Submitted by Peter Maina
Mr. Maina started working at Kenya Rangelands Ecological Monitoring (currently Department of Resource Survey and Remote Sensing) then a division of Wildlife Management Department (predecessor of Kenya Wildlife Service -KWS) in 1981 after A-Levels.
Until late 1980s all English speaking African Wildlife Professionals (Game Wardens) were trained at the College of Wildlife Management, which had undergraduate and Graduate programs in Wildlife Management at Mweka, Moshi, Tanzania. I obtained a two year Diploma in Wildlife Management in 1985. A month after graduating I proceeded to Regional Center for Remote Sensing, Kasarani, Nairobi for a Certificate in Satellite Remote Sensing.
My quest for Remote Sensing Sciences was driven by strong beliefs in studying and monitoring Wildlife Habitats which I still believe is a greater threat to wildlife and natural ecosystems than poaching. Degradation of Natural Ecosystem contributes greatly to Climate Change.
In 1988, I graduated with a BSc in Natural Resources Management from Colorado State University -Warner College of Natural Resources (https://warnercnr.colostate.edu ), and then in 1990-1992 worked as Management Planner at KWS under Dr. Richard Leakey, where I introduced use of GIS/Remote Sensing as tools for Park planning and Habitat Management, and produce eight (8) year model Management plan for Amboseli National Park.
This project was part of national wildlife management funding initiative spearhead by World Bank that raised $150m. After completing this project, KWS allowed me to proceeded to Rutgers- The State University of New Jersey for MSc. at Rutgers – Center for Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis (https://crssa.rutgers.edu/index.html ) through 1998 where I studied and worked as a Graduate Research Assistant- Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences (DMCS) towards PhD in Satellite Data Systems. While waiting to have grants renewed to complete my studies I took to consulting as GIS/Remote Sensing Analyst.
In 1992 I had gotten certified as a Computer Systems Analyst after training at Sun Microsystems training facility in Columbia Maryland. Sun Microsystems, Inc. (bought by Oracle Systems in 2010) was an American technology company that sold computers, software, and information technology services and created the Java programming language, the Solaris operating system, ZFS, the Network File System, and SPARC microprocessors.
In 1998 to 1999 I was consulting as GIS/Remote Sensing Specialist for ELSON T. KILLAM ASSOCIATES, INC. a New Jersey Civil and Environmental Engineering firm. At the same time I trained for certificate in Computer Network Management at ITM ( https://www.itmsys.net/ ) and got certified as Computer Network Manager.
The Computer Networking skills from this training led to Network Installing contract from Quest (CenturyLink- now Lumen) to install Internet for small businesses in the New York Metro Area, Boston Metro, Parts of Connecticut through Delaware and down to Baltimore Maryland.
In 2000, I incorporate GeoNet Communications Limited in Kenya as the founding CEO. We obtained Internet Service Provider License from Communications Commission of Kenya and started delivering Internet bandwidth through Satellite link between Nairobi and New York.
In 2005 GeoNet Communications Group, Inc was incorporated in the USA to be a holding company of all GeoNet operating companies in Kenya. We obtained Tier II Telecommunication Licenses from Communications Commission of Kenya (today Communications Authority of Kenya – CA), that includes International Gateway Services to link Kenya to the outside world.
In 2008 GeoNet became a Certified global Telecom by USA- Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
As President and CEO of GeoNet Group, I am involved in setting corporate technical and fiscal goals. On the technical side, GeoNet has created state-of-art mobile voice/chatting Apps that bridges the divide between modern and legacy telecom networks common in developing world. Both GeoSafari and iTana mobile Voice and SMS/IM Applications.
Using our Apps, one can receive and send voice from legacy wire line phone networks where the remote side does not have internet connection. Unlike common chat Apps like Telegram and WhatsApp, GeoNet Apps can receive and send both SMS and IM. GeoNet next big project is rolling our 4G/5G/WiFi network for every homestead in five (5) counties of Kenya. This new $150m network will cover between 10%-16% of Kenya’s population.
SOCIAL LIFE
Since a freshman in secondary school to A-level High School Graduation I led Wildlife Clubs and Christian unions. In my world, Nature Conservancy and exercise of faith in Judeo-Christian God (God of Israel) went hand in hand and they still do. Good Earth Stewardship is to me a virtue.
By the time I graduated from Mweka I had led a congregation of 20% of the college population. At Colorado State University I founded International Christian Fellowship and got inducted/ordained into ministry formally at Resurrection Fellowship (www.rez.church ) 1987.
In 1993 I became founding Pastor of Kenya Christian Fellowship, NJ and 1995 to 1998 was associate Pastor of Faith Evangelistic Ministry of Greater New York Metro, after I founded a nondenominational Grace Life International Ministries (GLIM). GLIM supports other churches in gospel outreach, missionaries, and Community Development.
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