SID-US 2024 Andrew E. Rice Award
Congratulations to the 2024 Andrew E. Rice Award Winner!
Aphlyne Turfy Ouma
Aphlyne Turfy Ouma
Aphlyne is the founder of "Mental Wellness with a Smile"(a community-based organization that promotes mental health and well-being among marginalized communities and people with disabilities) and a committed development practitioner with a focus on sustainable development for marginalized communities. A graduate of the GLOCAL masters' program of International Development from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, with a background in Medical Psychology, she emphasizes the intersection of mental health, climate change, and development.
Aphlyne has over seven years of experience in project planning, policy development, and offering Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) services, working in the clinical areas,at the Ministry of Health in Kenya and in humanitarian settings like Bidibidi refugee Settlement, Uganda. She adopts an Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) approach, ensuring sustainability by working with and not for, communities—harnessing their strengths to drive inclusive development. Passionate about enhancing the inclusion of refugees, women, youth, and people with disabilities, Aphlyne's ultimate ambition is to demonstrate the importance of mental wellness in societal development and how effective leadership and policies can achieve this vision.
Aphlyne has over seven years of experience in project planning, policy development, and offering Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) services, working in the clinical areas,at the Ministry of Health in Kenya and in humanitarian settings like Bidibidi refugee Settlement, Uganda. She adopts an Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) approach, ensuring sustainability by working with and not for, communities—harnessing their strengths to drive inclusive development. Passionate about enhancing the inclusion of refugees, women, youth, and people with disabilities, Aphlyne's ultimate ambition is to demonstrate the importance of mental wellness in societal development and how effective leadership and policies can achieve this vision.
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Honorable Mention
Luis V. Villaherrera 
Luis V. Villaherrera is an expert on democracy, AI, elections, and international development, and the first Obama Scholar from Mex-And Central America. A finalist for the 2024 Kofi Annan Democracy Prize, his insights have been published in Global Americans and Americas Quarterly, among others. He has been invited to share his work on Pod Save the World and Global Minnesota and has been featured in The New York Times and quoted on CNN. In 2017, Luis co-founded TRACODA (Transparency, Social Control, and Open Data), creating innovative technological tools to combat corruption and promote democracy. One of his key projects, an open platform app to track government data and expose corruption, garnered over 500,000 visits before it was banned by the Salvadoran government. He also founded the Center for Democratic Strengthening in eastern El Salvador, focused on enhancing civic participation and accountability. Luis has led boot camps on democracy, civic engagement, and disinformation, reaching more than 10,000 young people. His initiatives continue to support journalists, think tanks, and researchers in improving government transparency on an international scale. Luis has been a panelist in Brussels, Athens, and other European and international forums, bringing attention to his work in fostering alliances between Latin America and Europe. |
Honorable Mention
Yuliia Bihun 
Yuliia Bihun serves as an Explosive Ordnance Risk Education Coordinator for Tetra Tech, Humanitarian Mine Action Ukraine. She is also the founder of the "Your Love" charity foundation and the social enterprise OHRA HOME, which provides training and employment opportunities for mothers of children with disabilities and women with disabilities. Through OHRA HOME, Yuliia helps women gain financial independence and strengthen their roles in society. Included in the Forbes 30 under 30 list and TOP 100 Womens of Ukraine. As an innovative leader, she is passionate about advancing explosive ordnance risk education and championing social causes. Her expertise lies in coordinating large-scale projects, fundraising, and driving impactful initiatives that support vulnerable communities. Yuliia is deeply committed to creating lasting change and empowering those in need. |
We received a large volume of excellent applications for the 2024 Rice Award and would like to thank all who took the time to apply for this year's award.
About the Rice Award
Each year, we present the Andrew E. Rice Award for Leadership and Innovation by a Young Professional in International Development. Established in 2003, the Rice Award (formerly named the Truman Award) recognizes the achievements of an exceptional young professional committed to advancing the field of international development. The recipient of this award will demonstrate strong leadership, innovation, and commitment to sustainable, people-centered development.
Each year, we present the Andrew E. Rice Award for Leadership and Innovation by a Young Professional in International Development. Established in 2003, the Rice Award (formerly named the Truman Award) recognizes the achievements of an exceptional young professional committed to advancing the field of international development. The recipient of this award will demonstrate strong leadership, innovation, and commitment to sustainable, people-centered development.
Past Recipients
2023 - Neema Ayoub Magimba
Neema is a passionate lawyer with a demonstrated history of leadership. She believes in advocating for access to justice for all and is a Co-Founder and the Head of Legal for Sheria Kiganjani (Law On Your Palm), a digital platform that provides easily accessible and affordable legal services through mobile phones to over 42,000 Tanzanians who cannot access justice due to financial and geographical constraints.
Neema is a passionate lawyer with a demonstrated history of leadership. She believes in advocating for access to justice for all and is a Co-Founder and the Head of Legal for Sheria Kiganjani (Law On Your Palm), a digital platform that provides easily accessible and affordable legal services through mobile phones to over 42,000 Tanzanians who cannot access justice due to financial and geographical constraints.
2022 - Nasrat Khalid
Nasrat is passionate about including countries in the Global South and global talent in the digital economy. Nasrat has helped over half a million people through his platform with emergency support items in the Afghanistan crisis. Nasrat's platform, Aseel, has also helped sell over ten thousand handmade items from Afghanistan and Turkey in international markets. Before creating the Aseel platform, Nasrat served the international development sector with the World Bank, USAID, and the private sector for 12 years. By training, Nasrat is a systems Infrastructure Engineer.
Nasrat is passionate about including countries in the Global South and global talent in the digital economy. Nasrat has helped over half a million people through his platform with emergency support items in the Afghanistan crisis. Nasrat's platform, Aseel, has also helped sell over ten thousand handmade items from Afghanistan and Turkey in international markets. Before creating the Aseel platform, Nasrat served the international development sector with the World Bank, USAID, and the private sector for 12 years. By training, Nasrat is a systems Infrastructure Engineer.
2019 - Kanchan Amatya
Kanchan Amatya is a Nepalese social entrepreneur, women’s rights activist and UN Women’s Global Champion for Women’s Economic Empowerment with a deep interest in re-defining Asia’s growth and development. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Sustainable Fish Farming Initiative, an award winning social enterprise based in Nepal that empowers rural farmers to tackle poverty, ensure food and nutrition security, and improve natural resource management through sustainable aquaculture, microfinance and technology. Most recently, Kanchan worked with Women Thrive Alliance, where she helped to build a network of over 300 grassroots women’s rights advocates in 53 countries and supported their involvement in a plethora of SDG-era decision making processes at the United Nations. She previously co-led the Youth Assembly at the United Nations’ Resolution Committee and mentored its young delegates from 80+ countries from across Asia, Africa, Europe, Middle East, and South America.
Kanchan Amatya is a Nepalese social entrepreneur, women’s rights activist and UN Women’s Global Champion for Women’s Economic Empowerment with a deep interest in re-defining Asia’s growth and development. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Sustainable Fish Farming Initiative, an award winning social enterprise based in Nepal that empowers rural farmers to tackle poverty, ensure food and nutrition security, and improve natural resource management through sustainable aquaculture, microfinance and technology. Most recently, Kanchan worked with Women Thrive Alliance, where she helped to build a network of over 300 grassroots women’s rights advocates in 53 countries and supported their involvement in a plethora of SDG-era decision making processes at the United Nations. She previously co-led the Youth Assembly at the United Nations’ Resolution Committee and mentored its young delegates from 80+ countries from across Asia, Africa, Europe, Middle East, and South America.
Scroll down to see the full list of past recipients.