Our Team

Currently leading the expansion and operations at Sote Hub, David has over fifteen years working in social and change programs in African Education and Conservation. Previously Director Kasigau Wildlife Trust and Programs Officer, International Fund for Animal Welfare.

David has extensive training and practice in Social Entrepreneurship, Business Planning and Consulting, Fundraising and Community relations.

He holds a degree in Wildlife Management from Moi University, Kenya.

Ivana works tirelessly to strengthen the cooperation between Kenya and Slovakia schools organizing exchange trips and semester activities.

Under her efforts, 20 Kenyan teachers and 5 startup members have travelled to Slovakia to business academies and tech hubs for educational exchanges.

Ivana holds an Msc. in Political Research from Huddersfield University, UK. She was one of the finalists of the student essay competition on global issues and won the internship at the UN, Vienna and was also the 2014 Volunteer of the year in Slovakia due to her work in Kenya.

Currently overseeing programs design and Implementation, amongst other duties, Alvin works with the rest of the team to ensure successful implementation of our projects. He has worked in the development sector for over 8 years.

Alvin is passionate about empowering young people and mentoring them to become responsible and fulfilled adults, both economically and spiritually.

He holds a master’s degree in Project Planning and Management from the University of Nairobi.

Kenneth Njihia is a devotated individual with a resume of successful projects. His drive is to contribute to the success of people who wish to start their business from idea stage by helping them to recognize their potential, become equipped with skills to face the challenges in business as well as working towards the empowerment of people.

His areas of interest include Startup Growth/Innovation/Project Management etc.

Grace Aluora is a dedicated Finance and Administrative Professional with over 8 years work experience. Her dedication and scrutiny is unmatched.

She believes you can acquire anything you need, just have a receipt.

A warm personality, skilled at prioritizing and completing tasks. Mejuma has had the opportunity to work under Sote Hub for over 2 years, she has grown professionally and currently works under the finance and administrative wing to ensure the company’s smooth operation.

Lucia is a demonstration of the journey of Sote ICT projects. Right from Murray Girls High School where she was the President of Murray Girls IT Club, a platform she used to offer strong leadership influencing hundreds of girls to join the club and create impact.

Today as Program Assistant, Lucia has not lost focus on the key subject, Girls Empowerment. She trains, mentors and oversees the growth and development of start-ups from young innovators with a special focus on how to bring more girls into economic production through technology.

She holds a Bsc. in Business and IT from Meru University of Science and Technology.

Software Developer(.NET, Flutter, Dart) || Power Platform Developer

Shadrack is a self-taught developer with a background in Finance. Being a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional(MVP), he is an active tech community leader for the Power Platform User Group Kenya and also active contributor of the Microsoft Tech Community. Being a community enthusiast, he has been able to organize and attend 20+ hackathons and tech events. He believes that tech is on the right course to solving day to day challenges.

UX/UI Designer || Frontend Developer || Power Platform Developer

Luke is a designer and developer who is passionate about User Experience, clean code and designing solutions that solve real life problems and improve the lives of everyday people.

He is a community enthusiast and leader in various tech communities

Emmanuel is an indication of an essential Impact in the Programs and Trainings.

Right from Technical University of Mombasa where he was the Statistics Club President, a platform he used to offer exemplary leadership and Managerial skills influencing hundreds of students to join and create impact in the data field. '' Let the data Do the talking - Data is Oil" as he terms it.

Today as Programs Assistant and Trainer, Emmanuel has not dwindled on his aspiration. He trains, handles huge data and mentors many in ICT and Data Science Industry.

He holds a Bsc in Statistics and Computer Science from Technical University of Mombasa

I believe leadership is the capacity to influence through inspiration,motivated by passion, generated by vision,produced by a conviction and ignited by purpose. Am a holder of Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and mass communication from Mount Kenya University.

