Two Bangladeshi youths shortlisted for Commonwealth Awards

Two Bangladesh nationals — Towfique Ahmad Khan and Ukhengching Marma — are among 17 finalists drawn from 13 countries for the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Awards, according to a statement issued by the Commonwealth.

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.

This led to 4,500 volunteers organising over 500 programmes and projects, and promoted the campaign 'Know your SDGs' to raise awareness and 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.

The founder of a youth-led organisation in Papua New Guinea that uses sport as a tool to end violence against women, and the owner of a Nigerian company which uses 'geo-mapping' to recycle waste, are among the finalists of the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Awards.

Seventeen young changemakers from 13 countries are in the running to be named Commonwealth Young Person of the Year at an awards ceremony held on March 15 at Marlborough House in London.

The Commonwealth Youth Awards for Excellence in Development Work celebrate outstanding adolescents and young adults aged 15–29 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.

Katherine Ellis, director of Youth at the Commonwealth Secretariat, said, ‘Through their own initiative, young leaders in communities across the world are delivering on the ambitious agenda set by governments on everything from eliminating hunger to protecting the environment.’

The finalists were chosen by a panel of judges including representatives of Commonwealth High Commissions, Commonwealth organisations and young leaders.

The Commonwealth Young Person of the Year will be announced on March 15 alongside regional young persons of the year for Asia, the Pacific, the Caribbean and Americas, Africa and Europe.

The other shortlisted finalists hail from Australia, Canada, Guyana, Jamaica, Malawi, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, Uganda and the United Kingdom.

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