By Sevenstone Team
Across Africa, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension are rising rapidly yet they remain underfunded, misunderstood and often overlooked in public health systems.
For Ogweno Stephen, this gap was not theoretical.
It was personal.
In 2016, he founded Stowelink Foundation to address the growing burden of lifestyle diseases, particularly among young people who were largely excluded from prevention and care conversations.
What began as community-driven advocacy has since evolved into a multi-layered approach spanning policy, data and digital health innovation.
From Lived Experience to Systemic Action
Stephen’s journey was shaped by loss.
After losing close family members to preventable NCD complications, what began as frustration became a long-term commitment to addressing a system-wide failure affecting millions.
But building in public health came with unique challenges.
Early on, credibility was difficult to establish. Communities often misunderstood lifestyle diseases, while institutions lacked the data systems and funding structures to support prevention-focused work.
For years, the organization operated with little to no external funding, relying on partnerships, persistence and proof of impact.
The Turning Point: From Awareness to Policy Influence
The defining shift came when Stowelink’s work began influencing policy and systems-level change.
The organization contributed to:
- Tobacco and alcohol control policy
- Regulation of unhealthy food marketing to children
- Increased county-level funding for NCDs
- Conversations around universal health coverage for chronic diseases
This transition from awareness to policy impact repositioned Stowelink as both a community and systems actor.
Scaling Through Digital Health
In 2022, Stephen expanded this vision by launching Lifesten Health, a digital health platform designed to scale access to prevention and care.
The platform integrates:
- Data systems
- AI-driven tools
- Digital health solutions
Operating on a B2B subscription model, Lifesten has already impacted over 2 million people in just three years.
This combination of community insight and technology has enabled Stephen to bridge a critical gap: Connecting lived experience with scalable health solutions.
Scale and Impact
Today, the combined work of Stowelink and Lifesten reflects significant reach:
- 8 million+ people reached across 10 African countries
- 10,000+ youth advocates trained
- 1,200+ community sessions conducted
- 120,000 students impacted through school programs
- 300,000+ people reached through medical outreach
- 1.6 million individuals screened through health programs
The work spans community engagement, national policy and global platforms including collaborations with institutions such as the WHO and United Nations.
Rethinking Health Systems
One of the most important insights from Stephen’s journey is this: Health systems are often designed to treat illness not prevent it.
This creates structural barriers, including:
- Limited funding for prevention
- Bias toward clinical interventions
- Underrepresentation of African innovators in global health financing
Through his work, Stephen is advocating for a shift toward prevention-first health systems, supported by data, technology and community-driven insights.
The Builder Mindset
At the core of Stephen’s work is a simple but powerful belief: Health is not a privilege; it is a right.
This belief has guided decisions, sacrifices and long-term commitment. He moved away from a conventional career path, investing his time, resources and skills into building a mission-driven enterprise rooted in impact.
His definition of success has also evolved. It is no longer about awareness. It is about:
- Policy change
- Systems transformation
- Measurable improvements in access to care
What Comes Next
Looking ahead, Stephen is focused on:
- Scaling digital health access across Africa
- Expanding AI-powered diagnostics
- Strengthening prevention within universal health coverage systems
- Advocating for equitable access to treatment and care
The goal is clear:
To build health systems that are preventive, inclusive and scalable.
Faces of Enterprise
Ogweno Stephen is part of the Faces of Enterprise Season I Cohort, an initiative powered by Sevenstone Investments Management Limited.
This platform highlights founders building credible, systems-level solutions across Africa.
These are the builders’ shaping industries and, in this case, saving lives through systems change.