Stephane Lupulu is one of those rare people who makes the people around him better by osmosis. I knew that pretty much as soon as I met him at an IT convention I was covering as a freelance reporter about four years ago. And that chance meeting proved the old adage "there are no small stories, just desperate reporters at random events for the free meals" to be one hundred percent on the money.

You see, I met Stephane during breakfast on the event's second day. Within minutes, I knew I had to write about him. His story was obviously that important. And since it essentially fell into my lap while I was at breakfast...well, it really was the rare confluence of genuine human interest and my desire to do as little labor as possible merging into my work being done for the day before I had finished my first coffee. Needless to say, I love this guy.

It isn't every day you get to kick back and chill and do your part to save a continent. Stephane moved to the US from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) right after high school. He came by himself. No money. No English. But I definitely wouldn't say "no clue."

Stephane knew exactly what he wanted. He had always been passionate about technology. But get this: He took six years worth of computer classes back in Congo BUT THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY COMPUTERS. He and his classmates literally read about computers and learned about them on a completely theoretical level. Every school day. For six years. 

Today he is pursuing his master's degree at the University of Texas at Dallas in Business Analytics. The recent UTD graduate is laser focused on developing the skills and connections he will need to help him complete his larger mission: bringing his knowledge back to Africa and helping to create a tech savvy generation of African children.

Yes, he thinks big. And, yes, he has lofty goals. And they are definitely bigger than any one man. But Stephane is also definitely doing a lot more than just about any one man.

It's a helluva story.

Also in this episode: Mr. Podcasting II blows a feature story about penis milk.