Stowelink Foundation is proud to celebrate a remarkable milestone achieved by our Mental Health Lead, Naila Chebet Koech, who has been recognized as an award winner at the NCD Alliance Kenya Media Awards 2025.

Naila received the award under the category Lived Experience Feature (Patient-Focused Storytelling)—a category dedicated to honouring powerful narratives that center patients’ voices, lived realities, dignity and access to care. The award recognizes storytelling that drives equity, amplifies marginalized voices and highlights gaps within health systems, particularly in relation to Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Championing Mental Health Through Lived Experience

Naila’s winning feature drew from her lived experience in mental health, using storytelling as a tool for advocacy, healing and systemic change. By sharing personal realities, her work challenges stigma, promotes empathy and encourages health-seeking behaviour, especially among communities that are often unheard or underserved.

Her story stood out for its authenticity and impact, demonstrating the power of lived experience in shaping public discourse, influencing policy conversations and humanizing health systems. It is a reminder that behind every statistic is a person whose voice matters.

Advancing NCD Advocacy at Stowelink Foundation

As the Mental Health Lead at Stowelink Foundation, Naila plays a critical role in advancing the organization’s mission to address non-communicable diseases through prevention, advocacy, community engagement and education. Her work spans mental health awareness, community trainings, digital health communication and partnerships aimed at strengthening people-centered health systems.

This award reflects not only Naila’s personal commitment to mental health advocacy but also Stowelink’s broader vision of leveraging storytelling, innovation and youth leadership to drive sustainable public health impact.

Celebrating Journalism That Drives Health Equity

The NCD Alliance Kenya Media Awards celebrate journalists, advocates and storytellers who use media to advance health equity, access and justice. By honouring patient-focused narratives, the awards elevate stories that inform policy, influence public understanding and contribute to more inclusive and responsive health systems.

Naila’s recognition highlights the importance of lived experience in NCD advocacy and reinforces the role of storytelling in shaping healthier, more equitable societies.

Gratitude and Looking Ahead

Naila extends her sincere appreciation to NCD Alliance Kenya for the recognition and to Women in Global Health for providing a platform that made it possible to share her lived experience story. She also acknowledges the mentors, colleagues and supporters who continue to stand with her in this journey.

At Stowelink Foundation, we are incredibly proud of Naila and celebrate this well-deserved achievement. As we continue our work in mental health and NCD advocacy, this milestone inspires us to keep centering people, stories and lived realities in all that we do.