25 Under 25 Award

Young people today have taken the step to serve as bridge builders who have chosen to transform their communities at local, regional, national and global level. The 25 under 25 Young Leaders Changing the Game Award seeks to recognize young African leaders actively championing change in their communities through the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

In commemoration of International Youth Day 2020 and in celebration of the 10th year anniversary of its flagship program: Youth Leadership, Entrepreneurship And Development (YLEAD), the iKapture Centre for Development has launched the 25 Under 25 Leaders Changing the Game award.

“We have come a long way in our youth work and have churned out outstanding young leaders who have gone on to change the game in various sectors. We believe there are more people like them whose stories can help inspire and uplift the upcoming generation. Through this initiative, iKapture will recognise the exemplary work undertaken by young people across the continent. Our mission is to inspire impactful actions by young people in their communities and to lead the drive towards successful actualization of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in Africa.” – Grace Ihejiamaizu, Founder of iKapture Centre for Development explained.

The Award launch coincides with the 2020 International Youth Day with the theme ‘Youth Engagement for Global Action,’ which seeks to highlight young people that are working to ensure sustainable development in their various communities, and provide ways for more young people to engage.

OBJECTIVES

  1. To recognize young leaders who are actively engaging innovative ways in solving major problems in their communities.
  2. To spotlight the actions young leaders in Africa are taking at various levels to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
  3. To encourage young leaders within Africa to actively take steps towards transforming their communities

Nominations are open to changemakers, entrepreneurs, volunteers and advocates under 25.

Award, nominees must:

  • be aged 15 to 25 years;
  • be a citizen of an African country;
  • have been engaged in development work, business or engaged in a leadership role for more than 12 months – either in a professional or voluntary capacity;
  • have a strong track record of implementing innovative ideas and linking their work and its impact to one of the 17 SDGs;
  • have demonstrated an understanding of the importance of youth engagement in key areas of development, business and Leadership.

Entrants can nominate themselves or be nominated by someone who can testify of the impact of their work. 25 finalists will be shortlisted from a list of nominations based on 6 key categories which include:

  1. Poverty Eradication (SDG 1, 2)
  2. Education (SDG 4, 17)
  3. Environment (SDG 6, 7, 11, 13, 14, 15)
  4. Health (SDG 3)
  5. Human Rights (SDG 5, 10, 17)
  6. Entrepreneurship/Innovation (SDG 8, 9, 12)

Award Benefits

The finalists will;

  • Receive an e-award certificate
  • Be featured on our social media pages, Blankpaperz online publication, Calabar Blog and Opportunity Desk. 
  • Participate in a Virtual Meet-up with select Change Makers across the globe

How to Nominate

Visit this link to apply or nominate someone.

Entries must be received online by 23:59 WAT on 25 August 2020.

Entries are now closed. WINNERS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can be nominated?

Nominations are open to changemakers, entrepreneurs, volunteers and advocates under the age of 25 as at the deadline August 25, 2020. The application must be completed to be selected for an award. For the purpose of clarity, such persons must have been involved in their work for at least a period of 12months.

Who cannot be nominated?

Persons above the age of 25 cannot be nominated.  

Now what?

In order to be considered for an award, nominees must fill out the full application process.

What is required in my application?

Applicants will be asked to submit relevant links. 

Can I be nominated in more than one category?

Yes. However, nominees can only be judged in one category which will be chosen by the nominee at the time of application.

Does being nominated multiple times for the award increase my chances of being selected?

No. The number of nominations for an individual is not considered in selecting the nominees. The judges will only consider one nomination per nominee.

When is the deadline to submit a nomination?

Nominations must be submitted by August 25th, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. 

If I have been nominated, can I also submit a nomination for someone else?

Yes. Nominations are open to the general public. However, nominees can only be nominated once and can also nominate another person.

When will finalists be announced?

Finalists will be announced in September 2020.

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