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Hub Cymru Africa has announced the winners of this year’s Partnership Awards, including two Lifetime Achievement Awards. The awards will be presented at our Global Solidarity Summit tomorrow, Tuesday 23rd May 2023. The winners of the Partnership Award, Future Generations Award and Individual Volunteer Award will take part in a panel discussion at the Summit.
There are over 300 partnerships between Wales and Sub-Saharan Africa and 30 Fairtrade community groups. Hub Cymru Africa’s annual Partnership Awards, now in their second year, celebrate this solidarity and collaboration between Africa and Wales and reward the effort to make Wales a more globally responsible nation.
Four organisations and three individuals have been recognised across four different categories.
The Partnership Award has been won by the SAFE Foundation, Cardiff, and Kankaylay Islamic Primary School, Freetown, Sierra Leone. This award focuses on the strength of a partnership between organisations in Wales and Africa.
The SAFE Foundation is a Cardiff-based charity committed to improving the lives of some of the poorest people and communities in the world. With a variety of projects taking place in the UK and overseas, their mission is to build a fairer, brighter and peaceful future for the world.
Kankaylay Islamic Primary School is in Freetown, the capital city of Sierra Leone. Many children in the area lack basic needs and do not attend school due to poverty and ill health. Kankaylay are leading the way with their attitude towards engagement and holistic learning. They help the children learn traditional subjects and work on developing confidence, leadership skills and life skills.
Our judges said:
“The SAFE Foundation is a respected charity that has developed successful partnerships globally that benefit the local communities. Their partnership with Kankaylay Islamic Primary School is the jewel in their crown. The way in which teachers and other stakeholders in the community have been involved in decision-making demonstrates excellent accountability while addressing real need.”
The Future Generations Award has been won by FROM Wales, Haverfordwest, and Fisherman’s Rest Community Projects (FRCP), Blantyre, Malawi. This award is interested in how partnerships embrace the spirit of the Well-being of Future Generations Act (Wales) 2015.
FRCP has supported communities in southern Malawi for 30 years, responding to practical concerns raised at grassroots level. FROM Wales was established in 2012 to support the work of FRCP through a shared vision and equitable decision-making, including on funding, initiation of projects and overall governance. The FRCP board of trustees consists of two Welsh residents and three Malawian residents. Together, they lead on projects involving tree-planting, water infrastructure, education and women’s empowerment.
FROM Wales said:
“We are over the moon to receive the Future Generations Award. FROM Wales works hard to create sustainable partnerships between Wales and Malawi. Thank you for recognising the roots we are establishing today for a better tomorrow.”
Oumar Ndiaye, winner of the Individual Volunteer Award
The Individual Volunteer Award has been won by Oumar Ndiaye. This award recognises the work of an individual volunteer or trustees who has consistently pushed for equity and supported others to reach their ambitions.
Oumar volunteers as Director of Operations for the Wales-based charity Niokolo Network. He also co-founded the Kamben Community-Based Association in Senegal. A motivated volunteer, he is dedicated to global solidarity and projects with demonstrably good outcomes. Oumar’s ongoing commitment to bringing Wales and Senegal closer together has been integral to the successful partnership between Niokolo Network and Kamben Association.
Oumar said:
“Thank you to Hub Cymru Africa for recognising my work with Niokolo Network in Wales and with Kamben, our partner organisation in Senegal. In Senegal we say, ‘Danken Dank moi djop golo sinjai,’ which means, ‘slowly, slowly to catch the monkey in the forest.’ It takes time and understanding to build a partnership, but if we don’t work together, we don’t get where we want to go!”
This year, Hub Cymru Africa has also given Lifetime Achievement Awards to Angela Gorman MBE and Howard Kirkman.
Angela Gorman is the co-founder and retired CEO of Life for African Mothers, which offers equipment, medication, training and support to mothers and midwives across sub-Saharan Africa, including Chad, Liberia and Sierra Leone. She spent most of her career as a senior neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) Sister at University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.
Angela said:
“I am absolutely thrilled to have been presented this award. Life for African Mothers has been a member of the Hub Cymru Africa family from the beginning and has benefited significantly from the nurturing support given to us from every member of its team and Welsh Government. We thank everyone involved as there is no doubt in my mind that we couldn’t have achieved this without you all.”
Howard Kirkman is the co-founder of Giakonda Solar Schools, which offers solar power installations to schools in Zambia, enabling lighting and infrastructure for computers. His work in training and supporting teachers, and working closely with the Department of Education in Zambia, has resulted in more sustainable models of education and training in the country. He is a retired research chemist, secondary school teacher and government inspector for ICT in schools in Wales.
Howard said:
“I am honoured and humbled to be receiving this award. There are so many others like me taking small steps to improve the lives of people in Africa. The achievements of Giakonda Solar Schools would not have been possible without the help and enthusiasm of trustees and supporters in the UK and the dedication of our partner teachers in Zambia.”
Congratulations to all the winners!
Update: We are sad to hear that Howard Kirkman died peacefully on 31st May 2023, aged 76 years. Hub Cymru Africa extends its sympathies so his family, friends and Giakonda Solar Schools colleagues.
