BALTIMORE, MD ? Ten young community leaders from around the world have been selected as recipients of the 2002 YouthActionNet Awards. Included among the award winners is a 19-year-old Afghan young woman working to increase awareness of issues facing the nation?s youth; a 20-year-old American youth leading efforts to provide affordable housing to low-income families; and a 21-year-old in Ethiopia who, having grown up on the streets, now uses dance and theatre as a tool to promote individual and community transformation.
An interactive website created by and for youth, YouthActionNet.org works to inspire and promote youth leadership worldwide. Launched in 2001 by the International Youth Foundation (IYF) and Nokia, YouthActionNet celebrates the dynamic role that youth are playing in leading positive change around the world. YouthActionNet.org forms a vital part of the ?Make a Connection? program, a global initiative of IYF and Nokia to provide opportunities for young people to connect to their communities, to their families and peers, and to themselves.
Ranging in age from 19 to 24, recipients are being awarded US$500 each to support their work in leading positive social change. In addition, they receive visibility for their work through electronic and print materials, and are eligible to participate in international meetings sponsored through YouthActionNet. IYF announced the biannual awards competition in January 2002. In June 2002, 16 youth were recognized in the first round of selections for the year. To date, applications have been received from more than 650 young leaders representing over 50 countries. Final selections are made following a peer review process in which previous award winners select the next round of awardees.
In many cases, award winners plan to use the funding they receive to strengthen and expand their efforts. In Indonesia, for example, 23-year-old Afia Fitriati will use the funding she receives to expand her book distribution project to children living in remote, rural areas of the country. In Malawi, Kingdom Kwapata, age 24, will use YouthActionNet funds to develop educational materials (flyers, brochures, and posters) aimed at putting an end to female genital mutilation in the region where he lives. And in the U.K., Zuhra Bahman, age 19, will use the award funding to create a magazine aimed at giving Afghan youth a greater voice on issues affecting them.
Applications are currently being accepted for the next round of awards to be announced in June 2003. To learn more about award recipients, go to www.youthactionnet.org/awards.
Copyright 2002, Komunitas 1001Buku. All rights reserved.