Eddy Oketch

Kenya

During 2007 post-election violence, Eddy founded Ongoza to bring an end to civil violence by enabling youth to become economically independent and champions of peace in Kenya. Eddy won the 2012 Impact Award from the Kenyan US Diaspora, the 2013 Africa Village’s Top 30 Under 30 Most Inspirational Young People in Africa and Salt’s 2015 top 30 under 30 Most Influential Youth in Africa. He founded The Oketch Gicheru Trust, offering education scholarships and mentorship to gifted and disadvantaged Kenyan youth. He vied for Migori Senate in 2017 as an independent; he emerged in second. Eddy is a graduate of the African Leadership Academy in South Africa, Singapore’s Oanda Pacific, Trinity College Hartford, and Yale University. He is a member of the African Leadership Network and UNESCO International Youth Peace Ambassador. He was the youngest speaker at the 2012 G8 Summit and the first cohort of the British Council Global Changemakers.