keep identifying new young leaders changing the world. Since over 50 years back, the Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP) has been galvanizing young people to address the world’s most widespread issues—anything from financial inequality and climate change to joblessness, conflict, and destitution. The two-yearly awards celebrate outstanding individuals with bold vision and thoughts that are reshaping societies and inspiring the future generation of change leaders.
Every year, the Commonwealth Youth Awards celebrate tales of change, survival, and impact. The recipients gain international recognition, cash awards, and grant funding to scale up their project to a greater extent with a predisposition towards new opportunities and connections. Most of the award winners say the award is a life-changing experience in addition to offering resources, as it gives them a platform to present the world of their work.
One of the more recent history-making winners, and one of the first, is Stanley Anigbogu, Nigeria‘s current Commonwealth Young Person of the Year. Stanley helped start social enterprise LightEd, which converts plastic waste into solar-powered charging points. The charging points offer clean energy to more than 10,000 refugees in Africa, allowing people who reside in rural villages to charge mobile phones, lamps, and small devices—often the only source of electricity. His groundbreaking work has been showcased globally. Stanley has already taken environmental sustainability and humanitarian response collaborative work to new heights with his winnings.
Maya Kirti Nanan is also Trinidad and Tobago‘s 2023 Star Award winner. She founded the Autism Siblings and Friends Network, a nonprofit that provides youth with disabilities access to opportunities. Her facility, Rahul’s Clubhouse, offers affordable social events and autism therapy. Her efforts have already impacted more than 10,000 citizens of her home country in a positive way, which indicates the impact of youth programs filling gaps in much-needed services.
Sagufta Janif, winner of the 2020 Fiji, has built a career in Pacific economic empowerment and sustainability. Her line of work spans environmental protection to sustainable growth, micro and small businesses, women’s empowerment, and local communities. With the promotion of green methods and access to markets, Sagufta has improved its resilience against climate change and economic shocks in the Pacific.
It is also what drives Sowmyan Jegatheesan’s project as the 2020 Canada and Caribbean region winner. He developed SystemaNaturae.org, a global online forum sharing information on wildlife research, projects, and migration. With more than 38,000 subscribers, the forum helps communities to comprehend climate effects, track human-wildlife conflict, and make sound choices on conservation and sustainability.
Peacebuilding is the greatest achievement of Achaleke Christian Leke in Cameroon. The 2016 laureate founded Local Youth Corner Cameroon, a non-governmental organization that is committed to building peace in conflict-affected areas such as the Lake Chad Basin. Achaleke used the award amounts to expand innovative programs such as Prison-preneur, which empowers prisoners to become entrepreneurs and peacemakers. His work has touched over 5,000 inmates in eight prisons and made him a world name as an ambassador; for example, he was recognized as an African Union Youth Ambassador for Peace and a National Anti-Corruption Commission member in Cameroon.
The Commonwealth Youth Awards not only reward outstanding achievements such as these but also provide them with tangible support to enable them to continue. The finalist shortlisted for each receives a trophy, certificate, and £1,000 award. Winners in each region are also awarded an extra £2,000, and the Commonwealth Young Person of the Year receives £5,000 to continue working. A new award this year, the Patsy Robertson Award for Outstanding Communications Skills, has been introduced to honor young communicators whose work in the media has special consideration for sustainable development and peace. The Commonwealth Association-funded award consists of a trophy, a certificate, and a grant of £1,000 in tribute to the late Patsy Robertson, a leading Commonwealth spokesperson who fought for justice and equality.
And through these awards, the Commonwealth is investing in tomorrow’s leaders once again, and not merely giving them compensation but empowering them with knowledge and resources to deliver their best. From solar power and wildlife protection to social inclusion and peace-building, these young change-leaders demonstrate that true solutions to the ills of our world so rarely begin with visionary, risk-taking leadership at the grassroots level.
