Samaké finished high school at Lycée Prosper Kamara in Bamako, and continued his studies at École Normale Supérieure of Bamako, where he received a bachelor's degree in Teaching English as a Second Language. After completing school, finding no jobs, Samaké worked as a volunteer teacher in his village for the next three years. He also worked for the Ouélessébougou-Utah Alliance, an organization founded by Utahns in 1985 to partner with local Malians to improve heath, educational, and economic opportunities in the country. He supported himself during this time by working as a linguistic and cultural guide for the Peace Corps and Ouélessébougou Alliance. This brought him in contact with a couple from Colorado who were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Jeff and Gretchen Winston, who were impressed by Samaké's work ethic and his devotion to his community.
