Non‑Communicable Diseases (NCDs) at The Stowelink Foundation
From community roots to global policy—our mission is clear: to end the NCD epidemic through awareness, access, and action
Championing Health Equity One Community at a Time
Fighting non-communicable diseases through youth-led innovation, education, research, and advocacy.
Why NCDs? Why Now?
NCDs like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases cause over 70% of deaths globally. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the youth are the most overlooked—yet most affected.
Our approach fills that gap—by empowering the next generation to lead the charge
Our Work on NCDs
Community → Innovation → Policy
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
From local neighborhoods to national institutions, we bring life-saving NCD education, screening, and leadership directly to the people.
Health Education & Awareness Projects
NCDs 365 Campaign: Daily (5 yr Project) health messages shared across 80+ countries — 4.5M+ impressions globally
MyHeart KE Project: Cardiovascular health awareness campaigns, community talks & art — 300,000+ reached
Drug Free Youth & Poetry Contests: Creative campaigns against tobacco and alcohol use linked to NCDs — 350,000+ reached in 3 weeks
Coz I’m Happy Mental Health Project: Peer-led mental health awareness in campuses and online — 302,793 youth reached
Peer-led Workshops, School Clubs & Community Organizing
NCD Youth Champions National Tour: Recruited 39+ institutions and organizations into grassroots NCD work
Peer Clubs & Ambassadors: Over 1,533 youth trained in health clubs, with active follow-up and outreach
Save a Life, Save a World Project: Linking youth to GBV and SRHR awareness through partnerships with JOOTRH and ACU
Community Screenings & Medical Camps
May Measurement Month: Hypertension screenings in 4 counties — 1,013 screened (2025)
Vihiga County NCD Clinics: Clinic support with diagnostic tools and referral systems during COVID-19 disruption
Campus Wellness Campaigns & Local Health Drives: 15+ medical camps conducted, 7.5M reached cumulatively
POLICY & ADVOCACY
We don’t just raise voices. We shape policy and push for lasting systems change for NCD prevention and care.
Collaborative Policy Influence
IPAB Project (Vihiga County): Youth-led policy asks submitted to government; county NCD budget increased from 5% to 11%
National Stakeholder Convenings: Front-of-pack labeling forums, healthy food roundtables, and GBV-NCD linkage dialogues
NCDs in the Workplace Strategy: Research and policy design for corporate wellness programs (pending rollout)
Our Advocacy Pillars
- Youth Participation in Policy
Supporting youth-led development of policy briefs and active seats in health advisory councils
- Access to Diagnostics
Advocating for free or subsidized annual NCD screenings under national health insurance coverage
- Trans Fat Elimination
Supporting legislative action to eliminate industrial trans fats in food products sold in Africa
- Tobacco & Alcohol Control
Backing WHO FCTC-aligned fiscal policies: taxation, advertising bans, plain packaging and youth protection
- Food Labeling & Ad Regulations
Calling for mandatory front-of-pack labelling, restrictions on unhealthy food marketing to children
INNOVATION FOR IMPACT
We rethink how health is learned—using tech, games, storytelling, and digital content to educate and inspire action.
Multimedia & Creative Content
Africa NCD Champions Podcast:
Top 10 African Health Podcast on Apple (2023); 60+ episodes with patients, experts, and youth voices
Animated Explainers & Infographics: 365 posters, videos, SMS blasts on NCD prevention and lifestyle
Lived Experience Campaigns: Storytelling content shared with WHO-AFRO, UN Youth Office & global networks
Offline Learning & Community Innovations
NCDs Board Games: Patented interactive game teaching NCD risk factors in schools and community centers
Poetry, Music & Art Contests: From Drug Free Youth to #LindaBuruWein—youth express health messages creatively
Training Modules & Curricula: Developed in partnership with University of Manchester, used nationwide
Digital Tools & Platforms
NCDs 365 Mobile App: Interactive app sharing preventive NCD tips, stories, and tools — 2,800+ users
MyHeart KE App / mCure: Real-time BP tracking and cardiovascular risk guidance (in upgrade stage)
Online Training Platform & Virtual Webinars: Modules delivered to counties, schools, and health workers
What We Offer: Technical Expertise
Stowelink brings a unique blend of youth-led innovation, health system expertise, and scalable program models across the non-communicable diseases (NCDs) space.
Health Program Design & Implementation
Designing and executing end-to-end NCD prevention programs
Community diagnostics, outreach, and mobile screening camps
Peer-led education, school club models, and youth engagement strategies
Example: MyHeart KE, Coz I’m Happy Mental Health Campaign, NCD Youth Champions Program
Data Collection, Research & M&E
Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices (KAP) surveys & baseline studies
Development of data dashboards, reports & policy briefs
Impact evaluation and community needs assessments
Example: Vihiga County IPAB Project, NCDs & Climate Health Research, NCD Budget Advocacy Reports
Digital Health Solutions & Tools
Custom development of mobile apps and platforms (e.g. mCure, NCDs 365)
Integration of tele-counseling, SMS health education, and online support groups
Deployment of digital health innovations for low-resource settings
Policy Advocacy & Stakeholder Engagement
Drafting policy recommendations and facilitating stakeholder roundtables
Youth-led development and presentation of NCD policy asks
Advocacy for legislative action on trans fats, alcohol, tobacco, and unhealthy foods
Example: Front-of-Pack Labelling Forums, Vihiga NCD Budget Increase (5% → 11%), Trans Fat Limit Co-drafting
Creative Health Communication Campaigns
Design of multimedia campaigns using poetry, gamification, board games, and animation
Production of localized, youth-centered digital content
Execution of continent-wide awareness initiatives and contests
Example: Africa NCD Champions Podcast, Drug Free Youth Poetry Contest, NCDs Board Game
NCD Curriculum & Capacity Building
Co-creation of CPD-accredited NCD training modules for schools & communities
Development of user-friendly learning tools for health literacy
Delivery of youth-friendly training workshops and leadership bootcamps
Example: Stowelink NCDs Training Module, Stowelink’s CPD approved online course
Impact Highlights
“In every region, we’ve turned awareness into action.”
Over 10 Million Reached Globally via campaigns, trainings, and digital channels
300,000+ Screened or Sensitized in medical camps & health talks
80+ Organizations Engaged across 10 countries
100+ Young Advocates Trained as NCD champions
Collaboration Opportunities
Stowelink invites partners ready to:
Implement and Scale NCD Solutions
Co-design and deliver innovative NCD projects—ranging from digital health tools to mobile screenings and health education campaigns.
Reach Underserved Communities
Bring health programs to the last mile—connecting hard-to-reach populations with diagnostics, awareness, and early care services.
Empower Youth in Health Leadership
Engage youth in advocacy, research, and peer education—building a new generation of NCD champions across Africa.
Whether you’re a ministry, health provider, donor, tech firm, or youth-led org—we want to work with you
Stowelink Foundation 