President’s AwardKenya celebrates milestone with 2,000 new gold level achievers

BY NEDDY MBORI (PCO) 

The President’s Award-Kenya (PAK) has honored over 2,000 young people from across the country for completing the Gold Level. This achievement marks a significant milestone in youth development and community service. 

The award ceremony was officiated by President William Ruto, the patron of the President’s AwardKenya. In her speech, PA-K Acting CEO, Ms. Maria Birgen, highlighted the programme’s impact since its inception in 1966, noting that over 500,000 participants have taken part in the award. 

Birgen shared that, in the last four years, participants in the award programme have contributed an estimated 4.5 million hours to community service. She added that globally, more than one million young people are working toward achieving their bronze, silver, or gold awards in over 140 countries and territories. 

PA-K ranks first in the Africa Region and second globally in terms of participation levels and societal impact. “As young people navigate mental health and other life challenges, access to opportunities for personal development beyond the classroom, like the President’s Award, are vital to help them discover new talents and passions, build their resilience and self-belief, and give them skills employers value – like teamwork, problem-solving and leadership,” Ms Birgen said. 

The ceremony also recognized 13 award holders who are alumni life members, many of whom continue to support the programme’s growth and development across the country. The PA-K called for greater support from school administrators to expand the programme’s reach and impact. 

The organization also emphasized that the Award is open to all young people, whether in an institution or not, describing it as a “life-changing” experience.  

In the Award, PA-K believes that not all learning happens in the classroom and therefore the operations are in terms of guiding institutions on how they can structure their free time such that as much as learning happens in the classroom, the learning that happens outside the classroom is intentional. 

She revealed that over 120,000 young people are currently participating in the Award in over 1,200 schools, universities, middle-level colleges, youth groups, rehabilitation centres, and open award centres across the country, and the organization is still aspiring to enroll more.

The Acting CEO said PA-K is exploring ways of strengthening the Award delivery at respective institutions and more importantly network in order to take the award to the next level across the country.

“The President’s Award – Kenya is committed to strengthening partnerships so that we can collaboratively expand the avenues for strong positive character formation for our young people,” Birgen said. 

The President’s AwardKenya PA-K, which was launched in Kenya in 1966, is a member of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award which oversees the award programme in over 140 countries. 

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award was founded by His Royal Highness (HRH), the Duke of Edinburgh KG, KT in 1956, in conjunction with Kurt Hahn, a German educationalist, and Sir John Hunt.PA-K is an agency established by an Act of Parliament, President’s Award Act No. 30 of 2017. 

The Award is an exciting self-development programme available to all young people countrywide which equips them with positive life skills to make a difference for themselves, their communities, country and the world. 

The President’s Award (PA) is a non-formal education and learning framework through which young people’s achievements outside of academia are recognized and celebrated.