Two Bangladesh nationals are among 17 finalists drawn from 13 countries for the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Awards.
They are Towfique Ahmad Khan and Ukhengching Marma.
Towfique is a social entrepreneur who founded the South Asian Society and launched the “Girls for Global Goals” campaign.
His work has empowered 600 young girls with knowledge about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), expanding to 4,500 volunteers organising over 500 programmes and projects. He has also been behind the "Know your SDGs" campaign to raise awareness, which has also reached out to 42,000 young people.
Ukhengching runs the Menstruation Hygiene Campaign, an intervention programme aimed at empowering indigenous adolescent girls to live healthier lives. She has been able to reach out to around 700 girls to raise awareness about sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Seventeen young changemakers from 13 countries are in the running to be named “Commonwealth Young Person of the Year” at an awards ceremony on March 15 at Marlborough House in London, UNB reported.
The Commonwealth Youth Awards for Excellence in Development Work celebrate outstanding adolescents and young adults aged between 15 to 29 from Asia, the Pacific, the Caribbean and Americas, Africa and Europe, who are leading initiatives ranging from poverty alleviation to peace building.
This year's group of finalists are recognised for spearheading projects that will contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals - a set of 17 global targets that governments have committed to achieve by 2030.
Thursday, March 27, 2025
