Global Citizen, the advocacy group, today announced the winners of its annual Global Citizen Prize and Cisco Youth Leadership Award.

The six young, trailblazing changemakers will be celebrated during the Global Citizen NOW summit in New York on May 1, 2024 for their exceptional commitment to defeating poverty, defending the planet, and demanding equity. The awards celebrate activists who champion and elevate their communities most vulnerable, taking actions to end extreme poverty, while fostering social change across the world.
 
The six come from across five categories: gender equity, civic space, climate change, food and nutrition, health and vaccines. The recipients will each receive a year-long programme of support from Global Citizen, together with a cash grant for their organization.
 
The Global Citizen Prize 2024 awardees are:

• Andrew Ddembe, Health Lawyer, Founder and Executive Director, Mobiklinic Foundation, from Uganda;
• Lydia Charles Moyo, Founder and Executive Director of Her Initiative and Panda Digital, from Tanzania;
• Olivier Bahemuke Ndoole, Environmental Rights Defender and Lawyer, Cofounder of Alerte Congolaise pour l’Environnement et les Droits de l’Homme, from Democratic Republic of the Congo;
• Sophie Healy-Thow, Founder, Act4Food, Global Youth Campaigns Coordinator for the GAIN (Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition), from Ireland; and
• Vishal Prasad, Campaign Director, Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change, from Fiji.

 
Established in 2018 by Cisco and Global Citizen, the Global Citizen Prize: Cisco Youth Leadership Award honors an individual aged 18-30 who has contributed meaningfully to global problem solving. The prize winner will receive a US$250,000 grant to their organization to enable its continued growth.
 
This year’s Cisco Youth Leadership Award recipient is Ricardo Enrique Alba Torres, environmental engineer, Cofounder and CEO of the social enterprise Eko Group H2O+, from Bogotá, Colombia. Through his Eko Group H2O+ Ricardo provides environmentally sustainable technologies to address global water access issues. His expertise has sensitized over 150 communities, with 15000 active users benefiting from the 350 Ekomuros H2O+ tanks installed across Colombia and LATAM, reaching over 85,000 indirect beneficiaries. Ricardo’s commitment to environmental sustainability and social impact underscores his powerful leadership in tackling one of the world’s most pressing challenges.
 
“If we are to address the world’s most pressing issues, we need to support young leaders who are taking action now,” said Liza Henshaw, President, Global Citizen. “It is an honor to celebrate these inspirational trailblazers, who are dedicating their lives to uplifting the most vulnerable in their local communities, and advancing the fight against ending extreme poverty across the world.”
 
The Global Citizen Prize is part of Global Citizen NOW, a two-day summit taking place in New York City on May
1 and 2. Global Citizen NOW is supported by partners Authentic Brands Group, Bridgewater Associates, Cisco, Citi, Delta Air Lines, P&G and Verizon.