Local Nonprofit Wins Six Anthem Awards in International Competition
Kijana receives three Silver recognitions and three Community Voice awards in international competition among 2,000+ entries from 30 countries
Boca Raton, FL – The International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences (IADAS) recently announced the winners for the 3rd Annual Anthem Awards. They honored Kijana Educational Empowerment Initiative, a local 501(c)3 non-profit that operates both in North Palm Beach and in Kenya, with two Silver awards in ‘Education, Art & Culture’ and another Silver award in ‘Sustainability, Environment & Climate.’ Kijana, one of more than 2,000 entrants from 30 countries worldwide, also received the Community Voice Award for all three of its entries.
The IADS recognized Kijana as Silver Anthem winners as follows: Kijana Educational Empowerment Initiative | Care, Share, Explore Program 2023 in Sustainability, Environment & Climate – Community Outreach; Kijana Heroes Poster Series in Education, Art & Culture – Special Projects; Kijana Global Innovation School in Education, Art & Culture – Community Space.
New this year, fans could celebrate the 2023 finalists by voting on best in each category. Kijana received the greatest amount of support in each category in which it was entered and won the Anthem Community Voice Awards in all three areas.
“As a small grassroots organization, we are humbled to receive this recognition and be in the ranks of inspiring global changemakers and pathbreaking organizations for the second consecutive year. Our ultimate goal is to change the world, by developing a new generation of young, energetic, exploratory citizens who will take specific action in the future to improve the global environment and make habitats for humans and animals more sustainable,” stated Jim Cummings, founder and president of Kijana.
Kijana developed a unique, experiential environmental education program, “Care, Share, and Explore,” at the organization’s inaugural Kijana Global Innovation School in Western Kenya. As part of the nonprofit’s deep and long-lasting commitment to environmental sustainability, the program infuses a care for the environment into learning.
The Kijana Heroes Poster Series is a collaboration between the nonprofit and Palm Beach County resident and graphic artist, Claire Salmon, which to date comprises illustrations of 63 African and African-American individuals who have shared their wisdom and example by their change-making actions. The posters are aimed to serve as an interactive tool encouraging educational cross-cultural development and raise awareness of these prominent figures who have ‘lit the way’ intellectually, socially, and culturally.
Kijana Global Innovation School in Western Kenya opened its doors in January 2020 to serve primarily average-income and highly-talented Kenyan youth and infuse new options in our global educational capacity. Students, pre-k through ninth grade, are inspired and nurtured to fulfill their potentials and are prepared to advance to the next stage academically with confidence, global understanding, and the individual and collaborative skills to compete and contribute in a challenging world. This world-class institution is also a venue for international collaboration as educators and students from other countries, including the United States, are invited to visit, learn, and share in a beautiful and culturally interactive environment.
Kijana received these accolades for its work in 2023, along with other global change-making nonprofits, foundations, cultural icons, and industry and brand leaders such as: ACLU, UNICEF, AARP, Taylor Swift (with Vote.org), The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, PepsiCo, Patagonia, KIND Snacks, Google, NFL, ABC News, CNN, and Hearst. The complete list of winners can be found at www.anthemawards.com/winners/.
The Anthem Awards were launched by The Webby Awards in 2021 to recognize social impact across the globe. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, the Anthem Awards are defining a new benchmark for impact work that inspires others to take action in their communities.
Kijana previously received Silver recognition for its work in 2022 for the 2nd Annual Anthem Awards.
Kijana Educational Empowerment Initiative is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that promotes and cultivates youth empowerment through educational development, cross-cultural dialogue, and sustainable and environmentally friendly economic growth, among under-served Kenyan school communities and American school communities. Kijana has served a pivotal role in transforming education in Western Kenya. With hundreds of thousands of dollars of investments, Kijana altered the educational trajectory and raised expectations of citizens by investing in over 30 schools countrywide. Kijana is currently in the process of building a modern pre-k through 12th-grade independent school, Kijana Global Innovation School (KGIS), to serve primarily average-income and highly-talented Kenyan youth and infuse new options in our global educational capacity. For more information or to provide financial support, visit: kijana.org.
Launched in 2021 by The Webby Awards, The Anthem Awards honors the purpose & mission-driven work of people, companies and organizations worldwide. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, we’re defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their own communities. The Anthem Awards honors work across seven core causes: Diversity; Equity & Inclusion; Education; Art & Culture; Health; Human & Civil Rights; Humanitarian Action & Services; Responsible Technology; and Sustainability, Environment & Climate. Founded in partnership with the Ad Council, Born This Way Foundation, Feeding America, Glaad, Mozilla, NAACP, NRDC, WWF, and XQ.
Anthem Winners are selected by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Members include: Nicholas Thompson, CEO, The Atlantic, Christina Swarns, Executive Director, Innocence Project, Zarna Surti, Global Creative Director, Nike Purpose, Maurice Mitchell, National Director, Working Families Party, Lindsay Stein, Chief Purpose Office, Tombras, Jennifer Lotito, President & Chief Operating Officer, (RED), Lisa Sherman, President & CEO, The Ad Council, Emily Barfoot, Global Brand Director Dove, Unilever, Trovon Williams, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications, NAACP, Roma McCaig, Senior VP of Impact, Clif Bar, Michelle Egan, Chief Strategy Officer, NRDC, Dinah-Kareen Jean, Senior Manager, Social Innovation, Etsy, Sarah Kate Ellis, President & CEO, GLAAD, Jad Finck, Vice President of Innovation & Sustainability, Allbirds, Christopher Miller, Head of Global Activism Strategy, Ben & Jerry’s, Shayla Tait, Director of Philanthropy The Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation.
