Ida Odinga is a teacher, an entrepreneur and a mentor. She has been vocal in defending school girls against unwarranted attention and inappropriate advances from men.

She founded the Ida Odinga Trust to ensure the sustaining and success of the girl child in school. She is also a champion for causes focusing on women, children and health in Kenya through advocacy for awareness and prevention of cancer and fistula. To help enhance opportunities for women in politics, Odinga founded the League of
Kenya Women Voters in 1991 and was its chairperson from inception until 2012. The organisation aimed to provoke women to participate in leadership, especially as there are now seats reserved for women in government.

The University of Nairobi graduate, who was once the head of the geography department at the Kenya High School, is the patron of White Ribbon Alliance- Nairobi, which works towards preventing maternal deaths through initiating safe motherhood programmes. She is the patron of Freedom from Fistula Foundation- Nairobi, which creates awareness of the causes, preventions and cure for those afflicted. She is also a patron of the Kenya Breast Health Organisation.

She has served on the boards of the Paraplegic Association of Kenya and Maseno University, among others. Odinga is also a life member of Maendeleo ya Wanawake. The leader and social activist has various accolades to her name such as an honorary doctorate degree from Igbinedion University of Nigeria for her role in African democratisation in 2011. In 2010, she was awarded the Global Leadership Award through ‘Susan G. Komen for the Cure’ for her role in fighting breast cancer. This award also made her a Breast Cancer ambassador for Africa.

Odinga received the Distinguished African Amazon Award from the Centre for Economic and Leadership Development in 2012 for her persistent efforts towards women empowerment.