Ogweno Stephen joined the Amref Health Africa Board in the second quarter of 2026, marking a significant milestone in his long-standing relationship with the organisation and his work in public health. The appointment follows his service as a resource person to the Kenyan board, where he contributed strategic and public health perspectives, and makes him the first youth representative to serve on the Amref board.

His appointment represents an important progression from youth engagement to a formal role in organisational governance. It also creates an opportunity to bring the perspectives of younger generations, public health practitioners and communities into discussions that shape the future of health in Africa.

A journey from youth volunteer to board member

Ogweno’s relationship with Amref began in 2016, when he joined the organisation as a youth volunteer. Over the years, his engagement developed alongside his growing experience in public health, research, advocacy and health systems strengthening.

In 2024, he began serving as a resource person to the Kenyan board, providing strategic perspectives informed by his experience working across public health programmes and community-level implementation. This role allowed him to contribute to board discussions while bringing insights from his work with young people, civil society and communities affected by preventable diseases.

His transition to board membership in Q2 2026 marks the next chapter in that journey. It reflects the value of sustained youth engagement and the importance of creating meaningful pathways through which young people can contribute to institutional leadership and decision-making.

Bringing public health and community perspectives to governance

As a public health practitioner, researcher and health advocate, Ogweno has built his work around addressing some of Africa’s most pressing health challenges, particularly non-communicable diseases (NCDs), obesity, health equity and the strengthening of health systems.

He is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Stowelink Foundation, a youth-led public health organisation working to advance health equity and prevent NCDs in Kenya and across Africa. Through this work, he has been involved in research, policy advocacy, health communication and community-led initiatives aimed at improving health outcomes.

His experience also includes work on digital health, implementation research and the role of policy and political processes in shaping access to health services. These areas provide a practical foundation for contributing to conversations about how health organisations can respond to changing population needs, strengthen partnerships and deliver sustainable impact.

Importantly, his contribution to public health is also informed by lived experience. Having experienced obesity and weight stigma, Ogweno has consistently advocated for health systems that treat people with dignity and recognise the knowledge and perspectives of those directly affected by health conditions. His work promotes a model of health leadership in which communities are not simply beneficiaries of interventions but active participants in shaping policies, programmes and services.

Why youth representation in health leadership matters

Africa’s health challenges are evolving, and the decisions made by health institutions today will have lasting consequences for future generations. Young people are among those most affected by these decisions, yet their perspectives are not always adequately represented in the spaces where organisational priorities and strategies are shaped.

Ogweno’s appointment as the first youth representative on the Amref board is therefore significant beyond the individual achievement. It demonstrates the importance of moving youth engagement beyond consultation and participation in activities towards meaningful representation in leadership and governance.

Youth representation brings perspectives shaped by emerging health priorities, changing social and economic realities, technological developments and the experiences of communities that are often underserved. It also creates opportunities for stronger connections between institutional strategy and the realities faced by young people and frontline communities.

For Ogweno, this responsibility builds on his long-standing commitment to ensuring that public health decisions are informed by evidence, community experience and the voices of people whose lives are directly affected by them.

Looking ahead

Joining the Amref Health Africa Board marks a new chapter in Ogweno Stephen’s contribution to public health leadership. Having progressed from youth volunteer in 2016, to resource person to the Kenyan board in 2024, and now to board member in 2026, his journey illustrates the importance of sustained engagement and opportunities for young leaders to grow into positions of institutional responsibility.

As he takes on this role, his experience in public health research, NCD prevention, health advocacy, youth engagement and community-led approaches will inform his contribution to the organisation’s broader work.

The appointment is also a reminder that building stronger health systems requires more than technical expertise. It requires leadership that understands communities, values different forms of knowledge and creates space for the next generation to help shape the decisions that affect Africa’s health future.