[Includes Video] Read on for Chris's story, then stay tuned for a video behind the scenes of his most recent Kenya trip at the end of this post.
I never thought I'd end up painting a computer lab in rural Western Kenya for work - until Cisco made it possible.
I've been in the Cisco orbit for most of my career - as a customer, partner and even competitor. After joining as an employee, one of the biggest surprises was discovering some of the amazing programs that empower employees to give back. One benefit, Time2Give, changed everything. It's 80 hours of paid time off each year to volunteer with causes that matter to us, in addition to our regular paid time off. My team didn't just allow me to use these hours - they actively supported and encouraged me to take the time.
As a result, I found myself over 7000 miles from home at the Wema Academy, a rural school near Bungoma, Kenya. With 500-plus students, Wema's mission is to educate, feed, and empower children from the community. A nonprofit organization called Engineers Without Borders (EWB) had already been supporting clean water and renewable energy projects at the campus for several years. As an existing member of EWB since grad school, I had only helped manage projects remotely and never thought I'd have the chance to be part of a travel team. When the opportunity came, I didn't hesitate.
The First Trip - "Welcome Home"
When I arrived in Kenya, the school directors greeted me with two words I'll never forget: "Welcome home." As an African American who had never set foot on the continent of Africa, those words hit deeply. It wasn't just hospitality - it was belonging.
That trip was raw, challenging, and incredible. While I was the only Cisco volunteer that year, I had the privilege of working alongside experienced civil and environmental engineers. My project? To rebuild Wema's Information and Communications Technology (ICT) facility - what most of us just call a computer lab.
Except the "computer lab" turned out to be a large gritty room with only three desktops that were over a decade old, had no connection to the Internet, and were full of enough dust to create a small desert. Before I could even start to think about bringing in new technology, I realized we would have to gut the entire room. With a little help from staff and a few students, we patched cracks in the floors, sealed water leaks in the roof, repaired broken benches, and put a fresh coat of paint on the walls and desks. Finally, I was able to set up the seven donated laptops that my team painstakingly helped get through numerous checkpoints within backpacks.
The students' curiosity made every minute worth it. Growing up, so much of what I saw in media portrayed African kids as hungry or in need. However, these students weren't in need of food - they were hungry for knowledge. They wanted to learn about computers, explore careers in tech, and understand the world beyond their village. Every time I tried to wrap up work for the day, they'd beg, "Can we have computer class tomorrow?"
And no matter how tired I was, I always said yes.
The Return - Turning One Mission into a Movement
When we left in 2023, the school directors said, "Come back - and next time bring more friends from Cisco."
While I had no concrete plan yet, I promised to make it happen.
In 2025, we delivered on that promise. With the wonderful support of EWB, Cisco Kenya, and Cisco's Inclusive Communities - Connected Black Professionals and Conexión - we returned to expand the impact. As a team, we improved the aging clean water system, expanded the solar system to power the entire campus, added new computers for remote learning classes, and flooded the dark schoolyards with automated lighting so the girls can walk safely to the dorms at night.
Trust me, it wasn't easy. Between political protests, slow supply chains, and plenty of "make-do" moments, we learned to improvise, adapt, and laugh through it all. But somewhere between power outages, painting sessions, and late-night campus walks, we built more than infrastructure - we built relationships.
Lessons From Wema
What struck me most wasn't what they lacked, but what they have: optimism, resilience, and joy. These students don't have phones or fast Wi-Fi, but they have immense drive. Every handshake, every smile said, "We're ready to learn. Just give us the chance." It makes you rethink what your "problems" really are. In my country, kids will complain about not having the latest thousand-dollar iPhone. In rural Kenya, kids are happy just to have the chance to learn, connect, and dream beyond their village.
Beyond these profound lessons, Kenya offered another unforgettable experience: a group safari to Maasai Mara National Reserve at the end of our trip. Watching giraffes, elephants, and lions roam free in the savannah while I was protected in my cage (aka Land Rover) was surreal. Kenya truly flips your sense of the world in all the right ways.
The Road Ahead
We're not done. In 2026, I plan to launch a mentorship program that pairs experienced Cisco employees with senior students at Wema via Webex. In addition, I want to keep the momentum alive by bringing more Cisco teammates to Kenya and other communities that EWB serves in Africa and Latin America.
At Cisco, giving back can take you places you never imagined - and connect you to people who change your life in return.
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