2012 ONE Africa Award

We’re proud to announce that applications and nominations are now open for the 2012 ONE Africa Award. The annual ONE Africa Award (a $100,000 USD prize) seeks to recognize the Africa-driven, African-led advocacy efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals across Africa. We seek to particularly showcase innovative efforts and initiatives that have demonstrated success and impact at a community, national or regional level. By honoring the commitment and progress on the ground, we hope that new efforts can be inspired and more lives can be improved.

Now in its fifth year, the ONE Africa Award has been awarded to 4 outstanding organizations in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Togo over the past 4 years covering the breadth of development sectors: health & media; youth empowerment; good governance; and women’s rights. Moreover, the ONE Africa Award is unearthing many more effective organizations that we recognize as finalists. It’s an incredible challenge to choose the winner from amongst all the truly impressive and inspiring applications.

Representatives from GF2D, the 2011 ONE Africa Award winner, receive the prize at a ceremony in Johannesburg flanked by ONE staff and The Honorable Trevor Manuel, South Africa’s Minister for National Planning.

For that reason, it’s important to highlight the criteria we seek as we begin reviewing and judging the applications. The winner can be an individual, organization, or group involved in direct services in their home African country that directly work to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The winner may also be an advocacy group or think tank that engages in activities to hold their governments accountable. Regardless, the distinguishing trait is that the winner must have some innovative advocacy programs within their community and country that raise awareness of the MDGs and/or promotes the attainment of MDGs in their country. It’s important to note that ONE Africa Award seeks to reward African-led , African-driven efforts—which means that we look for winners that are based and registered in an African country and can demonstrate that its core and founding leadership are African citizens . More details about our scoring criteria can be found on the award page.

Over the next few months, we hope to review and update our readership on our past winners and finalists, with a particular focus on the impact they are having in their communities. So stay tuned to the ONE Africa Blog as we post updates and tell the stories of the progress being made all over the continent.

We’re open for applications today and will receive them until 23:59 SAST / 21:59 GMT/UTC September 23. So let’s spread the word and find us some winning organizations!

Find out more on the ONE AfricaAward website