Meet the People Behind PaaMoja
Titus Kuria - Founder
Titus “Tito” Kuria is a social innovator, youth development practitioner, and Founder of PaaMoja Initiative. Raised in Mathare, Nairobi, his lived experience continues to shape his long-standing commitment to expanding access to opportunity, leadership, and meaningful participation for underserved youth and families.
For nearly 20 years, Titus has worked across Mathare and other underserved communities all over the world, designing and leading practical, community-driven programs focused on education, leadership development, social impact, and youth empowerment. Through PaaMoja Initiative he has supported thousands of young people to strengthen their skills, access opportunities, lead community initiatives, and build pathways toward personal and collective growth.
His work bridges grassroots realities with broader regional and global learning experiences, having contributed to youth leadership and exchange programs in places including Hamburg, Dar es Salaam, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Njabini. Titus is also the Co-Founder of Canada-Mathare Education Trust (CMETrust), serves on the inaugural Board of the HALI Access Network, and the first African facilitator with The JUMP! Foundation. His work has been recognized through awards and fellowships including the UNEP–Bayer Young Environmental Envoy Fellowship and the Shujaa wa Mathare Education Champion Award.
Every Member, Every Role
Jesse Jacktone
PROGRAMS COORDINATOR
Jesse Jacktone is a passionate social entrepreneur and community development practitioner committed to creating sustainable solutions for underprivileged communities. As the Founder of Dare to Dream Africa and Programs Director at PaaMoja Initiative, he has led and supported impactful programs that advocate for children, women, and youth, promoting long-term resilience and improved livelihoods. He also served as a Kenyan Youth Delegate on the abolition of the death penalty. He was part of the Kenyan delegation at the 8th World Congress Against the Death Penalty in Berlin, Germany, in 2022.
Born in rural Kenya and raised in the Mathare slums, Jesse draws deeply from his lived experiences within one of the country’s largest informal settlements. His upbringing shaped his understanding of the challenges faced by marginalised communities and continues to inspire his commitment to driving meaningful change. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Mount Kenya University, which has contributed to the facilitation, design and implementation of various program curricula and strategies.
Jesse aspires to become a leading social entrepreneur, working to eradicate poverty and inspire hope among individuals in slums and rural areas. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with friends, watching movies, cycling, and exploring new places.
Doreen Njora
Doreen is a recent graduate of the University of Nairobi, holding a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work. She is also an alumna of Daraja Girls.
At PaaMoja Initiative, Doreen leads Monitoring and Evaluation, supports administrative functions, and serves as a senior facilitator. She is deeply passionate about menstrual health and actively advocates for mental health through expressive arts.
In her free time, she enjoys hiking, listening to good music, and volunteering in community initiatives and activities that reflect her commitment to personal growth and social impact.
Emmanuel A. Otieno
Emmanuel Otieno leads the communications and marketing strategy at PaaMoja Initiative, focusing on driving social impact through grassroots leadership and strategic storytelling. As a final-year Information Science student at the University of Nairobi, he bridges the gap between technical insight and practical community work.
His professional experience includes facilitating the Youth Ready Programme for World Vision and serving as a youth panellist at the Africa Urban Forum. Emmanuel has a proven track record in community mobilisation, from planning the CMETrust Walkathon for 600 participants to hosting high-profile international diplomatic delegations.
Emmanuel believes every young person can achieve their dream through trusting the journey, discipline, and consistency.
Agneta A. Odoyo
Agneta leads office design and workspace development and contributes to financial documentation, filing, and resource mobilization at PaaMoja Initiative, playing a key role in maintaining an organized, functional, and supportive work environment. She is a second-year student at United States International University–Africa (USIU-Africa), pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Finance, where her academic background complements her practical role in financial operations and resource mobilization.
Agneta is a youth empowerment facilitator and gender equality advocate, passionate about helping young people learn and thrive. Since joining PaaMoja Initiative in 2023, she has contributed to facilitating key programs that promote youth awareness, safety, and equality while amplifying young voices within the community. Beyond PaaMoja Initiative, she volunteers with Wezesha Kike! as a gender equality mainstreaming champion, supporting young women to build confidence and find their voices across different spaces. She is passionate about creating spaces where young people, especially young women, feel confident, supported, and free to grow into their full potential.
