Amara Nwuneli, a Nigerian founder of the youth-led climate education NGO “Preserve Our Roots”, has emerged winner of Under 17’s category of the Canon Young Champion of the Year Award at the 2024 Global Good Awards.
Jahaan Arora and Shri Akshayaa Lakshmikumar, the founder of “HERglobal”, an international nonprofit working to destigmatise women’s health, primarily in Uganda, both won the Under 25’s category.
The announcement of this year’s Global Good Awards was made at the awards ceremony which took place at BMA House, headquarters of the British Medical Association in London, amongst the 17 categories Company of Year, which went to Octopus Energy and Wild World, going to South West Peatland Project.
For the fifth consecutive year, the Canon Young Champion category of the Global Good Awards, the only youth dedicated category, recognised inspiring young leaders from across the world. The category was originally inspired by the Canon Young People Programme, which gives young people the knowledge, skills and confidence to tackle the sustainability issues that matter to them using creativity and critical thinking.
To determine this year’s Canon Young Champion of the Year Award winner, a panel of judges gathered in London, including Executive Director at UN Global Compact Network UK, Steve Kenzie; 2023 Canon Young Champion of the Year finalist, Jodie Bailey-Ho; and photographer and Canon Ambassador, Laura El Tantawy. In addition to her judging position Laura will provide a masterclass in storytelling for this year’s winners, helping to support the photography and communication of the initiatives young leaders are running.
This year’s Canon Young Champions will each receive a Canon EOS R50 Content Creator Kit and will take part in a masterclass with Laura. Shortlisted finalists will also receive certificate, sustainably made medal and a joint masterclass with Laura.
“It is essential for organisations like Canon to play their part in supporting and recognizing the personal development and progress of young changemakers and by collaborating with the Global Good Awards, we work to achieve this goal. Something that stood out to me in the Canon Young Champion applications this year is that each finalist has set up at least one programme or a series of programmes to combat issues that affect their community and their peers. I congratulate this year’s Canon Young Champions for their exceptional work supporting their communities across the world,” says Adam Pensotti, Head of the Canon Young People Programme and Social Initiatives.
Under 17’s category winner, Amara Nwuneli
Amara from Nigeria is the founder of Preserve Our Roots, a by-youth, for-youth NGO and Social Movement engaging a global audience in climate education and action. Waking up to find her home flooded in Lagos, Nigeria, motivated Amara to support the rebuilding of schools damaged by floods and engage in fundraising drives for marginalised communities lacking access to climate education.
Amara said: “I am not just a climate activist. I am not just a Philanthropist or student. I am not just a daughter, dancer, poet, or avid nature freak. I am a representation of my natural world and my ancestors that once inhabited it. I truly believe in the power of youth because I have seen with my own eyes the change, I have been able to make through my story and the stories I help tell. have been blessed with the opportunity to see the magnitude of which a simple idea can positively impact people’s lives.”
Under 25’s winner Shri Akshayaa Lakshmikumar
Shri, joint winner of the Under 25’s category, is the founder of HERglobal, an international nonprofit dedicated to destigmatising women’s health on an international scale. Her focus is primarily on cervical cancer prevention and screening through educational awareness campaigns with major hospitals, access to free screening in rural communities, free HPV vaccination for young girls, and empowering women to act of their health.
So far Shri’s work is primarily in Uganda, but HERglobal is rapidly expanding to other countries. HERglobal takes a unique, hands-on approach to women’s health advocacy and ensures that our method of communication and initiative is accessible, inclusive, and beneficial to the women we work to support.
Under 25’s winner, Jahaan Arora
Jahan was recognised as the joint winner of the Under 25’s category. He launched multiple initiatives, including the 1 million meals programme, where 6,000 children collected grain donating half a million meals to 1,000 orphans in his local village in India.
He said: “I was so touched at our last school visit, where a child wrote and recited to me a poem about hunger and another shared how an eight-year-old child like him can now make a difference to hunger. It’s quite overwhelming, and empowering.”
