Twenty-five young people honored for using the Internet to make a difference
Geneva, Switzerland—7 September 2017—The Internet Society today announced the awardees of its 25 under 25 program. One of the many initiatives supporting the Internet Society’s 25th Anniversary, the program recognizes 25 young people from around the globe who are passionate about using the Internet to make a positive impact in their communities and the world.
Representing 19 countries on five continents, the 25 Under 25 awardees’ initiatives include creating an anti-cyberbullying youth movement in Australia, providing e-health education to teens in Tanzania, and using ICTs to break the cycle of poverty for families in Costa Rica.
While their individual accomplishments are noteworthy in their own right, together these 25 awardees highlight how today’s youth are helping to shape the future. As Kathryn Brown, Internet Society President and CEO, notes, “their efforts have a tremendous impact, creating new ways of socializing, mobilizing and organizing in a digital world. By recognizing these individuals, we aim to inspire other young people around the world to become actors of change and use the Internet for social good.”
The 25 Under 25 awardees will be formally recognized at a special ceremony on Monday, 18 September in Los Angeles, California.
For profiles of each awardee, please visit our website.
25 Under 25 Awardees
Mr. Adam Galloway (United Kingdom) – Protecting online freedom of expression
Mr. Akah Harvey N (Cameroon) – Detecting and predicting road accidents
Mr. Akshay Makar (India) – Creating sustainable livelihoods with online crafts
Mr. Alec Foster (United States) – Strengthening student movements through digital activism
Mr. Ash Ball (Australia) – Anti-cyberbullying youth movement
Ms. Asha Abbas (Tanzania) – Providing health education to adolescents
Mr. Augusto Mathurin (Argentina) – Creating virtual spaces for collaborative participation
Mr. Biddemu Bazil Mwotta (Uganda) – Connecting local farmers with buyers
Ms. Bidyabati Meher (India) – Digitising a cultural tradition for sustained livelihood
Ms. Cintia Padilla (Honduras) – Teaching computer skills to local youth
Mr. Diego Cordova (Guatemala) – Enabling access to educational materials
Ms. Farah Abdi (Somalia) – Giving voice to refugee and LGBT issues
Mr. James Beaumont (United Kingdom) – Building online communities of support
Ms. Jazmin Fallas Kerr (Costa Rica) – Lifting families out of poverty
Ms. Juma Baldeh (Gambia) – Improving gender balance among web users
Ms. Kate Ekanem (Nigeria) – Empowering girls through education and literacy
Ms. Kate Green (United Kingdom) – Protecting the data of online health communities
Ms. Linda Patiño (Colombia) – Advancing human rights through ICTs
Mr. Mariano Gomez (Mexico) – Connecting an isolated community
Ms. Mary Helda Akongo (Uganda) – Using technology to empower Ugandan women
Mr. Naitik Mehta (India) – Connecting people with disabilities to employment opportunities
Mr. Nilay Kulkarni (India) – Helping make large gatherings safer
Ms. Paula Côrte Real (Brazil) – Promoting safe and responsible Internet for youth
Ms. Poornima Meegammana (Sri Lanka) – Preventing cyber-harassment of teenage girls
Mr. Valentinos Tzekas (Greece) – Using AI to identify fake news
Honorable Mention Recipients
Ms. Makkiya Jawed (Pakistan) – Raising awareness about e-health solutions
Mr. Parker Woods (United States) – Delivering Internet connectivity in the Arctic
Ms. Radwa Hamed Soliman (Egypt) – Providing employment opportunities for refugees
About the Internet Society
Founded by Internet pioneers, the Internet Society (ISOC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring the open development, evolution, and use of the Internet. Working with a global community of chapters and members, the Internet Society collaborates with a broad range of groups to promote the technologies that keep the Internet safe and secure, and advocates for policies that enable universal access. The Internet Society is also the organizational home of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).
Media Contact:
Allesandra de Santillana
Internet Society
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