The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 54 independent and equal countries. It is home to 2.4 billion people, and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. Members work together to promote prosperity, democracy and peace, amplify the voice of small states, and protect the environment.

Vedika Agarwal (India) - Vedika is the founder of Yein Udaan, an NGO supporting marginalised families in rural Indian communities. During the lockdown, Yein Udaan has distributed food supplies worth over 216,000 meals, sanitation supplies to over 3000 families, educational kits to over 400 students and launched a virtual learning programme in six community libraries. They have also worked with doctors to create informative posters in regional languages to tackle health misinformation.

Bilal Amjad (Pakistan) - Bilal is the founder of InstaCare; which launched a response unit to provide free online medical consultations to communities in Pakistan during the pandemic. Currently, over 300 doctors have provided over 10,000 consultations through the platform. InstaCare also partnered with private institutions to provide telemedicine services to the public including universities and hospitals.

Alexia Hilbertidou (New Zealand) - Alexia is the founder of GirlBoss New Zealand which empowers and equips young women to develop leadership and entrepreneurial skills. During the pandemic, Alexia launched GirlBoss Edge – a virtual career accelerator giving over 1000 women access to 1:1 leaders mentorship and career skills masterclasses, particularly Indigenous, Pasifika, low-income and rural women.

Dr Isaac Olufadewa (Nigeria) - Isaac is the founder of Slum and Rural Health Initiative (SRHIN). The SRHIN COVID-19 Project has translated COVID-19 health messages from the World Health Organization into over 100 languages, reaching over 1.5 million people. Isaac also launched an AI-driven app and chatbot offering thousands of young people access to comprehensive sexual and mental health information.

Dr Camir Ricketts (Jamaica) - Camir is the founder of MindsOf Initiative; a programme which increases young people’s access to career mentorship and S.T.E.A.M training opportunities. Camir co-launched an online app helping 100,000 people find their nearest COVID-19 testing sites, and raised $4000 USD in funds to purchase devices and mobile data for students affected by the pandemic.

Sukhmeet Singh Sachal (Canada) - Sukhmeet is a co-founder of Translations 4 Our Nations; an initiative which works with indigenous community members to create medically accurate and culturally-relevant COVID-19 information in indigenous languages. The programme has recruited over 140 indigenous translators to translate public health policy information into over 45 languages, reaching over 45,000 indigenous people.

Momin Saqib (United Kingdom) - In March 2020, Momin launched ‘One Million Meals’; an emergency response to the COVID-19 crisis. Led by volunteers, the programme has provided over 100,000 meals and beverages in over 200 locations to frontline key workers, NHS staff, homeless people and vulnerable families affected by the pandemic, including through 47 hospitals, trusts and food banks.

Kritz and Bianca Sciessere (Australia) - Kritz and Bianca are founders of The Big Sister Experience; a social enterprise that provides online mentorship to empower young women and girls on life skills. During the pandemic, the programme has focused on face-to-face and online workshops to support over 5000 young girls dealing with isolation and as they return to on-campus learning.

Brent Alexander Scotland (Antigua and Barbuda) - Brent is the president of the Halo Foundation Generation Y; a national youth body supporting and empowering young people. The Foundation funded monthly groceries for vulnerable persons, and provides a support network to elderly communities isolated during the pandemic. The foundation has also hosted youth events on character building, mental health and suicide awareness.

Natalie Robi Tingo (Kenya) - Natalie is the founder of Msichana Empowerment Kuria; an organisation combating gender based violence and FGM and empowering of girls and women in Kenya. During the pandemic, the organisation set up a menstrual care bank to support menstrual health care for 2000 girls in rural and urban slums; and a community-based cash transfer programme to allow over 400 marginalised girls and young women to access vital funds and support.