2020
HEALTH & WELLBEING
Recipient
Lionel Rogers
Fiji
This award recognizes an individual working in the fields of healthcare, medicine or research whose work has improved the health and wellbeing of LGBTQI people and/or people affected by HIV in specific countries in Asia and the Pacific or across the region more broadly.
Lionel Rogers is a passionate advocate for mental health, suicide prevention, human rights and gender equality and the President for Youth Champs 4 Mental Health – the leading youth led mental health and suicide prevention organization in Fiji and the South Pacific region.
This award brings with it renewed hope, energy and motivation during a very difficult period and it reaffirms the value of community – our global community. It is comforting to know that some of the most compassionate, dedicated and hardworking individuals will be awarded for their contribution at this awards ceremony and I am fortunate to be selected as one.I would like to dedicate this award to EVERY SINGLE VOLUNTEER-true unsung heroes-on the ground working in the most unfavorable conditions with very limited resources and very little support to provide life saving results. I stand with you, I advocate with you and I hear you! Let’s continue to practice kindness as even the smallest gesture could save a life and let’s continue to reach out, speak out and help out.
