The Award, which will be presented in London by Her Majesty The Queen in 2016, and is part of The Queen’s Young Leaders Programme, celebrates the achievements of young people who are taking the lead to transform the lives of others and make a lasting difference in their communities.
This year’s Award winners, aged between 18 and 29 and who come from all over the Commonwealth, are working to support others, raise awareness and inspire change on a variety of different issues including; education, climate change, gender equality, mental health and disability equality.
27 year old Howard Nelson-Williams from Sierra Leone has been selected in recognition of his work in healthcare, including the Ebola outbreak.
Howard Nelson-Williams said: “During my time at medical school I helped to create a national medical students association in Sierra Leone, which aims to provide a forum for students to promote health in their communities. Since the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone, I have dedicated my time to advocacy and research into controlling the spread of the disease and working out how to rebuild the country’s healthcare system. I am so honoured to be part of the Queen’s Young Leaders programme.”
The Queen’s Young Leaders Programme was established in 2014 by The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust in partnership with Comic Relief and the Royal Commonwealth Society in recognition of The Queen’s lifetime of service to the Commonwealth. Over the next three years the Programme will support thousands of young people to achieve their goals.
Dr Astrid Bonfield, Chief Executive of The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust said:“Once again 60 incredible young people from around the Commonwealth have shown strength, leadership, empathy and drive. Some of our winners are just embarking on their leadership journey and others are more established. Either way, we recognise not only what these amazing young people have achieved, but also their potential in changing people’s lives for the better in the countries and communities in which they live.”
