Joseph Lekuton was born in a cow-dung hut to a tribe of Maasai nomads in rural Kenya. In 2003 he graduated with a master's degree in educational policy from Harvard University. His exceptional journey between those two moments and beyond has allowed him to embrace—and bridge—both cultures.
When he was about six years old, Lekuton entered boarding school. During school vacations, he searched to locate his nomadic family. "They might be 8 kilometers [5 miles] away or 80 [50], I never knew." But thanks to those vacations, Lekuton's tribal life and school life were able to move on parallel paths. "I could be a dedicated student, but also herd cattle and go through traditional initiation ceremonies in my village, eventually becoming a full Maasai
