Nyakim Gatwech’s parents lived in Maiwut, South Sudan, before they fled the South Sudanese civil war to Gambela, Ethiopia where Nyakim was born. From there, they migrated to Kenya where they lived in refugee camps, until they finally migrated to the US, when she was 14 years old. Originally settling in Buffalo, New York, Nyakim later moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota. She has stated that, while she has never been to South Sudan, she considers herself South Sudanese. She considered a modelling career after taking part in a fashion show at St. Cloud State University. She has appeared in promotional posters for the 2017 film "Jigsaw".