FUN FACT

I love exploring especially going for hikes and nature walks

Bart kindles the vision and expands the possible for leaders via thought partnering and coaching. Bart is an executive coach, group facilitator. And entrepreneur who works with founders, C-levels, teams, and focused professionals.

Clients include Facebook, PwC, Wells Fargo, Stanford University, Pinterest, Cisco, Visa, HP, Slack, Pure Storage, Open Door, Harvard Business School, Blue Shield, and Johnson & Johnson.

Wielding the strength of purpose, stepping into power, and building powerful relationships are frequent fuel sources for clients. Bart partners across cultures, industries, and generations in India, China, and through Europe. His training and experience in neuroscience, philosophy, athletics, and management best practices open the door to engagement with his clients and nudges them to “hack this life”. Clients describe Bart as “deeply insightful, passionate, and incisive.”

Bart comes to coaching from the business side. He was a member of a senior leadership team. He has had P&L responsibility and accountability for delivering operational excellence in a number of companies in both established and start-up environments via leadership roles in product development, strategy, finance, merger integration, sales, and program management.

Bart graduated from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and holds a master’s degree in organizational behavior from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School.

The country manager for VSO’s programs in Kenya, George has over 20 years work experience in programs supporting youth, women and persons with disabilities.

George has MBA degree specializing in strategic management, BSc Agriculture, Education and Extension.

George currently serves as Executive Liaison for the prestigious Young African Leadership Initiative covering East and Central Africa under IREX. He has led and delivered projects under DFID, Ford Foundation; Deaf Child Worldwide; Act! ; USAID among others.

Formerly with UN-Habitat, Grace is a Registered Urban and Regional Planner with an interdisciplinary training and experience in management, finance, development and urban planning.

He has a rich career spanning many years working with governments, organizations and multiple donors.

He joins Sote Hub Board of Advisors and brings experience managing development projects and acceleration of our impacts to the most vulnerable young people.

Martha is a fintech & payments professional, a social entrepreneur and a philanthropist. A dual citizen of The Netherlands & Kenya, Martha considers herself a world citizen.

She is the founder of the EUROPEAN WOMEN PAYMENTS NETWORK (EWPN), the 1st and ONLY Pan-European network (community) dedicated to bringing together women from all EU/EEA member states, working in cards, fintech & payments. She has founded multiple organizations including Beyond Innocence Foundation and Wawida Education Fund.

Martha serves in Sote Hub Advisory Board where she is leveraging her experience and accomplishments in empowering women in technology and financial services in refining Sote Hub strategy in growing startups from rural hubs.

Catherine Kanyi is a business development professional with over 14 years of work experience.

She has worked with over 5 companies specializing in Commercial marketing, Capital markets Investments, Infrastructure Development, Trade and Commerce.

She offers a unique blend of business strategy, marketing and advertising prowess, investment analysis, portfolio management, business acumen and global insight into developing countries and international markets. She has a diverse experience environment having worked in East Africa, West Africa and South Africa.

Jack M. Juma is a technical advisor on organic standards and certification with over 17 years of working experience in Organic agriculture sector. Has had a wide range of experience in value chains development with a focus on the organic value chain, sector/ industry with the key being farmer training in organic production practices.

Has also helped developed organic certification project in a number of African countries as a consultant for example in Mauritius, Seychelles, Comoros, Madagascar, Zanzibar, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Liberia, Burkina Faso, as a lead consultant on organic hive products certification.

His Career Objective is to be a senior facilitator and researcher in environmental studies, organic agriculture and community development.

Joyce has over 7 years’ experience in development work both national and international. Previously working with VSO as a Project Officer, Joyce has extensive knowledge in project planning and management, community mobilizations, coaching and mentorship, Advocacy and Social accountability, community mobilization and youth engagement.

Joyce is very passionate about inclusion of young people in decision-making processes as well as their nurturing and empowerment for a greater tomorrow.

Julius Musyoki holds a Bachelors degree in Industrial Design from the University of Nairobi and is a practicing entrepreneur. He has over 20 years’ experience in development work, enterprise development, product design, market linkages, online presence and training of youth, women, persons with disabilities and community livelihood projects.

