A Kenyan is among 16 finalists from 12 countries who have been announced for the Commonwealth Youth Awards 2020.
Elizabeth Wanjiru Wathuti is the founder of the ‘Green Generation Initiative’ which focuses on promoting environmental education and food security in schools,particularly by encouraging a tree growing culture and through its ‘adopt a tree’ campaign.
Her initiative has so far helped plant 30,000 tree seedlings in more than 40 schools.
She has also enabled the training of more than 20,000 school children to be environmentally conscious across seven counties.
The 16 individuals picked include innovators, activists and entrepreneurs.
A Pan-Commonwealth judging panel met last week and selected the top individuals in each of the award’s four regional categories.
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.
All 16 finalists will each receive a trophy, a certificate and £1,000 (Sh131,000) to expand the scope of their projects.
The regional winners will each earn a trip to London to attend the awards ceremony on March 11, 2020, and will receive £3,000 (Sh394,000).
The overall pan-Commonwealth winner will take home a total of £5,000 (Sh657,000).
The awards recognise outstanding young people whose innovative projects have made a real impact in helping their countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
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.”
