The Phan Foundation today announced the opening of nominations for the 2025 Padoh Mahn Sha Young Leader Award. This leadership award is given annually by the Phan Foundation to outstanding community leaders who have made remarkable contributions to the Karen society. The award comes with a $5,000 grant to support their valuable work.
Community leaders are encouraged to nominate their outstanding members who work hard in improving the lives of many other people, who inspire our new generations and are driving force for the development of our people. We thank community leaders who helped us identify the winner of the past leadership awards. This will be the 16th year of the award.
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 2025. The winner of the award will be announced in early 2026.
“Through this award, we are honouring our father Padoh Mahn Sha Lah Phan, by recognising and supporting young leaders for their community work. We believe, community leaders have the most valuable knowledge and experience on the ground that can help us achieve the Phan Foundation’s goals of helping our people. Through the past recipients, this ward has achieved so much in making a difference in our society. The legacy of Padoh Mahn Sha Lah Phan continues,” said Saw Say Say Phan, Founder and Director of Phan Foundation.
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.
The Phan Foundation 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 pandemic and earthquake, support for human rights education, promotion and protection of Karen languages, and support for refugee communities.