Albert Nashon Interview
Who is Albert Nashon?
A God fearing person, founded on independent thinking and doesn’t fear to fail 1000 times until the impossible comes to pass. Hates stereotyping with a passion and loves visionaries. I am a creative and spontaneous thinker, a social entrepreneur who seldom gives up on what I believe in as achievable.
How was your childhood like?
I grew up in Nairobi Kenya born in Jericho but mostly experienced my prime youth life in Huruma – a currently densely populated neighborhood. I stood out in every gathering, taking charge of any teams and or projects within my territory. Creating imitations of everything from safari rally cars, to videos under the bed using negative slides from the old version photo prints to building a television antennae and connecting live electrical wiring that blew out on us and switched off power and hiding until, oooooooh my dad realizes it was just the circuit breaker and tomorrow I would be back on it. I was scared of nothing apart from the opposite sex and wouldn’t pass anywhere near their company – too shy for that. I could mobilize over 30 children in the neighborhood have a weekend expedition out that last 6 hours every Saturday religiously – there was always a new idea somewhere.
What is Slumcode group all about?
My idea worth sharing habit saw me put up a small computer and stationery shop in the neighbourhood and ended up being the 1st to install internet in a low income zone using very expensive analogue modem connection when I was only 28. I begun scribbling the Slumcode idea on a note pad in the year 2003 and it came to be 3 years later.
The Slumcode Group was founded on the premise of grass root empowerment for under privileged majorities in Kenya. I felt Young people needed a new wave and school of thought from the ordinary self help projects and I could do a better job connecting them to my networks elsewhere and adding value right where access would have little or no challenges – hence the Slumcode Centre drive.
In the last 7 years, we have moved into building projects and brands that will stand the test of time and serve many.
What has been Slumcode Group’s biggest achievement?
Building a platform for sustainable community development through our services and products has seen brands like Slumfest™, Slumidia™ and WiFED Kenya take root and increases visibility of our initiative across the globe. Hosting The Grand Slumfest 1 – 6 and now planning the 7th is our winning resource mobilization strategy which has seen an increased involvement, support and engagement of community youth in development agendas. This concept has attracted Nokia Research Africa, Google Africa and now Huawei Technologies to assist in realizing our Dream of The SLIC Lab – The Slumcode Innovate Creative ICT Hub in a low income community by 2015 as a Millennium Development Goals winner.
Slumfest has been going on for 6 years now. Please explain the purpose of this project?
Slumfest was conceptualized to attract resource partners – private, public and corporate; towards youth initiatives and build support for grass root empowerment and partnerships. This event has been held annually since the year 2007 under the mantra – a place to showcase, platform to inform and day to display. It’s based on a specific theme pegged onto an International Calender event such as International Youth Day, World Aids Day, Stand Up! Shout Out! and World literacy Day. It rallies support for interaction, linkages, networking and business between Industry Leaders and Young Entrepreneurs. Slumfest has revolutionized both informal and formal approaches to engaging youth for sustainable development. Key beneficiaries are youth from less privileged communities who mingle with business leaders and industry best practice.
Welcoming Mr. President to the launch of the Kenya Youth Employment and Empowerment Summit 2010
What entrepreneurship Trait can you share with me based on your experience?
Possibilities are infinite just as necessity is the mother of invention. The path to success relies heavily on understanding the Cash flow quadrant E.S.B.I principle and predetermining what one is made of. Employee, Self employed, Business owner, or Investor. Innovation is the key to 21st century success in life and more opportunities keep getting created through private practice. I am a firm believer in private practice to allow for versatility.
Where do you see Slumcode group 5 years from now?
By, 2018 The Slumcode Group will not only have many strategic partners across the World, but will have formed into a great consultancy and enterprise complete with a globally accredited centre of excellence with facilities to accommodate youth from across the Globe on matters of Leadership, Business and Innovation.
You have been mentored by the likes of Dr. James Copple, Mr. Luis, and Mr Emmanuel Dennis just to name a few. What can you say is the importance of youth mentorship?
