“Help an African child anywhere in the world say I CAN”
All roads led to the Profound Conference Centre, Bramley in Johannesburg to celebrate Universal children’s Day this past Saturday.
The Stacey Fru Foundation hosted 59 nominees and winners from Botswana, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and other provinces of South Africa during the 2nd Annual AfrICAN Children of The Year Awards (ACOTYA) 2019.
The Awards custodian, now 12-year-old Stacey Fru planned this event in order to join the United Nations and particularly UNICEF in celebrating Children. This year’s awards ceremony coincided with the commemoration of the 30-year anniversary on the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
“These awards hold strong significance for me as I love to celebrate others. I have also closely watched the 2018 nominees and winners transform as individuals and in their works. Thanks to team The Stacey Fru Foundation, all partners, sponsors and parents”, says Stacey.
The awards recognise the amount of impact that children have created in their communities as a result on the individual achievements.
‘The most important winning criteria is not what the child does, but how far the child has touched lives with what they do’, one of the judges said.
All 4 judges looked for how children have used their abilities to change lives.
Stacey insists that in order for children to do well, every adult has to be involved. She requests grown-ups to; “Help an African child anywhere in the world say I CAN”.
A judging process saw all children rewarded with certificates while winners received trophies.
The following children won in each category;
- Arts and Culture, won by 11 year-old Shanah Manjeru from Kenya.
- Education and Skills Development, won by 11 year-old Sibahle Zwane from Johannesburg
- Leadership, won by 9 year-old, Relebogile Mothema from Johannesburg
- Philanthropy, won by 13 year-old Jed Kagan from Cape Town
- Community Development, won by 12 year-old Deante Swart from Durban
- Motivational/ Personal Development, won by 12 year-old Mphumzi Capa from Johannesburg
- Sports and Recreation, won by 10 year-old Oratilwe Phiri from Johannesburg
- Safety and Security, won by 13 year-old Njabulo Zulu from Pretoria
- Entrepreneurship, won by 8 year-old Dainon John Van Wyk from Johannesburg
- Special Mention, won by 14 year-old Londeka Ndwandwe from Johannesburg