Yves Kamau
Yves serves as the Website Development Lead for PaaMoja Initiative, where he coordinates the overall look and content of the organization’s website. In this role, he identifies key features and design elements for the website, managing the creative direction and sharing these requirements with the website developer to ensure a functional and engaging user experience. He also oversees ongoing email management to maintain seamless digital communication for the initiative.
Currently specializing in Artificial Intelligence and Cyber Security at the university level, Yves applies his technical background to ensure that PaaMoja’s digital infrastructure is secure and efficient. He is a post-secondary scholar under the Canada Mathare Education Trust CMETrust and is dedicated to using digital tools to empower youth. Outside of his professional and academic work, he is an avid sports enthusiast who enjoys playing basketball and video games.
Mishel Wanjiru
Mishel Wanjiru drives inclusive strategies that strengthen youth-focused programs and organizational sustainability. She brings a facilitative leadership style grounded in equity, systems thinking, and results-driven community engagement.
A standout alumna of DIYEP Cohort 2, Mishel was recognized as the Best Female Participant for her leadership and impact, and was subsequently invited to join PaaMoja Initiative as a staff member.
She leads high-impact facilitation on gender equity, leadership, and inclusion, and designs practical tools that embed inclusive participation across programs. Her work ensures gender-responsive implementation, reporting, and communication standards across the organization. As a core facilitator, she contributes to strategic planning and program review processes.
Mishel also advances resource mobilization by identifying aligned funding opportunities, supporting proposal pipelines, and coordinating fundraising initiatives that enhance program reach and sustainability.
Driven by a clear mandate to build inclusive systems, unlock opportunities, and translate ideas into measurable community impact, she continues to create spaces where individuals and communities can thrive.
“Start where you are, use what you have, and grow as you go.”
Bavon Rawago
Bavon Rawago is an entrepreneurship professional and community development advocate with a degree in Entrepreneurship Studies from Moi University. Growing up in an environment with limited resources and opportunities shaped his resilience, leadership, and passion for creating meaningful social impact.
Bavon serves as a facilitator and leads rapporturing and organizational documentation. In this role, he plays a key role in capturing program impact and documenting learning experiences around community initiatives and youth-centered programs. His work helps preserve organizational knowledge while showcasing stories of transformation and positive change.
Driven by purpose, innovation, and service, Bavon embodies resilience, collaboration, and leadership, consistently striving to create opportunities and lasting positive change in the communities he serves.
Evans Otieno
Evans Otieno serves as the Office Manager at PaaMoja Initiative, where he is dedicated to maintaining a seamless and welcoming environment for our team and community. Driven by a deep commitment to service, Evans ensures that our physical space reflects the excellence and energy of the work being done within it.
Beyond his logistical and administrative oversight, Evans is motivated by a genuine desire to be an active part of the transformative change happening in the lives of young people. As an open-minded individual, he approaches every challenge with a solution-oriented mindset and a passion for community growth, making him an essential pillar of our day-to-day operations.
Esther Adhiambo
Esther is a journalist, digital communicator, and community advocate leveraging storytelling as a strategic tool for social change. As Social Media Lead at PaaMoja Initiative, she leads high-impact digital narratives that elevate education, gender equality, and youth empowerment positioning grassroots realities within broader global conversations.
She has contributed to the design and delivery of programmes advancing youth awareness, safety, and equality, equipping young people particularly girls with the agency, confidence, and tools to advocate for their rights. Her work centers on amplifying underrepresented voices and creating platforms where young people are not only heard, but influence change.
Beyond this, she serves as a Gender Equality Mainstreaming Champion with WezeshaKike!, supporting young women to lead, speak, and thrive across diverse spaces.
With a strong foundation in journalism and a growing focus on social innovation, Esther operates at the intersection of media, community, and impact driving solutions that are both locally grounded and globally relevant. She is a bold, strategic, and forward thinking leader committed to shaping narratives that inform, influence, and transform.
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PaaMoja
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Mathare Valley, Nairobi, Kenya
info@paamoja.org