Mentorship is a process of growth and development, however one must have a preset idea of whom they want to be, where they want to go and what they intend to achieve for mentors to shape and mould a success story out of. Youth must therefore focus on self branding to become real success based on wise counsel. As they say, them who know not where they go follow any path (my version)
You very passionate about youth development, how did that develop?
Innovation and Creativity swayed my thought process into a burning desire to want my contribution and value addition towards the economy and having my name alongside the great men of this world. Building dependable brands has therefore informed my every move as a 21st century agenda. Stories from my community on the numbers of desperate and near sighted young people has served to stimulate and catalyze this passion.
You quit your job of 11 years to start a business, how was that experience for you?
Traumatizing – What! It was a move against all odds. No one believed I could do such a “dumb” thing, quit a government job and go into private practice and more so community based – what could be more nuts, but to my advantage I used this as a constant reminder that I must succeed, not only to prove a point but to live my passion and dream of building a winning team, concept and initiative. And 7 years down the line – I have done and achieved much more than those 11 years and to add on – with gladness.
MOU Signing with Huawei to sponsor the Slumfest 7 ICT Summit 2013
What advice would you like to give to aspiring young entrepreneurship?
Have a PLAN- Purposeful Logical Agenda Now and pursue your dreams disregarding all side shows that indicate otherwise, success is a process and none was ever realized on a silver platter. To be either a business owner or an Investor is the way to ultimate freedom – your assets must work for you.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
Over and above all, God makes it tick for me Jer 29:11 and the fact that mere men have done amazing things, whom am I not to be of great service to the multitudes. I love it when I walk in the streets and society has my imprints with many who can relate to my giving of what I have.
How has the response been from the communities that you have worked with?
When they asked me to run for public office in the year 2007 – I was amazed, but also soon realized that dynamics are different, various forces work at different levels and focus on servant leadership has become a rule for me. The respect here is accorded despite the age differences from various other leaders in society, public churches, schools and other entities, our dream is possible and Huruma will be transformed. A great relationship with local leaders, administration and stakeholders is key to success.
As an entrepreneur what challenges did u have to overcome?
My academic background based on family challenges has never been at the levels I would expect. Combining great ideas, putting together a trusted team and winning the attention of Industry Leaders has been humbling and overtly challenging. Pitching an idea conceived in the mind to many who “know it all” has given me the most challenges and still passionately held to my position hoping to get support and financial backing – not many investors will put their bet on new unproven projects, but the confidence of presentation has always won the day for me. At moments your Team may walk out on you, give up or become exhausted and impatient with the vision – hang on always as the last man standing. Packaging a concept is one fundamental approach to business development I had to learn the hard way, thanks to an open mind, research and seriously paying attention to detail.
Who would you say are your 3 role models in Africa?
Ms. Wangare Maathai
Mr. Mandela Nelson “Madiba”
Prof. Chinua Achebe
Mr. Emmanuel Jal
What would you say are some of the challenges facing African youth and how can these be addressed?
Political Transition – a paradigm shift must accompany the quest for new leadership. African youth create too many stumbling blocks for each other, hence a very slow transition into new transformational leadership.
Brain Drain – we must begin to kill the desire to go abroad; save for education and experience related missions. Africans must build Africa and tap onto the rich resource for its own development.
Civil War – Many happenings still depict Africa as unsafe destination and the youth are not coming out to brand Africa as a bread basket, we must engage and hold hands together and stop civil strife for heavens sake this is the 21st Century, why would rural Kenya still have people who have not access to basic education, cattle rustling still remains a news item and political injustices the order of the day? A new order can only be lived if youth speak ONE LANGUAGE.
What music are you listening to at the moment?
Zouke and Old school reggae.
What are you favorite hangout spots in Kenya
The Great Rift Valley and South Coast – Mombasa. Numerous places in these zones.
What book has shaped your line of thought in a huge way?
From 3rd World to 1st – the Singapore story by Lee Kuan Yew
Where and how can people get hold of you?
www.slumcode.com | +254 722 60 44 51 | +254 733 60 44 51| [email protected]
