Bangladeshi youth among Commonwealth Youth Awards 2021 finalists

Faysal Islam, co-founder and chief business development manager of "Safewheel", an emergency medical service provider, has been named among four finalists from the Asia region for the Commonwealth Youth Awards 2021. 

The Commonwealth Youth Awards recognise young people across the globe who have undertaken significant projects to transform the lives of people in their community and to help achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This year, 20 individuals from 18 countries have been announced as finalists, from a pool of more than 1000 entries from 43 Commonwealth countries.

Bangladeshi finalist Faysal's focus is on "SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-Being". His organisation, Safewheel, ensures emergency medical services to rural areas. The company's current fleet of 10 mini three-wheeler ambulances have already served over 1000 people. Its services cost only a tenth of conventional ambulance services while being three times faster. 

The finalists have been announced from five distinct regions: Africa, Asia, the Carribean, Europe and Canada, and the Pacific. A winner from each region will be announced in a virtual awards ceremony to be held on March 10, 2021, and one of these winners will go on to become the Commonwealth Young Person of the Year 2021.