Sponsor Refugees Shortlisted for International Prize

We are thrilled to announce that Sponsor Refugees has been shortlisted for the 2021 Ockenden Prize.

Ten charities deployed in nine countries have been shortlisted for the 2021 Ockenden International Prizes, which reward outstanding projects that promote self-reliance among refugees and/or displaced people.

The shortlist of ten projects was chosen from 146 entries across 43 countries. We are humbled to be among such effective organisations. Next month, judges will select four overall winners, who will receive £25,000 cash prize, to support their work.

Whether or not we are chosen among the four winners, being shortlisted for this prestigious award is a fantastic achievement for the whole Community Sponsorship movement. It recognises the efforts of communities across the UK who have worked tirelessly to develop a strong and thriving scheme.

The Chair of Ockenden International, Judith Ingham said: “Thousands of refugees and displaced peoples – and the communities in which they live and work – are benefitting from the self-reliance and independence these projects inspire.

“With a record 79.5 million people forcibly displaced worldwide, we at Ockenden strive to make the prize money for these projects reward best practice and enable the recipients to extend their reach in what are globally dreadful times for refugees, internally displaced people [IDPs] and asylum seekers.”

The organisations (in alphabetical order), their projects and organisation location short listed for this year’s awards, are:

• ARTEAM (The Garden Library), Israel – ‘The Community Education Center (CEC)’

• Breaking Barriers, UK – ‘BB Employment’

• Dream Orchestra Ideell Förening, Sweden – ‘Young Leaders Project’

• Misión Scalabriniana Ecuador – ‘Socio-economic Integration of Venezuelan and Colombian Refugees through Savings and Internal Lending Groups’

• Multi-Aid Programs (MAPs), Lebanon – ‘Robogee’

• Opportunity International UK (OIUK), Uganda – ‘Refugee Innovation, Self-Reliance and Empowerment (RISE)’

• Solar Freeze, Kenya – ‘Solar Freeze’

• Sponsor Refugees, UK – ‘Sponsor Refugees’

• The Ara Trust (nominated by the Centre for Applied Human Rights (CAHR), University of York, UK) India – ‘Migration & Asylum Project (M.A.P)’

• Velos Youth, Greece – ‘Velos Youth Centre’