Barely a week ago, the 2020 Commonwealth Youth Awards for Excellence and Development were held at the Commonwealth headquarters in London. The awards recognise exceptional contributions by young people whose ventures are helping their countries achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Uganda’s Brian Galabuzi Kakembo, whose project is centred on transforming biodegradable plastics and organic waste into eco-friendly charcoal briquettes (focus on SDG 8: decent work and economic growth) won the Africa and Europe category.
Kakembo was also crowned the overall winner of the 2020 Commonwealth Young Person of the Year in the competition that received over 500 nominations from 40 Commonwealth countries. In addition to the award, Kakembo received a £3000 (about Shs13.7) grant for his project.
Growing up in a poor community, Kakembo set up an enterprise to educate women and young people to turn waste into wealth. He has reached more than 800 women and young people, and 600 of them now make and sell briquettes in Uganda.
“I want the world to see that unemployed youth is not a problem but an untapped resource that can be trained and supported to bring about a social change,” Kakembo said after scooping the award.
Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland, who presented the awards, said: “For the awards this year, we received nominations from more than 40 Commonwealth countries. Considering them made us aware of a vast range of impressive innovations.
“There were projects for delivering tech-powered learning, to provide clean water and sanitation, and for waste management.
“The entries remind us that there is no lack of ingenuity or ideas. What we tend to lack are mechanisms to support and fund the young innovators who have the imagination and creativity we need to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
“So the Commonwealth Youth Awards are a searchlight picking out some of the best examples of who we are and what we can do as a family of nations.”
During the awards ceremony, presentations on the work being done by finalists to deliver sustainable development were made to diplomats, officials and civil society representative from Commonwealth countries.
