’s First Book
Adelle Onyango & Lanji Ouko-Awori co-authored a book called Our Broken Silence. It is diary entries of survivors of sexual violence from the greater east Africa reagion, from pre-colonial times, to present day.
The book was launched by Hon. Chief Justice Martha Koome in March 2022. Proceeds of the book will go to the Adelle Onyango Initiative's Safe247 program and Lanji's microfinance fund that will fund the relocation of survivors as well as their legal services.
Adelle Onyango wrote a short poetry film called HOME and it marked her directorial debut. The film was part of “Kenya Creates” a project looking to use visual art to spark impact. HOME explores an African woman’s journey home to her body. The film has been screened to over 500 Kenyans since it’s launch in March 2025 and will begin regional screening soon.
Adelle onyango’s Debut Film: HOME
THE ADELLE ONYANGO INITIATIVE
Adelle is also the founder of The Adelle Onyango Initiative (AOI), an organization that works to create programs that prepare Kenyan youth for employment or entrepreneurship and give African women who have survived rape access to psyco-social support. Under the Initiative there are over 4,300 registered members who are beneficiaries of the job shadow programs and mentorship opportunities the initiative has facilitated.
AOI has also partnered with Carolina for Kibera (CFK) to create Safe 24/7, a program that will offer free group therapy and support groups for survivors of sexual violence.
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
Performing in New York
Adelle Onyango performed at The Moth Mainstage in New York. The Moth is an organization dedicated to the art of story telling. Adelle Onyango is a graduate of their global program and got to perform during a mainstage in New York in 2019.
Moderating a panel with H.E The President Of Kenya
Adelle Onyango moderated a panel at the launch of a youth program by the Mastercard Foundation. The panel saw different youth in Kenya ask H.E The President Of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta questions around unemployment and entrepreneurship.
Hosting & Running A Workshop at the African Women In Media Conference
Adelle Onyango hosted the 3 day African Women In Media conference which saw participants from across the continent. Adelle presented on sexual harassment in the media industry as well as run her own workshop on how media can avoid upholding gender stereotypes in their stories.