Eight Nigerians have emerged recipients of the 2021 The Diana Award, which celebrates outstanding young people selflessly creating and sustaining positive social change.
The Diana Award was established in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales for young persons aged 9-25 years for their social action or humanitarian work through a retrospective nomination process only.
Young people as recipients of the 2020 The Diana Award do not work towards the award, rather they demonstrate their suitability through their actions, without any expectation of reward.
Ten Nigerians Emerge Recipients Of 2021 The Diana Award
YUSUFF ADEBAYO ADEBISI (23 years old): GLOBAL HEALTH FOCUS AFRICA, IBADAN, NIGERIA.
Yusuff is advancing the role research can play in developmental work in Africa. Yusuff’s work has made major impacts in promoting health research-driven social changes in regions across Africa. Yusuff has published over 50 research articles as an undergraduate and mentored more than 100 young people in health research. He has used his research skills to empower young people working on social and health projects.
RAHMOT AFOLABI (25 years old):A-ONE COMPUTER TRAINING INSTITUTE OKERUBE, IKOTUN, NIGERIA.
Through her role as a computer instructor, she has reached out to the rural community, inspiring both young and old to improve their technology skills. This led to a 65% increase in the enrolment of students. Rahmot has mentored 70 local young girls to improve their self-esteem and moderates a group chat for 82 girls, which provides a safe space for these young women from diverse backgrounds to discuss the things that matter most to them. Rahmot is commended for her ‘emotional intelligence’ and aptitude for building strong relationships.
ADEWUNMI AKINGBOLA (25 years old): HEALTHDRIVE NIGERIA, LAGOS, NIGERIA.
Adewumni is the founder of ‘HealthDrive Nigeria’, an initiative in the South West of Nigeria, which aims to raise awareness, test and vaccinate people against the deadly Hepatitis B virus. Adewumni’s awareness-raising campaigns have reached 6,000 people in the region itself, whilst also engaging national audiences through mass media. His free screening programmes have tested 4,500 people so far, and ensure identified carriers of the virus gain access to specialist support via referrals. On top of that, Adewumni has delivered a highly subsidised vaccination programme to 2,500 people in the region. His work has inspired and engaged other young people to get involved in the initiative and set up similar health programmes themselves.
STANLEY ANIGBOGU (21 years old): ARTECHUBS NIGERIA ONITSHA, NIGERIA.
After seeing that young people without technical and digital skills risk being displaced in the workplace, Stanley founded ArtecHubs Nigeria. He now provides training in coding, robotics, and technology for children living in rural and suburban regions. Artechubs proudly promotes STEM literacy for children living in rural communities, including the ‘STEM4HER’ programme, focused specifically on equipping 1,500 girls from rural areas in STEM skills. Stanley also uses his talent to create innovative solutions to local challenges, such as an affordable automated hand sanitiser system and a portable hand and solar-powered light system, enabling those living in rural areas to produce light and energy on-demand.
OLUWANANUMI DAWODU (21 years old): HEALTH DRIVE NIGERIA LAGOS, NIGERIA.
Dawodu discovered 1 in 10 people in this community had Hepatitis B. So, keen to curb the spread of the virus, he launched the ‘End Hepatitis’ project, which has helped over 1,500 people get screened and vaccinated against Hepatitis B. In response to the global pandemic in March 2020, Dawodu supervised a team of 20 volunteers to share information on how to prevent the spread of the virus, fielding over 1,000 calls daily.
AMANDA OBIDIKE (24 years old): THE MOTHERS AMALGAMATED INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION LAGOS, NIGERIA.
Concerned about educational and economic disparities in Nigeria, Amanda researched opportunities for women and young girls in STEM. In 2019, she designed a solution to inform digital policy and tackle cultural and social gender bias in STEM pathways. Amanda also designed a technology solution called ‘Project Kuongoza’, which allows women and girls aged 15-25 to access mentorship and work experience opportunities. The project has mentored over 265 young girls and provided career opportunities to 28 women. Amanda is a mentor with the Cherie Blair Foundation, ‘1million Women in Tech’, ‘New York Academy of Sciences’, ‘Global Thinkers for Women’, and is the executive director of ‘STEMi Makers Africa’.
OLUWASEUN OGUNDELE (25 years old): WELLCOME-MRC CAMBRIDGE STEM CELL INSTITUTE CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND.
Seun is sharing her experience of being a young black woman ‘who made it to Cambridge’ to inspire those traditionally underrepresented in academia. Through a series of #blackgirlinscience YouTube videos and Instagram posts, Seun has built a following of 1,000 people and her videos have received 13,000 views. Comments show the impact Seun is having – ‘I’m a black woman in the UK and this is the first page I’ve ever seen representing a girl like me’. Now joining a highly competitive PhD programme, Seun is continuing to make a difference with her ‘Ask a Scientist’ series, where other researchers and scientists share their stories.
TUNDE OYEBAMIJI (25 years old): LEND AN ARM IBADAN, NIGERIA.
Following the tragic death of one of his patients due to the lack of a blood donor match, a problem that kills 19 women a day in his city of Ibadan, Tunde co-founded ‘Lend an Arm’ in 2017. The aim is to improve access to blood for pregnant women who have a bleeding emergency. At the age of only 21, Tunde grew his blood supply logistics initiative into one of the biggest donation campaigns in Nigeria. ‘Lend an Arm’ has sensitised over 11,000 people, supplied 1,240 litres of blood and saved an incredible 3,500 lives in 40 months.
2021 The Diana Award. The Diana Award is a registered charity (1117288 / SC041916) and a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales number 5739137.
