CNN Hero of the Year nominee reflects on her journey and Quad-City ties

She now runs an agency that builds computer labs in African schools and is a nominee for the 2022 CNN Hero of the Year Award.

The Mogotio, Kenya, native is founder and CEO of TechLit Africa, which uses recycled technology to build the labs.

Cheboi describes her time at Augustana in Rock Island as “transformational.” Since graduating in 2016, she said, the college has been a “constant donor” to TechLit Africa, which has built 10 computer labs in rural Kenya and is working on 100 more.

“This place is home,” she said of the Quad-Cities. “Having such unconditional support from here has been really important.” 

Though Cheboi said she’s trained herself against getting her hopes too high, the CNN nomination is getting real.

“What I appreciate about the recognition is CNN actually coming to the ground, capturing the stories of our students and my upbringing,” she said.

If Cheboi wins the award’s $100,000 prize, she plans to establish salary pay and an administrative fund for TechLit Africa, as it operates on a volunteer basis. This would allow her and her staff to expand and do more.

“Most of our fundraising has been on shipping, because shipping in the computers and getting them to the grounds is very expensive. I think fundraising for administration is a bit harder, bringing yourself to tell someone, ‘Hey, give us money for our salaries,’ so we haven’t gotten to it,” she said. “We spend most of our time on the ground, building the labs and working with the kids, so I’m excited to really be able to focus on that if we win.”

Aside from the CNN nomination, Cheboi also earned Augustana’s Richard A. Swanson Humanitarian Award in 2021 and was a social impact leader in Forbes Magazine’s 2022 “30 under 30” list.

“This journey is hard. You keep thinking that people will just fall in love with your vision and help you,” she said. “My motivation was enough to keep me going, but recognitions like these that say, ‘Hey, we are seeing you and applauding you to keep going’ mean a lot.”

2022 CNN Hero of the Year voting is open through Tuesday, Dec. 6 at https://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cnn.heroes/vote/10/. One can cast 10 votes every day until deadline; the winner will be revealed live on CNN at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11.

Education inspires action 

Cheboi attended Augustana on a full academic scholarship. During her junior year, she raised enough money to build a school in Kenya — a move initially prompted by the need to support her family.

“I grew up in poverty, so we struggled with food and basic needs. The house we grew up in was not safe at all,” Cheboi said. “Initially, I wanted to build my family a house, but my paychecks weren’t a lot. I had about $1,000 saved a year in, so I rented them a place and bought furniture, because we had nothing to save from my childhood home. So the idea to build the school was just an extension of that.”

Cheboi worked weekend janitorial shifts on campus and took cafeteria shifts during the week. Recognizing her limited income, she decided to branch out and explore other options to both help her family and find sustainable solutions to poverty in her community

“I realized, if I’m constantly sending money to my home, I’ll never be able to work on my community,” she said. “I thought if I built a school, parents will pay for their students to go there, right? They’re paying about $10 a month. That’s enough to keep the school running, paying for teachers, stationery and food. What’s left can support my family.”

Cheboi also started a GoFundMe and got help from her former host family — Jane and former Augustana president Steve Bahls. 

“Jane would often introduce me to others; it opened up a network for them to learn about my work. I already had people working on the school and had to get creative on how to pay for them,” she said. “I was able to finish the school and have kids moved in by the next academic year.”

Cheboi’s school now serves around 300 students and has grown to four stories.

Steve Bahls said being part of Cheboi’s life has been an “incredible privilege.”

“She’s a true role model for Augustana students and all young people,” he said. “I remember when she arrived here. It was on a hot summer day and she had a winter coat on, because she was told it’s cold in the U.S. To see this uncertain woman from Africa grow into an international leader has been a real thrill.”

Bahls described Cheboi as “one of the most remarkable people” he’s met.

“When someone you’ve known for years is singled out as one of the top difference-makers in the world, at one level, it’s surprising,” he said. “But when she sets her mind to something, there’s no stopping her.  She’s overcome so many disadvantages growing up that she doesn’t take no for an answer. So, at another level, I wasn’t (surprised) at all, knowing anything is possible with Nelly.”

Given her talents, Bahls feels Cheboi could head a high-tech corporation if she wanted to.

“But she’s committed to helping her community out of poverty,” he said. “It’s really an example of service-over-self.”

Computers into communities 

Also during her junior year, Cheboi stumbled into the world of computer science while taking an introductory course for her math degree — something she said “sharpened” her vision for TechLit Africa. 

She fell in love with coding and started seeing opportunities to help her community via the technology industry.

“Most kids growing up in Kenya don’t know anything about computers or the tech world. They’re graduating into the world not knowing about this awesome resource, so I thought: OK. I already have a school, how can I bring this into the community?” she said. “Rural Africans lack opportunities to make a living. There’s no upward mobility or jobs locally.”

But digital skills provide global career opportunities, Cheboi said.

“If you can code, you can work remotely for any company in the world,” she said. “And do that while staying in their communities. Any income they make will then improve that community.”

Establishing that pipeline is no longer a theory, Cheboi said, noting one of her teachers now has a remote job for a company in California.

“One of our fifth-grade students right now made his own website with HTML and CSS. The coolest part is that his website now has tutorials, so he’s teaching others as he’s learning,” she said. “It’s been really awesome to see these theories of change become reality.”

Cheboi’s nomination isn’t the first time CNN Hero of the Year saw local ties, as Living Lands & Waters founder Chad Pregracke won the award in 2013, which had a big impact on his efforts.

“I can only wish the same for Cheboi,” Pregracke said. “The Quad-Cities community is vast in talent and offerings. It doesn’t surprise me that Augustana recognized her abilities, and she came here to further her education and has gone to do so many wonderful things.”

Reflecting on Cheboi’s impact in the technological sphere, Pregracke gave kudos.

“What she’s doing to recycle computers to keep them out of landfills is very impressive,” he said. “But what she’s doing with those parts, building computers for kids in Africa, teaching them how to use it and giving them educational opportunities and hope — that’s simply amazing, and it’s transforming lives.”

Since living with the host family, Cheboi returns to the Bahls home each year to celebrate Thanksgiving, reminding her that she always has a home in the Quad-Cities.

“For four years, Augustana and the Quad-Cities were home for me; it was America for me,” she said. “I think this place is very nurturing. You feel supported; the atmosphere is just so positive and inspiring.”