By Samuel Ouma
Africans Rising, a Pan-African movement dedicated to peace, unity, justice, and dignity, has announced the recipients of the 2024 Activism Awards.
The winners were revealed on August 31, 2024, during the Pan-African gala night held in Accra, Ghana, as part of the All-African Movement Assembly.
These awards aim to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to social justice and positive societal change.
Seth Tsongo from the Democratic Republic of Congo was honored as Activist of the Year, with Zambia’s Mwami Samuel taking the second place. The third place went to Adel Azoun from Tunisia.
In the Movement Awards category, three movements were celebrated for their relentless efforts to effect change in their respective countries. The top honor went to Hand In Hand from Cameroon, followed by South Africa’s Equal Education. Sanitized Communities Konnect Foundation from Ghana took the third position.
Achiri Constance, founder of Hand In Hand, emphasized the importance of future generations’ well-being, stating, “We are Africans, and we are rising. Our focus is on ensuring the quality of water, food, and air for our children. Africa is my motherland, and I am Africa. My hope is for peace in Africa.”
In the final category, which recognized artists, Mwiza Zulu from Zambia emerged as the winner. Blanchard Bosey and Schela Mutaka, both from the Democratic Republic of Congo, took second and third places, respectively.
Mwiza Zulu expressed gratitude, saying, “I want to thank everyone for their support. Being recognized as an artistic activist requires a lot of conviction, especially when our songs are not played in the media due to their political sensitivity. I dedicate this award to my late father, Michael Zulu.”
Each winner received a prize of USD 5,000, while the first runners-up were awarded USD 3,000 each, and the second runners-up took home USD 2,000 each.
