Nhial Deng.

In 2010, Nhial Deng arrived at the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, which would become Nhial’s home for the next decade. However, the journey meant that he was separated from his father, mother and six siblings for 12 years – a crushing loss at such a young age. Through the UNHCR child protection program, Nhial was assigned to a good foster family, and found solace and hope at school. He set up a journalism club in his high school to create a space for students to learn the arts of storytelling, and founded the Refugee Youth Peace Ambassadors, a youth-led initiative working on peacebuilding, youth empowerment, and social entrepreneurship.  

After finishing high school, Nhial had to rely mainly on his smartphone to take free online courses on subjects like peace and conflict, human rights, international affairs, English, and journalism. When the COVID pandemic struck, Nhial set up a digital awareness campaign to tackle misinformation, focused on credible sources such as the World Health Organization and the Kenyan Ministry of Health. These efforts helped reach over 40,000 people in Kakuma and Kalobeyei with credible and life-saving information about the virus. Nhial also created a Twitter account in the refugee camp to share the experiences of refugees. Although he has now begun his higher studies at Huron University College, Nhial continues to work on projects to assist life in the camp, such as the Kakuma Book Drive – a global student-led solidarity movement that aims to mobilize 10,000 textbooks, laptops, and funding for a library and community center for young people in the Kakuma refugee camp.  

Nhial is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Award, the World Vision Hero for Children Courage Award 2023, and the FilmAid Student Award 2021. His community work in Kakuma has impacted over 20,000 young people, and he currently serves on eight committees and advisory boards, including two United Nations committees.

"The Global Schools Prize will not only recognize and celebrate schools transforming learning through innovative and creative ideas around the world, but will also serve as a catalyst in finding solutions to challenges in the education sector by promoting innovation within educational institutions. This award comes at a timely moment, affirming the critical role of education in building a better, more equitable world."