The Phan Foundation is pleased to open the nominations for the Padoh Mahn Sha Young Leader Award 2024. Through this award, outstanding community leaders are selected annually to recognise their achievements and support their community works with a $4,000 grant. This will be the 15th year of the award.
“Our people have been facing so many hardship including constant attacks by the Burmese military, worsening climate change and humanitarian crisis. Despite all these challenges, we have seen strong resilience and determination across our communities. We are so touched and inspired by the tireless efforts by all community leaders, especially young Karen leaders, who work so hard for our people,” said Nant Bwa Bwa Phan, Founder and Director of Phan Foundation. “We would like to honour an outstanding young Karen leader for this annual award and help support their work.”
How to nominate someone:
Any Karen person under 35 is eligible to be nominated.
That person can be living anywhere in the world.
Nominations can be made by any individual or organisation.
Organisations can nominate one of their own members.
Please focus on outcomes and achievements in your nomination.
Nominations can be made in Karen, Burmese or English.
You can nominate someone even if they have been previously nominated and were not successful.
Nominations should be sent to Nant Bwa Bwa Phan: bwabwa.phan@phanfoundation.org
Nominations close on 31st December 2024. The winner of the award will be announced in early 2025.
About the Phan Foundation
The Phan Foundation was set up by the children of Padoh Mahn Sha Lah Phan and Nant Kyin Shwe with the aims to alleviate poverty, promote education and human rights, and preserve Karen culture. Padoh Mahn Sha, the former General Secretary of the Karen National Union, was assassinated by agents of the Burmese military government on 14th February 2008.
Since the establishment of Phan Foundation in 2008, we have worked with civil society and community organisations providing funding for schools and higher education, educational publications, emergency food and medical aid for internally displaced people, emergency aid responding to the COVID pandemic, support for human rights education, promotion and protection of Karen languages, and support for refugee communities.
The Padoh Mahn Sha Young Leader Award was established to carry on his legacy to help support new generations of young Karen leaders who work for a better society.