DHAKA, Feb 19, 2020 (BSS) – Sixteen extraordinary individuals, including
innovators, activists and entrepreneurs from 12 countries, have been
shortlisted for this year’s Commonwealth Youth Awards.
Each of all 16 finalists will receive a trophy, a certificate and £1,000 to
expand the scope of their projects, said a press release received here today.
The winners will each earn a trip to London to attend the awards ceremony
on March 11, 2020 and will receive £3,000. The overall pan-Commonwealth
winner will take home a total of £5,000.
In Asia, Sheikh Inzamamuzzaman from Bangladesh, Vedant Jain from India
while Jaya Rajwani and Hafiz Usama Tanveer from Pakistan have been
shortlisted for the award.
According to C’wealth, Inzamamuzzaman’s focus was on SDG 4-Quality
Education. He is the founder of ‘Study Buddy’; a start-up that provides an
alternative learning platform to children with learning difficulties and
their parents. Using interactive approaches such as augmented reality and
gaming, the platform conducts personal assessments to match each child with
unique learning methodologies and then connects the child with relevant
learning tools and special needs professionals.
His programme has so far supported more than 800 children and more than
1,000 parents.
A pan-Commonwealth judging panel met last week and selected the top
individuals in each of the award’s four regional categories.
This year, the awards received more than 500 entries from 40 countries. Of
those shortlisted, the top candidate from each region will be named as a
regional winner. One of these four regional winners will become the
Commonwealth Young Person of the Year 2020.
The judging panel included high commissioners, development experts and
youth leaders from across the Commonwealth.
The awards recognise outstanding young people whose innovative projects
have made a real impact in helping their countries achieve the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDG).
The Commonwealth’s head of social policy development Layne Robinson said:
“Their talent paired with tangible solutions sends a strong signal that they
should be equal partners in the development agenda, not passive allies.
“With now only 10 years remaining to implement the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development, the Commonwealth takes great pleasure in bringing
these young people’s invaluable efforts to the global stage so their
leadership can inspire others and accelerate meaningful youth participation.”
Other shortlisted winners are Joshua Ebin (Nigeria), Galabuzi Brian Kakembo
(Uganda), Salvatory Kessy (Tanzania), Elizabeth Wanjiru Wathuti (Kenya),
Lalita Gopaul (Guyana), Sowmyan Jegatheesan (Canada) Stephen McCubbin
(Jamaica), Samuel Neil (Jamaica), Sagufta Janif (Fiji), Broderick John Mervyn
(Fiji), Rinesh Sharma (Fiji) and Fusi Masina Tietie (Samoa).