RéjaneWoodroffe, member of the ALI Board and founder of Bulungula Incubator, has been presented with the British Council’s 2019 Social Impact Award.
The British Council award series has a dual function: to celebrate Britain’s own tertiary education institutions (Réjanehas an MSc in Development Economics from the University of Sussex), and, importantly, to celebrate the impact of the best of these institutions’ alumni.
On its awards pages, the British Council describes Réjaneas follows: “[She] leads a team that has reduced child mortality through interventions in education, health and sustainable livelihoods… Réjane’s work is directly improving the lives of 6 000 people within the immediate community, and thousands more through contributing to the South African government’s development interventions…”
“We are proud to be recognised and honoured on a large and influential platform such as the Study UK Alumni Award. It provides international exposure for our work, potentially facilitating broader reach and impact through new partnerships and connections,” said Réjane about the award. “The work of the Bulungula Incubator has a deep, grassroots focus that can be leveraged for impact through platforms that have global access and scope. ”
Réjanehad been in the company of highly inspiring fellow finalists for the Social Impact Award, including science communicator Spiros Kitsinelis; Sharin Yaish, founder of Kaynouna Arab Art Therapy Center; Stephanie Case of the UN’s Protection of Civilians and Child Protection in Afghanistan, who is also founder of the charity Free to Run; and educator Yu Hao. The other international awards from 2019 are:
- The Professional Achievement Award, which went to Noha Aboueldahab, a traditional justice specialist; and
- The Entrepreneurial Award, which went to Mamunur Rahman, inventor of the Ella Pad which supports more than 50 000 women in Bangladesh with improved hygiene and work opportunities.
Réjane’s work at Bulungula Incubator haspreviously been recognised for its paradigm-shifting perspectives, and in 2014 won the John P. McNulty Prize: her leadership case study associated with this contains profound lessons for any leader in the social space, and can be found here.
