After completing my engineering degree in Geodetic Engineering on 17th December 2009, I left on a trip to Kenya, with a clear vision that I want to travel, volunteer for a couple of months, and then go home and pursue a job. However, more than thirteen years later, I find myself still in Kenya as the founder and managing director of Spatial Collective, a geospatial innovations and technology consulting company. It has been a thrilling ride, to say the least.
Along the way, I have freelanced as a cartographer in some of Kenya’s most remote areas, worked at Map Kibera Trust, and played a key role in projects like Map Kibera and Map Mathare. I have been involved in community mapping, and citizen journalism initiatives, and consulted for organizations such as the World Bank, the United Nations, and the National Democratic Institute. Our company, Spatial Collective, worked with institutions such as the World Bank, United Nations, Government of Kenya, Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, Municipality of Mwanza, Banadir Regional Administration in Mogadishu, Omidyar Network Services, Rockefeller Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Place, Cadasta Foundation, Cities Alliance, Clark University, Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team, OpenMap Development Tanzania, Danish Demining Group, DAI Global, and Kenya Red Cross.
My work has spanned various areas including technology for development, mapping, Geographic Information Systems, community development, collective action, advocacy, research, and monitoring and evaluation projects. I have had the opportunity to work in countries like Tanzania, Swaziland, Zambia, South Africa, Nigeria, Somalia, the USA, and throughout Kenya.
Furthermore, my work in the field led to a scholarship for a Master’s degree at the School of Media and Public Affairs, George Washington University, where I also served as a teaching and research assistant in Strategic Political Communications. In 2015, I was selected as a PopTech Social-Innovation Fellow.
The purpose of this blog is to share my experiences and insights. I believe that whoever reads these posts will find it interesting and perhaps even learn something new, as I continue to learn every day. All the content, including posts, photos, and opinions, unless stated otherwise, reflect my views.
You can follow me on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.
Please find my full CV on my LinkedIn page.
- Co-Founder & Managing Director at Spatial Collective
- Graduate teaching and research assistant at The School of Media and Public Affairs, George Washington University
- Programmes Director at Map Kibera Trust
- Consultant at the World Bank, UNICEF, and National Democratic Institute
- Freelance Mapping at Kosmos Solutions International
- Assistant GIS analyst at the Institute for Water of the Republic of Slovenia
- Cartography Assistant at the DFG Consulting d.o.o.