Benjamin Chepkoit was born in Kabarnet, Kenya, in 1962. His father (Wilson, school principal), mother (Esther, housewife), and nine siblings spoke the tribal language, Kalenjin, and lived in the arid Kerio Valley. He tended goats and cows, gathered firewood, and fetched water 15 miles away.
After graduating from Kabarak High, Ben worked as a banker. In 1986, his village raised 186,000 Kenyan shillings ($1,860) to advance his education. He enrolled in Southeastern University, Washington, D.C., in 1987, and lived in an apartment with his wife and three brothers. After earning a few Ph.D.s, he worked in the Washington, D.C. area, California, the Middle East, and Kenya. Ben and his family live in Frederick. He is CEO of his own companies, Optima Business, Shiloh Healthcare, and A Caring Place. He is a volunteer chairman of ASIS Community nonprofit that educates poor Kenyan youths.
Memory Treasures
Benjamin Chepkoit is proud of his Kenyan roots, shown through the small Kenyan flag, bracelet, and magnet in the shape of the country. The shield and figures represent his tribe, the Kalenjin. He is also proud of his father, Wilson, a school teacher and community leader up until his death in 2019.