User:Sam Wakoba Foundation/sandbox

= Sam Wakoba = Sam Wakoba (born Samuel Wakoba Lukhanyu in September 28, 1985) is an award-winning Kenyan tech blogger, writer, speaker and entrepreneur in the country's technology startup ecosystem though his work as the founder of TechMoran.com and in his writings on startups and tech entrepreneurship across the globe. He is a firm believer of the Africa's great future and urges the youth to start up their businesses instead of waiting for their governments to act on the worrying crime and unemployment rates among the youth.

Early life

Wakoba was born in the then Bungoma District, Western Province and went to St. Mary's High School Kibabii in Bungoma then went to Makerere University where he studied Political Science, Sociology and Literature. Both his parents were school teachers and his father Mr. Henry Barasa Wamalwa Lukhanyu, a UON graduate of 1974, was a strict educationalist and philanthropy who believed in the education of the people of Bungoma as a school principal in various secondary schools in Bungoma. Wakoba and most of his siblings went to schools in Uganda after his father's opposition leaning saw him have a few ran-ins with the Moi government for associating with the infamous FERA (February Eighteen Revolutionary Movement). Wakoba's cousin Wafula Buke had also suffered at the hands of the the oppressive Moi regime. Uganda was the peaceful self-exile for his kids for the then Secretary General of the Bukusu Elders Group (BEG).

Career

Sam Wakoba joined the East Africa Business Week as an Advertising Executive after his studies in June 2008. In Apr 2009 he joined Kumi University, an upcoming university in eastern Uganda as its Assistant Academic Registrar and Teaching Assistant in the Social Sciences Department. After a year, he left his administration and teaching position to pursue further studies in Nairobi but before he could start got a job in the little known African Laughter PR. Working in editorial, business development and later PR positions.

After two years at African Laughter PR, he joined the defunct HumanIPO as part of its founding editorial team with friends Elly Okutoyi, Vince Matinde, Gythan Munga, Robert Rabari, Robin Okuthe, Tefo Mohapi among others. He soon fell out with HumanIPO and founded TechMoran, a pan-African online tech magazine based in Nairobi, Kenya. At TechMoran, Sam runs the day-to-day business operations with a team of around 10 people to drive the firm's daily content, advertising and traffic goals. TechMoran has expanded to provide social media and digital marketing, web development, social media management, social media training and capacity building through Moran Digital and web hosting through MoranHost and an SEO specialist content site Search Engine Rant. Moran Events provides events planning, equipment, photography and videography and hosts competitions for the continent's young entrepreneurs. The online magazine still has writers in Lagos, Nigeria and Johannesburg in South Africa and contributors from around the world. TechMoran was the winner of the 2013,2014 and 2015 Kenya Bloggers Awards under the technology category.

Before establishing TechMoran, Wakoba was the Africa Classifieds Analyst for the AIM Group // Classified Intelligence LLC between late 2014 to 2015. Aim Group / Classified Intelligence is a global consulting firm on classified platforms such as OLX, Craiglist, Cheki, BrighterMonday, BuyRentKenya among others. His main focus was to track new business models, new tools and best practices in classifieds ad platforms in real estate, recruitment, automotive, daily deals and general marketplaces.

Prior to that he was an online Technology Reporter for the LA-based online tech magazine TechZulu between May 2012 and October 2014. At TechZulu, he got the privilege to profile tech startups in Silicon Beach, Silicon Valley and everywhere else.

Personal life

Wakoba is a humble and hardworking Kenyan, passionate about bettering lives in any way he can. He believes that, with the right information, anyone can be empowered to become a better citizen, employee or business person. He believes he has been called to empower the youth to create jobs regardless of their education levels. Wakoba is a protestant Christian and was baptized at Robert Kayanja's Miracle Center Cathedral in Kampala.

Awards

Kenya's 100 most influential by Avance Media, 2017

iHub's top 100 techies 2015

Best technology blog for TechMoran, 2015

Best Technology Blog for TechMoran, 2014

Best Technology Blog for TechMoran, 2013