John grew up in a small village adjacent to the Serengeti National Park. He only got the chance to go primary school and when he left school at 16, he had to find a life for himself. John got a job as a driver for an anti-poaching team in his home area. This experience sparked a passion in John to protect wildlife and the nature. He worked his way up from driver to anti-poaching scout then a community development officer in southern Serengeti, and also in western Tanzania, where poaching was particularly dangerous due to many of the poachers being armed with AK47's, and the masses of refugees from Rwanda creating a demand for bush meat. In 2005, John was sponsored to go to Pasiansi Wildlife Management College, where he became a qualified anti-poaching officer. After that, he returned to Serengeti as a field officer again and back into wildlife protection.

John has the key attributes to being a platoon leader - extremely dedicated to his role, a caring and considerate leader, and a passion for protecting wildlife.