Joy Bangla Youth Award highlights stories of silent young changemakers

Some of them reached out to the homeless, the distressed with help when everyone was supposed to stay home during the coronavirus outbreak.

Some gave away food, did whatever they could with their little capacity. Some helped the physically-challenged to get on their feet.

Some used the power of visuals to transform their community. They left no stone unturned to ensure that no woman or child becomes victims of violence. They are the youths turning around lives and transforming their communities.

These young champions of change got their stories relayed to the nation as they were conferred with the Joy Bangla Youth Award 2020, the fourth edition of the award, last night.

As effusively spoken about by Prime Minister's ICT advisor Sajeeb Wazed Joy, they came forward to bring change without complaining about their situations and without waiting for others to start.

Since its inception in 2014, Young Bangla, the youth front of Awami League's research wing CRI, has been recognising the efforts of youths who initiated and carried forward positive social change.

Awardees of previous years were endowed with direct interaction with policymakers and networking among themselves, which helped them continue and enhance the services they were already providing to their communities.

One example is Sadat Rahman -- just awarded International Children's Peace Prize -- who credited Joy Bangla Youth Award as the stepping stone towards this global success.

This year, 30 youth-led organisations received crests, certificates, and laptops and top nominees were also recognised.

Sajeeb Wazed Joy announced the names of the awardees at a virtual ceremony on Tuesday night.

The initiatives of the young changemakers whose vision and efforts are now carried forward by the country's biggest platform for youths -- Young Bangla -- are listed below.

Bloodman HealthCare, MASTUL Foundation, World Youth Army, Central Boys of Raozan, Mission Save Bangladesh Foundation, Footsteps Bangladesh, Safety Management Foundation, Plastic Initiative Network (PIN), Youth Environment and Social Development Society (YESDS), Psycure Organization, Dip Medical Services & Dipasha Foundation, Pohorcanda Adarsa Patagar Uttaran Juba Sangathan, Cinema Bangladesh, Happy Natore and Sashtha Indrio.

The initiatives under the Empowering Extreme Poor category are OBHIZATRIK Foundation, Miserable Welfare Association, Hate Khori Foundation, Ek Takay Shikkha and Goodfeelm.

Initiatives under Youth Development category are Unmesh, Ignite Youth Foundation, iTecH School and Positive Bangladesh.

Initiatives under Women Empowerment category are Deshi Ballers and Youth For Change Bangladesh.

Centre for Rights, Development of persons with Disabilities (CRDD), Bangladesh Wheelchair Sports Foundation and Hobiganj Association for Autism and Social Development (HASSI) are under Empowering People with Disabilities category.