Young Tanzanian advocate, Zainab wins the Young Courage Award for 2026

STOCKHOLM: At just 18 years old, Zainab Khamis Rashid has already shown that age is no barrier to standing up for others.

The young Zanzibari advocate was named Tanzania’s recipient of the 2026 Young Courage Award, an international recognition celebrating young people who demonstrate civil courage and take action to create positive change.

Zainab joined fellow award winners from 15 countries in Stockholm on 27 August for Raoul Wallenberg Day, where she was honoured for her courage in standing up for children’s rights in Zanzibar.

But behind the award is a story of a young person who has chosen to speak up when others are being denied their rights.

According to her project supervisor at the Children’s Rights Forum Zanzibar, who has worked closely with Zainab for the past two years, she has demonstrated a strong commitment to defending children’s rights through her work with the youth council and various community initiatives.

One of the issues she has taken on is discrimination against children and young people with disabilities. At only 16, Zainab worked to challenge barriers preventing children with disabilities from accessing their fundamental right to education.

Her supervisor describes her as a bold and selfless young person who refuses to discriminate between children and is willing to defend those whose rights are being overlooked.

Her actions have also required her to stand up in the face of opposition,  something that made her particularly deserving of an award inspired by the legacy of Raoul Wallenberg.

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“Receiving the Young Courage Award is a great honour, but for me, it is also a reminder that we all have a responsibility to speak up when we see injustice. I want to continue advocating for children’s rights, especially children and young people with disabilities, and to help create a Zanzibar where every young person has the opportunity to learn, participate and reach their full potential. My experience in Sweden has shown me the power of young people coming together, sharing ideas and learning from one another. I hope to take these experiences home and use them to inspire more young people to believe that their voices can make a difference.”

Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat remembered for using his position to protect thousands of Jewish people from persecution during the Second World War, became a symbol of moral courage: the courage to act when others are facing injustice.

Zainab has demonstrated that same spirit in her own community

Rather than remaining silent when children with disabilities were denied opportunities, she took action to challenge discrimination and advocate for their access to education. Her work has shown a maturity, empathy and sense of justice beyond her years.

Her commitment extends beyond individual campaigns. Zainab volunteers through the youth council, where she seeks opportunities to develop skills that can help her empower other young people and contribute to her community. She is also involved in efforts to address harmful practices affecting young people.

Her five-day visit to Sweden gave her an opportunity to take that work onto an international stage.

In Stockholm, Zainab met fellow young changemakers from 15 countries and took part in tours, meetings and discussions. She met with the Tanzanian Ambassador to Sweden and members of the Swedish Royal Family.

As part of this year’s “In Raoul’s Footsteps” journey, the young award recipients also visited Sweden’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs, where they met Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard. They discussed young people’s engagement and shared experiences and perspectives from their different countries.

The Young Courage Award is presented by the Raoul Wallenberg Academy, in collaboration with Sweden’s embassies and the Swedish Institute, to young people aged 13–20 from around the world who have demonstrated great civil courage.

For Zanzibar, Zainab’s recognition is a reminder of the important role young people can play in creating change within their communities.

Her story is not simply about receiving an international award. It is about a young woman who saw children facing discrimination, chose not to remain silent and took action.

From Zanzibar to Stockholm, Zainab has shown that courage can begin with something as simple,  and as powerful,  as deciding that someone else’s rights are worth standing up for.

And at 18, her journey is only beginning.