Commonwealth announces 16 finalists for the 2020 Youth Awards
16 extraordinary individuals from 12 countries have been shortlisted for this year’s Commonwealth Young Person of the Year 2020. The list includes innovators, activists, and entrepreneurs.
The individuals were selected from the award’s top 4 regional categories by a Pan-Commonwealth judging panel.
The awards received more than 500 entries from 40 countries all over the globe. Top candidates from each region will be named as regional winners and 1 of the 4 regional winners will become the Commonwealth Young Person of the Year 2020.
All 16 finalists will each receive a trophy, a certificate and £1,000 to expand the scope of their projects.
The regional winners will earn a trip to London to attend the awards ceremony on 11 March 2020 and will receive £3,000. The overall Pan-Commonwealth winner will take home a total of £5,000.
The awards recognize outstanding young people whose innovative projects have made a real impact in helping their countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
The 2020 finalists, in alphabetical order by region and individual surname, are:
AFRICA AND EUROPE
Joshua Ebin (Nigeria)
Focus: SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production
Galabuzi Brian Kakembo (Uganda)
Focus: SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth
Salvatory Kessy (Tanzania)
Focus: SDG 4 – Quality Education
Elizabeth Wanjiru Wathuti (Kenya)
Focus: SDG 13 – Climate Action
ASIA
Sheikh Inzamamuzzaman (Bangladesh)
Focus: SDG 4 – Quality Education
Vedant Jain (India)
Focus: SDG 4 – Quality Education
Jaya Rajwani (Pakistan)
Focus: SDG 5 – Gender Equality
Hafiz Usama Tanveer (Pakistan)
Focus: SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation
CARIBBEAN AND CANADA
Lalita Gopaul (Guyana)
Focus: SDG 13 – Climate Action
Sowmyan Jegatheesan (Canada)
Focus: SDG 15 – Life on Land
Stephen McCubbin (Jamaica)
Focus: SDG 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Samuel Neil (Jamaica)
Focus: SDG 4 – Quality Education
PACIFIC
Sagufta Janif (Fiji)
Focus: SDG 12 – Responsible consumption and production
Broderick John Mervyn (Fiji)
Focus: SDG 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Rinesh Sharma (Fiji)
Focus: SDG 2 – Zero Hunger
Fusi Masina Tietie (Samoa)
Focus: SDG 5 – Gender Equality
Source : Communications Division
Commonwealth Secretariat