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Nelly Cheboi | |
---|---|
Nelly Cheboi with her Mom Christina Cheboi at CNN Heroes 2022 All Star Tribute | |
Born | (1992-11-26) November 26, 1992 (age 32) Mogotio, Kenya |
Other names | Kosi |
Alma mater | Augustana College (Illinois) |
Occupation(s) | Founder and CEO of TechLit Africa |
Known for | Winning CNN Hero of The Year 2022 |
Spouse | Tyler Cinnamon (m. 2017) |
Awards | CNN Hero of Year, Forbes 30 under 30 |
Website | techlitafrica |
Nelly Cheboi is the founder of TechLit Africa, an organization that teaches digital skills in rural primary schools, and the winner of the 2022 CNN Hero award.
Early life
Cheboi grew up in poverty in the rural village of Mogotio in Kenya. She received a full scholarship to study computer science at Augustana College in Illinois in 2012. She graduated in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics and computer science.
Career
Cheboi built a school in Kenya, called Zawadi Yetu, during her junior year of college In 2018, she started to transport donated computers from the United States to Kenya. In 2019, she founded the nonprofit TechLit Africa with another software engineer, Tyler Cinnamon, after quitting their jobs. The organization, headquartered in Kenya at Zawadi Yetu, teaches 4000 students aged 5–14 basic computer skills and redistributes recycled technology to enable the creation of computer labs in African schools. As of 2022, they have built 10 computer labs in rural Kenya and have plans for 100 more.
Recognition
In 2022, Cheboi was named as one of the 30 under 30 on the Forbes list for social impact. In the same year, she was also the recipient of the CNN Hero award.
References
- ^ Torgan, Tricia Escobedo,Allie (2022-12-11). "Nelly Cheboi, who creates computer labs for Kenyan schoolchildren, is CNN's Hero of the Year". CNN. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Nelly Cheboi". Forbes. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
- KWQC Staff. "CNN Hero of the Year: Nelly Cheboi". Retrieved 2022-12-29.
- ^ "Cheboi '16 is CNN Hero of the Year! | Augustana College". www.augustana.edu. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
- "CNN Crowns Black Founder Nelly Cheboi As The Hero Of The Year". POCIT. Telling the stories and thoughts of people of color in tech. 2022-12-22. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
- "Nelly Cheboi Teaches Tech Skills to Sustainably Solve Poverty". www.logitech.com. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
- "Founder of TechLit Africa Is CNN's Hero of the Year". VOA. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
- Robi, Amos (2022-12-12). "29-year-old Kenyan tech founder crowned CNN Hero of 2022". Business Insider Africa. Retrieved 2022-12-29.