Tobacco is not just a health issue — it’s a justice issue. And if we’re going to win this battle, we must start by equipping those with the power to shift narratives: young people.
From June 3–5, I had the incredible honor of organizing and co-facilitating the Tobacco Control Champion (TCC) Masterclass, under our TIIDWI project at Stowelink Foundation— a bold initiative designed to track, expose, and counter tobacco industry interference across the continent.
Alongside Ogweno Stephen, Stowelink’s CEO, we led 15 youth through a deep dive into the tobacco industry in Africa, industry tactics, taxation, emerging nicotine products, evidence-based advocacy, and global frameworks like the WHO FCTC. These were not passive sessions — they were interactive, energizing, and rooted in lived advocacy experience.
I am especially proud that this masterclass was born out of training we ourselves received from the Africa Centre for Tobacco Industry Monitoring and Policy Research (ATIM). Ogweno participated in the ATIM training held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, while I took part in the session conducted in Entebbe, Uganda. We believe in cascading knowledge and building capacity at every level. TIIDWI is not just a watch initiative — it is a movement.
To all the brilliant minds who joined us: Thank you. You showed up, engaged deeply, and are now better equipped to shape policy, influence change, and hold industry accountable.
📍 And on a personal note, I am happy to share that I will be traveling to Ireland this month (22-25th June) to present the lessons we’ve learned implementing the Tobacco Industry Interference Digital Watch Initiative at the World Conference on Tobacco Control. We have a story worth telling — and I’m honored to tell it.
The road ahead is long, but together, we are building something unstoppable.
#TIIDWI2025 #WCTC2025
ODUOR KEVIN 