More than three dozen young African leaders are recognized among international recipients of the Diana Award, an annual award beginning in 2017, that honors youth for their contributions to positive social change in the spirit of the late Princess of Wales.

Among those selected is journalist Zanji Sinkala of Zambia, 23, a gender activist and co-founder of Women Taboos Radio, a community-based channel devoted to dispelling myths and stereotypes about women.

“Zanji also founded Ku Mwanachi Foundation, an organization supporting female market traders by training them in entrepreneurial skills as a means to reduce poverty, severe hunger and gender based violence,” the award organization said. “Through this training, local women are increasing their income, thereby affording to educate their children and provide healthcare to their families.”

Other recipients include:

• Wantoe Teah Wantoe of Liberia, a 24-year-old activist who served as ombudsman for the National Children and Youth Advisory Board during the height of the Ebola crisis. “With a team of 11 young people, and his own money, he set about spreading awareness and information through television, radio, blog, vlogs and films,” the Diana Award committee said. “In 2016, he was invited to speak at the first World Humanitarian Summit where his speech generated over 3,000 commitments to action and more than a dozen new partnerships and initiatives for a meaningful change for the world.”
• Saul Mwame, 19, of Tanzania, who launched an education network for the visually impaired and works with students with varying challenges. “In addition to his role as Global Youth Ambassador and Advocate of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,” the awards said, “Saul is a founder of the Building Africa’s Future Foundation, which has the mission of creating awareness in parents and youth on the importance of quality education.”

A complete list of the 2019 award honorees is available here.

Image: The Diana Award