Nick was born and raised in Kenya. He received a bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering, focused on complex social networks, collective behaviors, and technology adoption, is studying Civic Leadership at Wagner College in New York, and took an online course on Sexual Health Advocacy Communications Techniques from Johns Hopkins University. As the Director and Founder of Paradigm Youth Network Organization, he is responsible for the provision of strategic leadership, research, networking, resource mobilization, project development and management, and developing successful monitoring, evaluation, and reporting tools for projects focusing on disadvantaged and marginalized communities in rural Siaya County in Kenya.

Since becoming a Young Leader, Nick is proud he had the chance to speak at a session titled “Youth, tech, and the future of global health” at Devex World 2018 in Washington D.C. Through his work, he is helping run a peer health exchange program in colleges in Siaya County, training students on safe sexual lifestyles to help empowering them with knowledge, skills, and resources to make healthy and informed decisions. He also was selected as one of the Mandela Washington Fellows for 2018 through the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, a flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) that empowers young people through academic coursework, leadership training, and networking in the U.S. Additionally, Nick designed LucyBot, a Facebook Messenger chatbot that disseminate HIV/AIDS and sexual health education information with an aim of improving access to family planning options, including contraceptives and services, and boosting peer-to-peer content, information sharing, and interactivity to reduce teenage pregnancy, unsafe abortions, and the transmission of sexual infections among adolescent girls aged 13-24 years in Kenya.

To him, “meaningful youth engagement” means young people are involved in challenging actions to create positive social change.

In his free time, Nick enjoys cooking for his family, mountain hikes, and boat rides with his spouse and son.

What inspires you to do the work you do?

To see how the work we do at Paradigm Youth Network Organization affects the vulnerable youth in society and seeing them growing personally and become better leaders in their core societies.

Who is someone you admire?

Katja Iversen — CEO of Women Deliver

Please share a favorite quote.

“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart." — Nelson Mandela