30 outstanding finalists announced ahead of next week’s Commonwealth Secretary-General’s Innovation for Sustainable Development Awards 2023

30 outstanding finalists hailing from the five regions across the Commonwealth have been selected for the Commonwealth Secretary-General’s Innovation for Sustainable Development Awards.

Following a rigorous judging process, these finalists were selected from a pool of exceptional candidates from across the Commonwealth by an independent jury. They embody groundbreaking innovation and dedication across five categories that resonate with the pillars of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Partnership.

Building on the momentum of the previous editions held in 2019 and 2021, this year’s ceremony marks a celebratory milestone showcasing the exceptional creativity and impactful contributions of Commonwealth citizens and organisations. Additionally, it holds particular significance as it coincides with the prestigious Kenya Innovation Week, further amplifying the recognition and celebration of innovative excellence within the Commonwealth.

The highly anticipated awards ceremony is set to take place on 27 November 2023 during the opening of the inaugural Commonwealth Edition of Kenya Innovation Week 2023 and will include senior government officials, development experts, tech visionaries, and forward-thinking individuals from across the Commonwealth.

Speaking about the awards, Commonwealth Secretary-General Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC said:

“A key outcome from the award ceremony will be to translate these forward-looking solutions into replicable initiatives that will serve all the people of the Commonwealth. The Awards will also act as a catalyst for these transformative innovations to attract more support to scale up and achieve greater impact across the Commonwealth whilst helping our member states to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.”

Each of the 30 finalists will receive a certificate of recognition.

The top 15 finalists will be recognised as winners. Three from each of the five categories. Each winner will be honoured with a trophy, a certificate of recognition, and a £3,000 cash prize during the ceremony.

The 30 Finalists

Category	Name	Innovation	Country
Protect the PLANET and the natural environment in the Commonwealth	Adejoke Lasisi	Planet 3R	Nigeria
	Naomi Longa	Sea Women of Melanesia	Papua New Guinea
	Christianna Paul	WePlanet Inc.	Dominica
	Mathias Charles Yabe	AkoFresh – Solar Powered Refrigerated Storage	Ghana
	Jovia Kisaakye	Ecobed Biotech Brand	Uganda
	Cynthyche Mahoro	Reusable diapers	Rwanda
Promote PEACE and justice in the Commonwealth	Ngatia Muhoya	Badilico	Kenya
	Dr. Muhammad Quraish Khan	Dr. Muhammad Quraish Khan	Pakistan
	Puneet Singh Singhal	Disability Inclusion Advocacy	India
	Carla Ceravolo	Velma-ARC: Action to Reduce Cyber-crime in Nigeria	Nigeria
	Ruth Nawakwi	Youth Movement for Peace in Zambia and Inclusive Education for Sustainable Development IESD.	Zambia
	Derrick Mpagi	Twegatte (lets get together) youth health project	Uganda
Promote PARTNERSHIPS for development in the Commonwealth	Syed Kashf Ahmed	MilKar	Pakistan
	Yayasan Inovasi Malaysia	Creative Makerspace and Funding For Social & Grassroots Innovation	Malaysia
	Pacific Tourism Organisation	Pacific Sustainable Tourism Policy Framework 2030	Fiji
	Rawle Prince	The Rail Demand Innovation System (RDIS)	United Kingdom
	Fatuma Khalif	CA FILMS	Kenya
	Salome Olajide-Buari	Climate Change Interactive Board for Kids	Nigeria
Improve PROSPERITY in the Commonwealth	Maluyane Titus Abongdoh	E- Mentor	Cameroon
	Kehkashan Basu	Green Hope Foundation	Kiribati
	Danielle Corsagí	Climate-Resilient Infrastructure for SIDS and Climate Vulnerable Regions	Barbados
	Esther Kimani	Farmer Lifeline	Kenya
	Richard Seshie	Cool Lion	Ghana
	Niza Aritha Zulu	The Intelligent Fish Farm, Febi smart systems device	Zambia
Improve the well-being of Commonwealth PEOPLE	Elly Savatia	Signvrse	Kenya
	Aldain Reid	First Alert	Jamaica
	Alexandira Zlatar	The Starving Artist	United Kingdom
	Khadija Khan	Tameere Khalaq Foundation	Pakistan
	Enock Kivuyo	Mama Zetu	Tanzania
	Wasswa William	ONCIMS	Uganda