Health Volunteer Award

Winner: Brown Niyonsaba, national volunteer on the Imbere- Heza project in Rwanda

A deaf volunteer herself, Brown has supported deaf young people to access health services, learn about gender-based violence and supported them to receive critical information about COVID-19. Brown has mentored deaf peer educators, community health workers and nurses about sign language and also engaged with parents and community leaders though video messages and WhatsApp groups. 

She has amplified the voice for the vulnerable youth deaf youth in Nyagatare by supporting them to register for national Identity cards for the first time. Browns constant communication with communities  has helped her establish forums where those with disabilities feel heard and are able to report cases of violence. 

Margret Damba, national volunteer on the Speak it Loud project in Zimbabwe 

Margret has helped more than 15 local community organisations to develop Gender, Safeguarding and Child Protection and Disability Inclusion policies and championed inclusion within VSO Zimbabwe. She has also conducted extensive trainings on social inclusion and gender for VSO, partners, government workers and diverse groups of primary actors such as young people living with HIV, sex workers, transport industry workers and prison inmates.  

Her trainings have prompted significant changes and success stories. Relations between prison officers and prisoners are improving and inmates report feeling better prepared for their re-integration to society.

Hikma Mekonnen, national volunteer, Youth Challenge fund for youth employment, Ethiopia 

Hikma played a lead role in coordinating and facilitating community-based responses towards COVID-19 pandemic. She was in the frontline in creation of awareness and ensuring the inclusion of highly vulnerable communities in COVID-19 response, distributing materials to COVID-19 vulnerable groups. 

She has created awareness about gender-based violence and facilitated referral of children and girls exposed to abuse. She has worked hard in promoting social inclusion and gender equality, and led trainings targeting senior government officials, young people and community leaders. Hikma was also one of the 160 youth training facilitators of the joint VSO and Ministry of Peace Training Program which enrolled 10,000 youth volunteers.