The Fred Hollows Foundation awards
“We are privileged in Australia and if we can do something that would benefit those who are less privileged, I think this is such a great opportunity,” Ali said.
The Fred Hollows Foundation is searching for a new junior ambassador among year 6 students in Victoria as part of the 2023 Humanity Award.
Founding director of the Fred Hollows Foundation Gabi Hollows said, “Fred used to say the basic attribute of mankind is to look after each other.
“I am constantly inspired by the actions of award recipients and I know Fred would be too. I urge people in Victoria to nominate a year 6 student who embodies the values of compassion, integrity and kindness.”
In 2022, Matilda Goodbourn, of Emmaus Catholic Primary School in Ballarat, was nominated by her little sister Lilah Rose for shining a light on social justice issues.
Inspired by The Big Issue magazine, Matilda created her own social justice publication for kids, The Little Issue. Matilda has published five editions, selling them for $5 each and donating proceeds towards the Ballarat Soup Bus, and she has already raised $2000.
“The Little Issue has articles about things that make the world a better place,” Lilah Rose said.
“It has interviews, puzzles and craft. I love that my big sister Matilda is changing the lives of the people who use the Soup Bus and the kids who read her magazine.”
Similarly the Fred Hollows Foundation has opened nominations for the 2023 Fred Awards, which celebrate everyday adult humanitarians across Australia who embody the same principles of kindness, compassion and integrity.
Last year photographer Muzafar Ali was named the 2022 Fred Hollows Humanitarian of the year and joined Gabi’s call for nominations.
“We are privileged in Australia and if we can do something that would benefit those who are less privileged, I think this is such a great opportunity,” Ali said.
“Fred Hollows was one of those people that could have easily sat back in inner city life, but he chose to help people living in remote areas and in less privileged countries. He gave them the gift of vision. That is the most valuable gift that he could offer to those forgotten people – those who felt powerless.”
Ali left Afghanistan after the Taliban targeted his family and ended up in Indonesia with almost 10,000 stateless Afghans.
He set up the Cisarua Refugee Learning Centre and dedicated himself to organising education for the many stranded children who were not allowed access to Indonesian schools.
In 2018, Ali and his family were granted permanent residency in Australia and moved to Adelaide, where he continues to devote his time supporting the learning centre and raising awareness of the families still stranded.
Ali also has a documentary coming out towards the end of this month titled Watandar, My Countryman, which captures his experience as a former Afghan-Hazara refugee.
Nominations can be made via the links below:
Nominations close at 11.59pm on Friday, July 21.
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