Established in 1999, The Diana Award is an international accolade given out in memory of Princess Diana. It exists to recognise and celebrate young changemakers between the ages of nine and twenty-five who have made a positive impact on society through humanitarian and altruistic activities for at least 12 months.

This year, nine candidates from Bangladesh were honoured with the award for their outstanding contribution to society.

Ahnaf Abrar Husain, Abdullah Al Hasan Dipto, Rituraj Bhowmick, Jyotirmoyee Das Nova, F M Farhan Faiyaz, Sk Shoaibur Rahaman, Jahir Rayhan, S M Mobin Sikder, and Nishat Sultana Chowdhury are the remarkable individuals who received the coveted award following a virtual unveiling event.

Nishat Sultana Chowdhury was nominated for the award as the co-founder and General Secretary of Ek Takay Shikkha, a social organisation that supports underprivileged students to pursue their education. The organisation urges people to donate a taka everyday for thirty days, which, with a large enough pool of contributors, could ensure the education of several children.

Ahnaf Abrar Husain made it into this year's list of winners for his work in Bhoroshasthol, a non-profit organisation aimed at helping the underprivileged in Bangladesh. They have spread their positive impact throughout ten districts by distributing meals, tube wells, sewing machines, vans, etc.

Abdullah Al Hasan Dipto, Managing Director at Pathchola Foundation, earned his accolade by empowering marginalised communities in the country. As part of his organisational activities, he's been at the core of hosting wellbeing summits, supporting health services during the pandemic, and facilitating skill development workshops for the various youth minority communities.

Rituraj Bhowmick, the youngest nominee on this list at just 10 years old, is also known as Baap Ka Beta and is committed to supporting underprivileged children throughout the country. They engage in a number of initiatives, such as organising fundraising events and donation drives, aimed at gathering resources for school supplies and educational materials.

Jyotirmoyee Das Nova founded We In Science and Engineering (WISE) in 2017 to empower youths from rural and disadvantaged communities by overcoming the obstacles that hinder their access to quality education. Her unwavering dedication allowed her to facilitate education for severely disadvantaged children affected by the pandemic, as well as establish classrooms within the world's largest refugee camp for Rohingya children. 

F M Farhan Faiyaz received the award for his work with Porikolpona Foundation, which undertook swift action to help daily wage earners during the first phase of the global pandemic. They have helped over 20,000 individuals with food, shelter, and medical access during natural disasters and social crises.

Sk Shoaibur Rahaman has been actively involved with AgSS, an organisation he established to promote smart and innovative agriculture in Bangladesh. The organisation educates farmers on a grassroots level about sustainable farming, consults sessions to address their plights, and conducts various environmental activities. 

Jahir Rayhan, a youth activist and gender advocate, co-founded Youth For Change Bangladesh to combat gender stereotypes, end child marriage, and further gender equality. They have been working to enhance people's lives by advocating for government policies on child marriage.

S M Mobin Sikder, co-founder of Science Bee, an educational platform, was honoured with the award for his contributions to online science education in Bangladesh. They have been hard at work to establish quality education and make science education more accessible and mainstream throughout the country.

Ayaan immerses himself in dinosaur comics and poorly-written manga. Recommend your least favourite reads at ayaan.shams@gmail.com