He worked and has served various organizations as a consultant and trainer, including; Actionaid, Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF), International Organization for Migration (IOM), En-Plus (Japan), UNDP/Kwale County government, Technical University of Mombasa, Oxfam/ ACT Institute, Actionaid, Micro Enterprise Support Program Trust (MESPT), Association for Persons with Disability Kenya (APDK), Kwacha Afrika, Kwetu Training Centre, GIZ-SoteHub Go-Blue project among others.

He is a Master Trainer, Consultant & Mentor specializing in Business Development Services (BDS), economic empowerment, product design & market linkage. Julius is a life member of the Red Cross Society of Kenya and also a member of local networks, including www.mombasaworks.com

He has being able to provide capacity building to over 150 Blue Economy Value chain MSMEs within counties of Mombasa and Kwale.

Meet Umulkulthum Musa Yeya, a Tutorial Fellow, Coordinator and BOM Member TUM-TVET Institute at the Technical University of Mombasa, a Mentor, Leader, Financial Manager, Facilitator and a Role Model to many.

She is currently pursuing PhD Business Administration (Finance), holds a Masters degree in Business Administration (Finance) and Bachelor of Commerce degree (Finance) from JKUAT. She is passionate about bettering the community through education and research by unlocking the potential of every person she interacts with, and optimal exploitation of marine resources.

She has being able to provide capacity building to over 100 Blue Economy Value chain MSMEs within counties of Kwale and Kilifi.

Mr. Joseph Maina is an enterprise development trainer, a project manager, a community mobilizer, a financial inclusion consultant, a economic empowerment program coordinator.

He has provided capacity building to over 50 Blue Economy Value chain MSMEs within counties of Taita Taveta.

Meet Grace Omusula Sembe, a certified Start and Improve your Business (SIYB) Trainer and Mentor by International Labor Organization.

She holds a Bachelor of Environmental Studies and Community Development in the School of Environmental Studies, Kenyatta University, and a certificate in Leadership Development and Mentorship from the Kenyatta University.

She has provided capacity building to over 100 Blue Economy Value chain MSMEs within counties of Mombasa and Kilifi.

Anthony Main, a certified Business mentor and IYB (Improve Your Business) Trainer from the International Labor Organization. He offers Business Mentorship to existing and potential entrepreneurs as an Enterprise Development Officer for Equity Bank Mombasa.

He currently holds a Masters of Business Administration (Mgt science). He is passionate about conservation and environment and is a life long member of the wildlife society and Red Cross Society groups in Kenya.

He has provided capacity building to over 100 Blue Economy Value chain MSMEs within counties of Mombasa and Kwale.

Jannat Abdallah, currently holds a Bachelor’s in Mass Communication from the INTI International University. She is one of the first few ladies from Lamu county to have been able to participate in the Youth and Exchange Study (YES) Program in USA. She was a pioneer from a very young age.

She is the Cabinet Secretary of the Blue Economy of Lamu Youth Assembly sponsored by the Oslo Centre. She aspires to be an Ambassador in future and believes the youths can carry the banner of changes in our countries’. She is a lover of the community and prides herself in giving back to the community and breaking all boundaries.

She provided capacity building to over 50 Blue Economy Value chain MSMEs within counties of Lamu.

David Muye has worked with many groups from startups/incubation stages to growth stages having worked in the microfinance industry for over 12 years now, he has gained a lot of expertise and exposure on many areas of MSMEs business development.

He is currently undertaking his Masters degree (MBA) in strategic Management. He also holds a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration (Microfinance Option), Diploma in Business Administration, Certified Credit Professional (CCP) Intermediate Level) Kasneb, and Certificate in Christian Ministries. In addition to this, he is a member of the Institute of Credit Management Kenya (ICM-K).

He has provided capacity building to over 50 Blue Economy Value chain MSMEs within counties of Kilifi.