A York student is in the running for a global education prize of 100,000 US dollars (£77,000).
Joel Mordi is in the top 50 shortlist for the Chegg.org Global Student Prize.
Mr Mordi, a University of York student who won a Princess Diana Legacy Award this year, organised Nigeria’s first LGBTQ+ Pride protest in 2019, which led to his forced displacement.
The 26-year-old Nigerian activist is the founder of the Mordi Ibe Foundation (MIF) – a youth-focused charity in Nigeria which champions educational inclusion, diversity and equity.
He is one of only three British students shortlisted for the award, which is given to a student who has made a real impact on learning, the lives of their peers and on society beyond.
The others are London School of Economics and Political Science student Haja Isatu Bah and Oxford student Nurana Mammadova.
Chegg.org partnered with the Varkey Foundation to launch the annual Global Student Prize in 2021.
Sunny Varkey, Founder of the Varkey Foundation, said: “Joel Mordi’s story is a testament to the crucial role that education plays in building a better world for us all.
“As time runs out to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, it is more important than ever to prioritise education so we can face the future with confidence.”
The 10 finalists for the prize will be announced in September and the winner will be announced later this year by the Global Student Prize Academy.
