Christian Maboko

When Christian was a child in Burundi, he believed the sun meant hope. But one morning, that light was shattered by the sound of bullets. Separated from his father and forced to flee civil war, he arrived in Kakuma refugee camp, Kenya. There, he endured extreme heat, hunger, and constant uncertainty. But one thing never left him: the dream of education.

Today, Christian is the founder of AridVitality, a youth-led initiative providing clean water access, women’s empowerment, and educational equity to underserved and displaced communities across Kenya. His work has helped over 3,600 people, including the installation of 12 manual water pumps in water-scarce areas, and the distribution of agricultural tools and skills training for refugee women.

At 16, he was named a Rise Global Winner, selected from over 55,000 applicants for his project using a biology textbook and his phone to design a reproductive health education programme to curb teen pregnancy in Kakuma. He also launched Women in Action, a tailoring and soap-making programme that has helped dozens of women generate income and support their children’s education.

In 2022, Christian earned a full scholarship to UWC Dilijan in Armenia, where he researched conflict resolution and mathematical logistics, spoke at the Central Bank of Armenia, and led a national water conservation campaign. He later raised over $5,000 for cancer patients and mentored hundreds of students globally through the Rise and StudentConnect programmes. As a Rise Global Ambassador, he has helped more than 300 students apply for scholarships and international opportunities.

Christian has represented refugee voices on the world stage, including at the World Water Week 2024 in Stockholm, where he presented on water as a tool for peace. He also participated in discussions at 10 Downing Street on the role of AI and technology in building equity for underserved youth.

Through AridVitality, Christian plans to scale solar-powered water pumps and launch large-scale refugee-led agriculture initiatives to reduce food aid dependence. He has already raised over $20,000 independently for clean water and shelter projects.

He is now headed to George Washington University in the United States on a full-ride scholarship to study international affairs, determined to become a diplomat and development leader advocating for refugee communities like his own.