We’re so excited to introduce our 2025–26 Resilience Fellows! This year, our Resilience Fellowship is rooted in East Africa, bringing together an inspiring group of young changemakers for our Resilience Residential in Kenya.
The Resilience Fellowship is our flagship programme, a space where activists can strengthen their own resilience while learning how to pass it on. Through our train-the-trainer model, Fellows are given the tools to run their own 8–10 week Resilience Circles, creating spaces of care, support, and sustainable climate action within their communities and beyond.
Over the course of the programme, Fellows work in pairs and go on a transformational leadership journey, learning skills that will not only keep them going in their own activism, but to lift others up too.
From entrepreneurs to grassroots organisers, our 2025–26 Fellows are already making waves in their communities. What connects them is a bold vision for a more just, kind, and sustainable future.
Meet the incredible young leaders we’re lucky to be working with this year:
Arnord Kinyanjui Njambi
Arnord cares deeply about building supportive communities where everyone can thrive, no matter the challenges they face. From guiding his peers in high school to raising mental health awareness in local churches, he’s been creating spaces of care from an early age. Arnord is also a proud scout—his tree-planting work has shaped his belief that resilience is something we grow together, both personally and collectively.
Cheruiyot Kevin Rotich
Cheruiyot brings his background in Environmental Studies into action through natural resource conservation and community engagement. Inspired by the legacy of Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathai, he’s passionate about protecting the environment while uplifting communities. His dream? A future where resilience and climate action go hand-in-hand, ensuring that people and the planet can thrive for generations to come.
Cynthia Achieng
Cynthia is a Community Health Assistant who’s all about making healthcare more accessible, especially in underserved communities. She works closely with health teams to provide essential services and support vulnerable groups, while also championing environmental sustainability. For Cynthia, caring for the planet is deeply connected to caring for people—because true wellbeing means looking after our mental, physical, and emotional health together.
Denis Taban Okeny
Denis is a young refugee, climate advocate, and founder of the Kakuma Eco Bag Initiative—a project that turns waste into eco-friendly bags while creating training and jobs for young people in Kakuma. His work tackles both environmental and social challenges, proving that climate action can also mean community empowerment. Denis believes young people have the power to shape the future, and he’s committed to equipping them with the tools and confidence to lead change.
Ivy Nyaboke Nyagwoka
Ivy is a passionate mental health advocate who’s always encouraging those around her to prioritise their wellbeing. Living in an area heavily polluted by plastics and polythene bags has fuelled her climate anxiety—and pushed her to take action. By joining the Resilience Fellowship, Ivy is ready to turn that worry into impact and step up as a voice for cleaner, healthier communities and a more sustainable future.
Jobita Sheryl Margaret Achieng
Sheryl is a community health advocate from Kenya, passionate about youth empowerment, mental wellbeing, and climate justice. She creates safe spaces for young people to share, learn coping skills, and support one another. Inspired by the impact of environmental and social challenges on vulnerable communities, Sheryl is dedicated to raising awareness about climate change and building resilience. She also enjoys mentoring peers and collaborating with youth changemakers to design sustainable solutions.
Michael Caltone Otieno Agugo
Caltone is a business development and marketing researcher from Kenya who thrives on movement, connection, and learning from different perspectives. Inspired by travel and stories from across cultures, he channels his curiosity into climate action. For him, climate anxiety isn’t paralyzing—it’s a spark to advocate, collaborate, and build resilient communities ready to adapt and thrive.
Natalie Bullut
Natalie is a recent law graduate and climate advocate from Nairobi. She co-founded Mviringo Africa, a youth-led initiative promoting waste management, circular economy solutions, and climate education. From school recycling programs to community cleanups, Natalie is passionate about giving young people a voice in climate action, while also supporting mental health as a lay provider for high school students.
Ndung’u Jewel Karungari
Jewel is a lawyer and climate justice advocate from Nairobi, committed to building resilient, sustainable communities. She leads programs on circular economy and climate education at Mviringo Africa, and supports youth civic participation through Kenya Ni Mimi. Grounded in African realities, Jewel combines advocacy, storytelling, and community care to empower young changemakers and strengthen resilience.
Peninah Kanana Gikunda
Kanana is a JKUAT graduate from Meru, Kenya, passionate about coaching, travel, and creating spaces where people feel seen and supported. She connects mental health with climate action, helping young people navigate the uncertainty and anxieties of a changing world. Kanana is dedicated to holding space for youth to process challenges, activate resilience, and find hope.
Prince Shambach Kinyanjui
Shambach is a purpose-driven leader from Kenya, passionate about creating global impact through strategy, diplomacy, and climate resilience. Inspired by the close connection between people and nature in her community, he thrives on building bridges, turning ideas into action, and inspiring others to make a difference. Adaptable and innovative, he sees the future as something to shape and create.
Sadak Abdirahman Mohamud
Sadak is a refugee leader and social entrepreneur from Kakuma Refugee Camp. He founded Kakuma Eco-Bag, a youth-led initiative that trains young people to make eco-friendly packaging, reducing plastic waste and creating local jobs. Passionate about climate action and youth empowerment, Sadak helps young people develop skills and confidence to tackle social and environmental challenges, building resilience and lasting community impact.
Stacy Roberts Navibia
Stacy is a youth advocate and counsellor passionate about helping young people activate resilience in the face of today’s challenges. With a background in Counselling Psychology, she works at the intersection of mental health, sexual and reproductive health, and climate justice. Stacy supports school programs, resilience circles, and advocacy that create safe spaces for youth to learn, heal, and lead. She believes that small acts of resilience can spark lasting change.
Victor Baraza
Victor is a Public Relations Officer with Tinada Youth Action Africa, using storytelling, advocacy, and youth engagement to drive sustainable development. He focuses on the connections between climate change, mental health, and community resilience, using communication and digital media to amplify grassroots voices and inspire action across East Africa.
