Crowned in Purpose, Rooted in Service _ A Conversation With Sam Kirabo | Episode 4
Stories That Make Leadership Sing: Sam Kirabo on Service and Becoming
In Nairobi, a conversation with Sam Kirabo unfolded like a meditation on gifts, leadership, and service. His very name carries meaning, Kirabo translates as “gift,” or nechi cho ncho mgenu in his language, and it is a name he embodies in both word and deed.
When asked about the gifts he possesses, Kirabo responded with humility and reflection. “There are many gifts,” he admitted, “but I know there are certain things God has given me that I am able to share with the world.” With a smile, he added, “You have two hands. One is dominant. My dominant hand is the support hand.”
Kirabo recalled how, years earlier, he was called to an office to consider whether he could support its work. Looking back, he realized this posture of support had been present since his days at campus, whether in worship at St. Francis Chapel, serving in music spaces, or simply showing up to enable others. “It’s almost a disease, availability,” he joked. “You’re in Nairobi and stuck? Call me. Even when I’m not physically present, I’ll find a way. That’s my strongest gift: to help people do what God has called them to do.”
The conversation was timely. CivSource Africa and CivLegacy Foundation are preparing for the inaugural Leaders’ Gala and Ball, an event built on the conviction that when leaders are well, organizations and communities thrive. In this spirit, Kirabo’s reflections on leadership provided a fitting prelude to the celebration.
Introducing himself, he described his life in Nairobi with characteristic warmth: “It’s always exciting when you come, tea or coffee must be had!” His connection to CivSource dates back to 2018–2019, a period that deepened his leadership awareness. Yet when asked when he first led, his answer was immediate: “Leading myself.”
That journey crystallized at Worship Harvest’s Harvest Institute in 2018, a year-long leadership program grounded in readings, John Maxwell’s classic works among them, and practical experiences such as forming a missional community, building a Sunday service tech team, and empowering others. “If I don’t lead myself,” Kirabo reflected, “I may not be able to lead others. Sometimes self-leadership is telling yourself: get up, shower, brush your teeth, and go do the work.” That season also birthed his book, Funding Your Dream.
At CivSource Africa, Kirabo served as right-hand support in the CEO’s office. His role was clear: show initiative, conduct research, map paths forward, and help the entire team succeed. One moment stayed with him: being told in a meeting that while he was not technical “…yet,” the addition of that single word transformed how he saw himself. From then on, he tackled assignments with confidence, whether it meant navigating unfamiliar travel, researching partners, or preparing dossiers that enabled quicker decisions.
Stories of his quiet yet critical presence abound. At one CivSource retreat in Chobe, he anticipated a forgotten need: thank-you cards used to appreciate staff. Without being asked, he had already brought them. “Supporting leaders is learning who they are, anticipating their needs, and meeting the need before it’s spoken,” he said. Such anticipation became a hallmark of his service. His trustworthiness extended so far that he was entrusted with the CEO’s family life, including caring for her children in moments of need. “I am here because of CivSource,” Kirabo insisted.
To him, leadership is less about titles and more about helping others become. He described it as discipleship: a “life-on-life walk,” as ordinary as reminding someone to use deodorant or buying new shoes for a volunteer. Citing John Maxwell, “everything rises and falls on leadership”, he emphasized that enabling one person often unlocks many more. He spoke with joy about a volunteer he trained who now leads sound at Worship Harvest Naira, a living example of multiplying impact.
With CivSource Africa preparing to mark its eighth anniversary on October 1, 2025, Kirabo offered three reflections. First, celebrate people: “Your work is done by people. Celebrate presence, celebrate gifts, celebrate who people are.” Second, respect everyone and build family: “You treated security, kitchen, and cleaning staff like family, the same tea as the CEO. That isn’t common. It builds belonging.” The third, he noted with a smile, was still on its way to him, promising it would return in due time.
Threaded through his life are the small, unglamorous acts that make big things possible: a phone call made, a room set, research completed, a thank-you card placed in hand at just the right time. He does not seek the spotlight. “Everyone has something like this,” he explained. “Name your gift. Then go all the way with it.”
For him, the dominant hand is not the one that grasps recognition, but the one that steadies others so they can shine. It is this spirit the Leaders’ Gala and Ball seeks to honour, leadership that serves, sustains, and uplifts communities.
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Quotable Quotes
“My dominant hand is support, the gift God gave me to help others do what they’re called to do.”
“If I don’t lead myself, I won’t be able to lead others.”
“Anticipation is a form of care: meet the need before it’s spoken.”
“When I succeed in my work, everyone succeeds.”
“Leadership is helping others become, ordinary practices that change outcomes.”
“Everything rises and falls on leadership. If I move, others can move.”
“Honor the whole body, security, kitchen, cleaning, CEO, same tea.”
“Celebrate people: gifts, presence, and who they are.”
“CivSource is woven into my family’s Nairobi story; it can’t be told without you.”
“To make leadership about yourself is to abuse leadership.”
“Name your gift, then go all the way with it.”
“Recruit, train, hand it over, enable one and you unlock many.”