This Is
Al Kags
I am a serial social entrepreneur who is heavily invested in finding ways that make the world a better place. With a background in Brand Strategy, I am passionate about finding ways to build lasting brands. That’s not all. I am a writer, podcaster, poet and many other things.
At the end of the day, it is hard to place me neatly in a box.
I am just Al Kags.
About Me
Call me
Al
Al is a brand strategist, serial entrepreneur and consummate champion of openness and social good. His life embodies ‘big picture thinking’ and living for a higher purpose.
Al is the founder of the Open Institute, an African organisation that works with governments and civil society organisations to promote open government and citizen engagement.
Primarily, Al works across sub-Saharan Africa but contributes to global open government movements. He also sits on the Technical Advisory Committee of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data (GPSDD) and serves on the board of Publish What You Fund and Thellesi Co.
Al also is a writer, poet and podcaster. One of his enduring passions is talking to people who were young in the 1930s, 40s and 50s and sharing the stories that they tell him, in a series called Living Memories. It was first a book and now it is a podcast.
Achievements
As AN OPEN ADVOCATE
Al Kags been involved in advocacy for transparency and accountability (openness in general) since 2011, when he led Kenya’s efforts to become the first county in Africa to open up its data through the Kenya Open Data Initiative.
He has taken that passion to many other parts of the world including, Ghana, Tanzania, Moldova and many other countries. Al has been involved in the Open Government Partnership, the Open Data Charter and he now sits on the Technical Advisory Group of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data.
His view is that when governments are transparent and responsive, citizens have power to guide how they would like their development to be implemented.
Brand strategist
As a brand strategist, Al has been involved in the development of many brands over the years. Some of these brands include Kenya Community Development Foundation (the largest community development foundation in Kenya), Imarika Sacco and many others. He is also passionate about working with people to build their personal brands.
WRITER, POET, HISTORY BUFF
I am a passionate writer and poet. I have been blogging since 2006 (check out my first ever blog post in 2006). I have been published in various newspapers and magazines over the years – since 2004, when I contributed and designed Expression Today newspaper.
In 2009, I published a book, Living Memories as part of my passion as a history buff – I speak to ordinary people who were young adults in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. I write some of the stories I am told and now they are narrated in a podcast called Living Memories, the Podcast with Al Kags.
