Moi University student honoured by Queen Elizabeth II

Sixty youth from across the Commonwealth nations were invited to the prestigious Buckingham Palace on June 29 and awarded the Queens’ Young Leaders Award by Queen Elizabeth II herself. Among them was Towett Ng’etich, a Bsc. Communications and Public Relations student at Moi University.

Towett runs a startup called ‘Uthabiti’ (uthabiti.org), whose main aim is to fight counterfeit medicines and health products by creating access to safe medicines and health products to the crowded urban spaces population.

“We have a mobile app listing pharmacies registered by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Kenya. Patients are able to access information on the product of their wish, which nearby store has it and at how much just by logging in, and then placing an order and waiting for it to be delivered,” Ng’etich said in a recent interview.

On meeting the Queen, the 21-year-old says (in a post on his Facebook timeline):

“Never had I thought I’d stand before the greatest and oldest monarch, the Head of Commonwealth and Head of the United Kingdom - Her Majesty The Queen. I’ve never felt weak yet so strong, so small yet so big. Being recognized as a part of the youth who are driving positive change in their communities across the Commonwealth Countries was a humbling experience.”

The Queen’s Young Leaders Award recognises people between the ages of 18-29 from across the Commonwealth with projects in tackling global issues such as education, climate change, gender equality, mental health, disability and equality.